Organised by Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), the Institute for Water Modelling (IWM) and Deltares (from the Netherlands) on 19th June 2019 was extremely successful. Read the event summary report below. Event-Summary-Joint-workshop-on-modelling-for-polder-management-2019

From 8 to 10 July a training has been given by DeltaCAP at LGED training center on Adaptive Delta Management and Train the Trainers principles. The participants (25pp) consisted predominantly of young and mid-career technical staff from LGED, GED, BWBD, and IWM. The learning objectives of this training were two-fold. The first objective was to introduce to the participants the principles and practical application of ADM (tools, context, limitations). The second objective was to equip the participants with knowledge of the didactical principles (referred to as the 7 key principles of Train the Trainers) required to design an outline of training. During the training, attention has also been paid to the development of social skills (such as active listening) needed to enhance the participants capacity to become effective teachers. At the closure of the training Md. Khalilur Rahman Chief Engineer, LGED gave a short lecture in which he emphasized the needs to capacitate LGED engineers on Adaptive delta management and planning. He also mentions that for the longer-term sustainability of infrastructure’s that LGED made need to be aligned with the BDP2100. This kind of training course is helpful for our staff as they need to be able to incorporate ADM in their day to day work. Finally, he handed over the certificates to the participants.

The lecturers of this training consisted of Prof. Chris Zevenbergen, IHE Delft; Prof. M. Shah Alam Khan, IWFM BUET; Dr. Umme Kulsum Navera, DWRE, BUET and Sara Nowreen, IWFM BUET.     

During the training, the DeltaCAP App has been presented and the participants downloaded this app on their smartphone. The DeltaCAP city App aims to both assess the training needs of the stakeholders of BDP2100 and to timely inform the DeltaCAP family members about the offering of relevant training programs.

The evaluation of the training revealed that the participants valued the training as very useful and inspiring. They also indicated that the 3 days training was too short to pay sufficient attention to the practical knowledge of ADM (practical relevance and implications).

Soon the first lessons of the Online Couse ‘Climate Information Services for The BDP2100’ will be launched for a testing round. This online course targets students and professionals in water management and spatial planning and introduces the climate information services that are available in Bangladesh to support the implementation of the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP2100). For the first testing round, we have a limited number of seats available, for students and professionals that are willing to test the course material. Participants will gain important knowledge and skills in explaining adaptive delta management and climate information services to support the implementation of the Bangladesh Delta Plan. Participants will receive a DeltaCAP completion certificate and will be invited for the other lessons of the course when available. If you are interested, please send an email to: eva@climateadaptationservices.com.

About the course

The BDP2100 is a long-term, integral and holistic plan for the country of Bangladesh. Central to the execution of this plan, is the Adaptive Delta Management approach. This approach takes the uncertain future into account, by developing strategies that are robust under different possible futures and that can be flexibly adjusted when new knowledge comes available. Climate change impacts pose a big challenge to Bangladesh: already often occurring natural hazards like flash floods, heat waves and droughts will occur more often and more extreme. How exactly this future climate will look like is uncertain. Consequently, what actions and development courses are most appropriate is not straightforward. However, climate information services are available that can support spatial planners and water managers to make climate-smart decisions. This course provides an introduction to the available information climate services in Bangladesh, the principles of Adaptive Delta Management and the goals BDP2100. This will allow students to reflect on how climate information services may support their own work, to achieve a climate robust Bangladesh.

The course is provided online and regards a mix of expert interviews, tutorials, literature and quizzes. The course is structured along four modules, each module containing multiple lessons. Modules:

1. Introduction to the BDP2100 and Climate Services
2. Data and Information sources
3. Communication and Visualization
4. Policy and Action