Event Summary
Speakers
- Tiit Kutser, Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu, Estonia / Remote Sensing of Environment
- Christophe Brière, “Planning & Coastal Protection” department at Egis, France
- Fils Makanzu Imwangana, Geographer from University of Kinshasa in DR. Congo / Managing director of 'Unité de Recherches et de Formation en Gestion des Risques Naturels (Research and Training in Natural Hazard Unit) at University of Kinshasa in DR. Congo.
- Precious Agbeko D. Mattah, ACECoR
- Hafsa Ouattara, WACA
- Moderator: Pr. Abé Delfin Ochou, Project Coordinator, WACA Ivory Coast
Description
Thuesday November 21, 10:30 – 12, Room 2
As Africa’s cities grow, populations, assets and economic activities in coastal flood plains become more vulnerable to the detrimental effects of climate change and disaster risk. Many coastal cities are already feeling the effects of these hazards. With a rise in sea levels, change in precipitation patterns and increased anthropogenic pressures along the African sub-Saharan coast, the situation is likely to become worse for many cities. This session will present the opportunities arising from the exploitation of new data and tools for coastal monitoring in support to Disaster Risk Reduction, with a focus on direct experiences and case studies along the coasts of West Africa, highlighting the most compelling needs and possible way forwards. The session will feature presentations of Earth Observation techniques useful to monitor the urban and coastal environment, from the UK National Oceanographic Centre, representing EO4SD Marine Resources consortium of the European Space Agency.
Speaker bios
Prof. Tiit Kutser is a Research Professor and Head of Remote Sensing and Marine Optics Department, at the Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu, Estonia, where he works since 1987. He obtained a PhD in remote sensing of optically complex coastal and inland waters, from the University of Tartu, Estonia. He has been visiting professor at the University of Uppsala, Sweden, at the EPFL, Switzerland and the University of Lund, Sweden. From 2014 until 2020, he is Associate Editor for coastal and inland waters in the Remote Sensing of Environment. His research focuses on developing and implementing remote sensing methods for monitoring coastal and inland waters, such as recognition and quantitative monitoring of harmful algal blooms, mapping different water constituents, mapping shallow water benthic habitats, and bathymetry.
Dr.Christophe Brière is currently the Director of the “Planning & Coastal Protection” department at Egis, France. He is a senior advisor with about 20 years’ experience in technical and policy projects, focusing on coastal dynamics and resilience to climate change. Working at the science-policy interface, his expertise covers the entire cycle for disaster risk management comprising risk assessment and adaptation planning. He has in-depth knowledge in the identification of drivers and definition of climate change scenarios, numerical modelling of extreme events, and quantification of multi- hazards, vulnerabilities and risks. In the area of adaptation planning, his experience covers the characterization, engagement and participation of stakeholders, the identification and evaluation of climate-proof measures incl. Nature Based Solutions (NBS), and the application of economic methods (CBA). As part of the planning and implementation of coastal risk management strategies, he has acquired expertise in the application of various coastal management frameworks and in decision-making under deep uncertainty (DMDU) approaches (Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways), in the context of climate change. His international project experience extends over Maghreb, Sub-Sahara Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, and the EU.
Prof.Fils Makanzu Imwangana is a Geographer from University of Kinshasa in DR. Congo and a managing expert in Disasters Risks Management with more than 15 years of research experience and field work between land degradation, spatial analysis, impacts and adaptation of climate change. He is the founder and managing director of ‘Unité de Recherches et de Formation en Gestion des Risques Naturels (Research and Training in Natural Hazard Unit) at University of Kinshasa in DR. Congo. He offers his service to reduce the negative impact of natural hazards and allow for continued development efforts by public authorities, private institutions and NGO to develop strategic and operational instruments and mechanisms that should lead to better governance of natural hazards. Thus, he was the main actor in the formulation of the Disaster Risk Reduction of National Strategy with a 2017-2023 Plan of Action (with UNDP supports).
Dr.Precious Agbeko D. Mattah has worked as a Research Officer in various organizations in Ghana. He is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Coastal Management of the University of Cape Coast in Ghana where he also serves as the Deputy Director of the World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR). He holds a PhD Degree in Environmental Science from the University of Ghana, Legon. His current research focuses on finding solutions to the numerous coastal degradation challenges confronting West and Central Africa. He is also keenly engaged in capacity building of young professionals of the African sub region relative to postgraduate PhD and Masters training. He is initiating a project in the assessment of climate-related disaster risk reduction strategies in coastal West Africa.
Hafsa Ouattara is a Computer and Software Engineer. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences and Management with option on Geosciences and Environment from Nangui-Abrogoua University (Abidjan) and a Master’s degree in Water Sciences and Techniques from the same university. She currently holds the position of Institutional Development Specialist for the West African Coastal Management Program (WACA) of Côte d’Ivoire and Head of the National Coastal Observatory. She has experience working with the main development partners: World Bank Group (WB) in the framework of the WACA project, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the implementation of the Environmental Information Management System (SGIE) for the development of the coastal zone of which she is the manager, and finally the International Union for the Conservation of Nature ( IUCN) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) in the case of the implementation of the erosion and adaptation project in coastal areas of West Africa.