Prepared International (PPI)

Guyana early warning and flood preparedness project ⛈ Guyana's coastal drainage system comprises a unique, network of canals, sluices, pumps and a Water Conservancy. Over time, its operational capacities have declined. The current Coastal Adaptation and #Resilience Project builds on efforts to enhance flood risk management. The project will repair or replace drainage infrastructure assets. Investments enhance drainage functionality for efficient rainfall runoff discharge, improve flood protection, and strengthen irrigation services. 📢 Hired by the Government of #Guyana, PPI is currently engaged to develop an #Emergency Preparedness and #ResponsePlan. The plan will define responsibility for dam operational decision-making, for related emergency communications, define early flood warning systems and establish procedures for evacuation and for mobilizing emergency forces and equipment. 🚦 For #CommunityPreparedness in the context of Guyana PPI identified the following actions as part of early warning: 🏢 Take shelter. Staying before, during and after a flood in an environment where the effect of the flood can be or will de limited - like higher ground - and where one can stay for a few days (friends and family). 🏚 Shelter in home. The preferred course of action for most people is taking shelter in their own home. By building up a stock of food and taking other items to a dry floor to provide for the basic necessities of life including hygiene, medicine, mosquito nets, blankets, candles and means of communication one can stay in most cases safely at home for multiple days. 🏫 Public shelter. People and any pets who do not have a dry floor in their house and buildings that are expected to be in strong water flows can use public shelters specially set up by the government. 🏗 Improvised shelter entails finding a location in the impact area during serious flooding where one can escape the water, such, high buildings and higher ground. Improvised shelter is not prepared and should be avoided as much as possible. 🚧 Stay away from the area. The action perspective of staying away from the area is aimed at people who potentially reside in the flood-prone area. As many people as possible who do not necessarily have to be in the area should stay away from it. This includes canceling events and closing schools, offices and catering facilities to limit the influx to the area. 🚑 Evacuate. Evacuation is the process of moving people and their pets from the flood-prone area or the area threatened by chain effects to a safe area. Evacuation can take place before, during and after flooding. PPI believes that understanding of #hydrological dynamics of low laying #coastalzones combined with inspection capacities and #earlywarning systems with behavioral instructions will #safelives and limit impact on societies around the globe.

🌎 Addressing the Climate Refugee Crisis 🌍   🌦️#ClimateChange drives vulnerable populations to migrate due to environmental degradation and natural hazards. This affects human movements within and across borders, impacting development, security, and global stability.   🌋#ClimateRefugees, a subset of environmental refugees, flee due to natural hazards. The International Red Cross estimates there are more environmental than political refugees. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre reports over 376 million people have been displaced by natural hazards since 2008, with 32.6 million in 2022. This number is expected to rise.   🔑Key #challenges for environmental refugees include:   - Lack of international legal protection   - Difficulties adapting to urban life   - Cultural and legal challenges   - Resource competition leading to conflicts   📌The climate crisis worsens displacement, threatening human rights, increasing poverty, and straining community relations, leading to further forced displacement.   ⛺️Displaced populations often live in remote areas, overcrowded camps, or informal settlements with limited access to services, making them vulnerable to climate hazards. Assistance to prepare for and recover from climate-related shocks is crucial to addressing climate change as a root cause of displacement and finding lasting solutions.   🦺Prepared International (PPI) focuses on adaptation initiatives to bolster resilience against climate impacts, creating customized strategies for governments, civil societies, and stakeholders. PPI evaluates vulnerability and capacity to manage climate risks and develops measures to reinforce infrastructure, enhance disaster preparedness, and boost ecosystem resilience.   For more on climate change and disaster displacement, see the EU Parliament article on "The concept of 'climate refugee': Towards a possible definition." Photo Credits: Jonas Gratzer/LightRocket

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🌍 Floods vs. Droughts: The Double-Edged Sword of Climate Change 💡According to the United Nations, droughts are among the greatest threats to sustainable development. Forecasts predict that by 2050, droughts may affect more than 75 percent of the world’s population. The magnitude of this problem demands the international community’s constant attention. However, in honor of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on June 17, we specifically highlight the importance of climate resilience and global action to combat drought, the correlation between drought and floods, as well as their adverse effects. ☀️Recent research indicates that the chances of drought in the Horn of Africa are 100 times higher due to climate change. This is not only related to the lack of rainfall but also to the rapid evaporation of water due to high temperatures. While the amount and frequency of rainfall are significant, the effects of global warming and elevated temperatures are even more impactful. 🏜️Despite often seeing images of dry landscapes in the Horn of Africa, the region also experiences significant flooding. Droughts can lead to floods as heavy rain falls in a short period after prolonged droughts, causing the soil to be unable to absorb the water fully. This results in shallow absorption and increased flooding, as the excess water flows off rather than being absorbed. This cycle exacerbates both floods and droughts, ultimately triggering food insecurity in vulnerable communities.   🥣At Prepared International (PPI), we collaborate with communities and governments to strengthen climate resilience through technical assistance, helping them adjust to climate change, counter environmental degradation, minimize disaster risk, and enhance disaster preparedness. Our work supports communities in preparing for and mitigating the effects of climate change, reducing their vulnerability and that of their ecosystems. 🦺For instance, in Somalia, PPI has leveraged its extensive experience from Yemen and Sudan to design and develop comprehensive food security crisis preparedness plans. These plans aim to strengthen long-term resilience-building and policy frameworks.     #ClimateChange #SustainableDevelopment #Drought #Floods #ClimateResilience #GlobalAction #PPI #FoodSecurity #FCV  

🏘️ 💭  Fostering Resilient Communities Through Design Thinking and Strategic Adaptation 💭🏘️ 🌦️#ClimateChange presents global challenges, significantly impacting vulnerable communities. While community-based adaptation (CBA) is gaining traction, it often faces issues like narrow focus, localization, and resource constraints, leading to potential #maladaptation. 💡 Integrating design thinking principles—human-centeredness, problem framing, prototyping, and experimentation—into CBA can foster inclusive and sustainable solutions. This approach, which emphasizes empathy and iterative testing, helps us understand community needs and contexts, frame issues broadly, and find scalable solutions. It also assists communities in identifying barriers and potential consequences before full implementation. 🦺With over two decades of experience,Prepared International (PPI) is dedicated to fostering resilient communities and ecosystems. Our global projects in Madagascar, Somalia, Ghana, Jordan, Armenia, and many other countries have helped countless communities adapt to climate change. 🌍For example, in Bulgaria, PPI collaborated with the World Bank to analyze existing climate mitigation, adaptation, preparedness, and response capacities at national, district, and municipal levels. We designed a strategic, tailored capacity development plan using a theory of change framework, considering complex community networks and vulnerabilities. PPI assesses risks, reduces emissions, and implements customized strategies to meet climate goals, identifying opportunities and synergies with private and public institutions.   #CommunityAdaptation #DesignThinking #ClimateAction #DisasterPreparedness #AdaptationStrategies #EmpoweringCommunities #Resilience #SustainableDevelopment

🌎🌿 Celebrating #WorldEnvironmentDay 2024! 🌿🌍 This week, on June 5th, at Prepared International (PPI), we took the opportunity to reflect on the importance of caring for our planet and our mission to take urgent action in emergency preparedness and disaster response 🌏. 🌱 Did you know that up to 40% of the planet's land is degraded, affecting half of the global population? Since 2000, droughts have increased by 29%. Without urgent action, they could impact over three-quarters of the world’s population by 2050. At PPI, we provide technical training and resources to respond to natural hazards worldwide. Our holistic approach includes a diverse array of tools and skilled professionals in Disaster Risk Management (DRM), strengthening disaster and crisis response policies and practices. Our efforts empower national authorities and communities, foster impactful collaborations with the private sector, and advocate for international cooperation. With an extensive network of leading experts and profound expertise in Crisis and Disaster Management, Response, and Climate Change Adaptation, PPI is uniquely positioned to address all aspects of risk reduction and disaster management. Together, we continue to foster preparedness and emergency response to face environmental challenges triggered by climate change! 🌳💧 #PPI #Sustainability #DisasterResponse #ClimateChange #WorldEnvironmentDay https://lnkd.in/gUEwre3

Prepared International (PPI) is at the 8th EU Civil Protection this week in Brussels. The topic of the forum was Shaping a Disaster Resilient Union: Charting a path for the future of European Civil Protection. Organized as a combination of high-level plenary sessions, discussion panels and interactive workshops the forum provided an excellent opportunity for interaction on all levels. If one message captured our attention during these days is that: “the past is not a good example for the future as disaster risks are changing constantly”. The forum was also used to present and promote the #AGILE_EU project as High Impact Low Probability (HILP) events are becoming more frequent and recognizable.#UCPM

World Leaders Adopt Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States 🌎 As the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States concluded on Thursday 30 May 2024, world leaders adopted the “Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS: A Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity”. ⚠ Following three programmes of action, #SIDS (small island developing States) remain a special category of nations for #sustainabledevelopment. SIDS are uniquely vulnerable and exposed as they are disproportionately impacted by disasters and Climate Change in terms of physical destruction and non-economic and economic losses. The international community has an obligation to assist SIDS in diversifying their economies, #capacitydevelopment for disaster preparedness and response and making accessing concessional financing easier. 🏞 As SIDS desire to foster safe, healthy and prosperous societies, the Agenda called for international support to help such countries strengthen health systems, build strong institutions, achieve gender equality and empower youth. International support was also urged to help SIDS foster sustainable energy transitions, develop integrated water-resources management, enhance food security, build resilient infrastructure and enhance transportation and connectivity to regional markets and global supply chains. 📢 Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said: “This week, we are celebrating a new beginning.” Noting that the Conference launched a Debt Sustainability Support Service, he continued that the conference will be “a game-changer for islands”. This Service will expand fiscal space and address the unsustainable debt burden for SIDS. 🎉 PPI congratulates SIDS for the establishment of a “SIDS Centre of Excellence”, an institutional mechanisms that will ensure implementation of the Agenda. The “SIDS Data Hub” and its innovation-and-technology mechanism will use artificial intelligence to empower climate-related decision-making. Antigua and Barbuda within 12 months will convene the first Island Investment Forum. 🚨 PPI recognizes that sea-level rise and other adverse impacts of climate change continue to pose a significant risk to SIDS and their efforts to achieve sustainable development. For many, climate change also represents the gravest threat to their survival and viability. This inspires PPI to continue to focus on the needs of SIDS globally. We were honored to work with the authorities of Antigua and Barbuda, Belize and Suriname just last year to conduct diagnostics of the emergency preparedness and response systems. Currently PPI focusses on SIDS in the Pacific region. PPI applauds the government of Antigua and Barbuda for organizing the conference and for their continued leadership and advocacy for SIDS. Illustration credit: UNOPS 2020. Infrastructure for Small Island Developing States.

🌀Understanding El Niño and La Niña: Key Factors in the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season 🌀   As the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, it's essential to shed light on the impact of natural phenomena like El Niño and La Niña on hurricane activity. Prepared International (PPI) understands that information is a critical aspect of preparation; at the same time, preparation is our strongest tool in mitigating the effects of these powerful natural hazards and minimizing their impacts. This is why today we are highlighting why El Niño and La Niña are key factors in understanding the Atlantic Hurricane season 2024.   🔍 Why Are El Niño and La Niña Important? El Niño and La Niña are critical drivers of global weather patterns, particularly influencing tropical rainfall. These episodes, occurring every 3-5 years, significantly affect hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean.   🌊 The transition from a strong El Niño to La Niña conditions is expected to significantly shape the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane season, making it one of the most intense in recent years. La Niña tends to reduce wind shear in the tropics, creating a more favorable environment for hurricane development. Additionally, near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic and Caribbean provide abundant heat energy necessary for storm formation. To this factor, it's important to include that intense #ClimateChange, triggered by human activities, warms our oceans worldwide, causing sea levels to rise due to melting ice on land. This heightens the risk of storm surges, increasing the potential damage from hurricanes   🌎 One of the most vulnerable regions to this phenomenon is Latin America and the Caribbean. Warmer ocean temperatures and reduced wind shear can lead to more frequent and stronger hurricanes, posing significant threats to these regions. Increasing communities' risks of flooding, storm surges, and widespread damage, hindering social housing problems and economic development.     🔑However, there is a solution to mitigate natural hazards and prevent a disaster from turning into a catastrophe; specialized technical training in preparedness and emergency response plays a significant role in mitigating the impact of hurricanes. It's crucial for communities and governments to work together to ensure that disaster risks do not become catastrophes.    PPI is proud to share that it continues its strives to provide technical assistance to enhance emergency preparedness and response mechanisms by working with public and private actors. Highlighting the power of preparation and resilience to protect lives and communities around the globe. 💪 #HurricaneSeason #ElNiño #LaNiña #ClimateChange #DisasterPreparedness #CommunityResilience #LatinAmericaandtheCaribbean 

🚨 Preparation and Response Technical Training: A Lifeline in Times of Crisis 🚨   🌊The recent devastating floods in #Brazil highlight the critical importance of preparation and response technical training. In emergencies, the difference between life and death often hinges on the efficiency and effectiveness of these measures.   👩🏫Effective training equips communities with the skills and knowledge to act swiftly and safely, empowering individuals to make informed decisions, reducing chaos, and mitigating damage. 🌐Prepared International (PPI) supports disaster-prone communities by bringing together experts to strengthen resilience and build capacity with public and private actors. PPI’s #approach includes understanding disaster risks and facilitating participatory co-creation sessions to develop a comprehensive understanding of community #vulnerabilities and the root causes of #hazards, such as the importance of developing early warning systems (#EWS), including tailored alerts for people with vision or hearing impairments and preparedness for those with special needs. This includes the elderly, socially deprived, and persons with disabilities, who are often the hardest hit. Community preparedness ensures these vulnerable groups receive the necessary support during crises.   🤝Leveraging #disasterdiplomacy, PPI fosters social cohesion and peace, using disaster management as a catalyst for community harmony. #PPI also works towards climate-resilient communities, identifying and reinforcing capacities to mitigate climate-induced disasters and integrating disaster risk management within a broader food systems approach to improve food and nutrition security.   🌎With its expertise, PPI can help prevent and prepare for catastrophes like those recently seen in Brazil, where the lack of technical training exacerbated the disaster, leaving communities vulnerable and unable to respond effectively, leading to higher casualties and prolonged recovery. The floods in Brazil demonstrate that investing in preparation and response training is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Let’s advocate for comprehensive training programs to ensure every community is equipped to handle emergencies.💪   #EmergencyPreparedness #DisasterResponse #TrainingSavesLives #CommunityResilience #BrazilFloods #CrisisManagement #PreparedInternational Photo Credits: #UNHCR/ #EduardoAigner