The Multi-disciplinary Distributed Computing (MUSIC) project aims at bringing together several Swiss higher education institutes by means of a shared high-performance computing platform called XtremWeb-CH (XWCH: http://www.xtremwebch.net) utilized in the Virtual EZ Grid platform.

 

The project aims at: (1) simplifying use and reducing “operating costs” of the Virtual EZ Grid platform, (2) bringing new scientific communities to use Grid technology and, (3) improving the integration of the XWCH platform in the SMSCG platform (http://www.smscg.ch).

 

The role of UNEP/GRID-Geneva is to "gridify" the application used to compute individual past hazardous events modeling in each cyclonic region for the period 1970 to 2009.

UNEP/GRID-Geneva is one of the main contributor to UNEP Global Environmental Alert Service (GEAS).

 

This activity is the follow up of the GRID-Geneva project Environment Alert Bulletins (2003-2008). The Global Environment Alert Service continuously scans the scientific literature, analyses results of earth observations and other data sources to produce widely distributed alerts, focussing on policy relevant environmental hotspots, environmental science, and near real-time environmental hazards in an easily understandable format. It takes the pulse of the planet and enhances UNEP's ability to provide regular, science based updates to its member states and the international community on the status and trends of the global environment.

Glacial melting in Central Asia poses severe environmental and security risks for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Glaciers presently contribute up to 70% of the water flow in the major river systems of the region during hot, dry summers. It is predicted that between 64% and 95% of the glacial area over large parts of Central Asia will be lost as a result of melting by 2100. The reduction of water flow from such a change in glacial area is at present poorly understood, but is likely to be dramatic, particularly in hot, dry summers. Large reductions in water flow will have severe consequences for the ecological functioning of rivers as well as the water, energy and food security of all Central Asian countries.

Measurement of glaciers in Central Asia started in the 1930’s.  Since that time, approximately one third of the glacial area, of those monitored, has been lost as a result of melting. Because glacial melting provides a large proportion of the water flow in the major Central Asian rivers, the loss of much of the glacial area as a result of global warming will have severe consequences for ecological functioning of water bodies (e.g. rivers, lakes and Aral Sea), as well as water, energy and food security in the region. Additional threats posed by glacial melting include an increase in glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF), landslides and mudslides. Indeed, it is well recognized within Central Asia, that glacial melting poses one of the greatest security threats to the entire region. For example, the Kyrgyzstan president announced on the 28th July 2009, in his inauguration speech, that one of the priorities of the future for Kyrgyzstan is adapting to climate change impacts, especially with regards to glacial melting. Without the supply from glacial melting, irrigated agriculture in future hot, dry summers will largely collapse in many parts of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. This will greatly jeopardise general security in the region. The Fergana Valley provides a present-day example of how water shortages can create conflict between communities. The effects of glacial melting will have a multiplier effect on such conflicts, but to date the ramifications of glacial melting across all sectors have not been explicitly studied.

The DEWA/GRID-Geneva website is the office’s principal channel for providing environmental information to decision-makers and the general public in a timely and effective manner, and significant “added value” to its various information products.  In addition to its global reach, the GRID-Geneva website is a cost-effective tool for promoting the results of its work, allowing simultaneous information dissemination and updating, which is critical for its early warning and assessment activities.

The UNEP Foresight Process is a project designed by the UNEP Chief Scientist for identifying emerging environmental issues and prioritising them for in-depth analysis, based on a broad consultation process.

 

The identification of priority emerging environmental issues based on such a Consultation will carry a very strong message to the world community. This report will serve several purposes:

 

1. It will be a major contribution of UNEP to the “Emerging Issues” theme of the Rio 2012 Earth Summit.

2. It will be presented at the Global Ministerial Environment Forum – as an input to discussions on future issues for UNEP and the global environmental community.

3. It will also be presented to the Global Environment Facility Council and its Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) – as direct input to discussions on future programs of the GEF.

4. Inputs to preparation of the UNEP Program of Work (PoW) 2012-13 through briefings given to UNEP senior management, plus distribution of the “Emerging Issues” document.

5. Inputs to the Emerging Issues chapter of the next UNEP Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5) report through meetings with GEO-5 staff, plus distribution of the “Emerging Issues” document.

6. Inputs to selection of issues and planning of the UNEP Annual Yearbook through meetings with Yearbook staff, plus distribution of the “Emerging Issues” document.

7. Finally, it will provide guidance on subjects where more knowledge is needed by the scientific community, thus helping the scientific community and institutions financing the research to better target needs to bridge the gaps in our understanding of these important issues.

 

Following the identification of the main priority emerging environmental issues, the next logical step is environment policies and concrete actions to mitigate the impacts of these issues.

UNEP is sponsoring the development of a long-term programme integrating mountain and coastal ecosystem restoration, poverty reduction and disaster risk reduction programme. The proposed programme is currently labelled the Haiti Restoration Initiative (HRI). The vision for the Initiative is both simple and highly ambitious - to build and support a national movement in Haiti that understands the underlying issues and acts in a concerted manner over the next 20 years and beyond - to halt the ongoing degradation, and to gradually restore the environment and associated livelihoods and reduce the current vulnerability of the population to natural disasters.  

The project’s goal and objectives consist in the development of a website which will form part of the core content of the HRI.

The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) concluded that climate change has begun to affect the frequency intensity, and length of many extreme events, such as floods, droughts, storms and extreme temperatures, thus increasing the need for additional timely and effective adaptation. At the same time, gradual and non linear change to ecosystems and natural resources, and their increasing vulnerability, further increase the consequences of extreme weather events.  

To address these issues, a Special Report on "Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation" (SREX) was initiated. The UNEP/GRID-Geneva contribution to SREX is on chapter 4: Changes in impacts of climate extremes: human systems and ecosystems, as well as on chapter 9: Cases study.

Our role is to highlight how climate change is contributing to exacerbate extreme impacts. During the first meeting in Panama (Nov. 2010) the work was shared across the 10 Lead Authors and four Coordinating authors to produce the Zero Draft which was sent on 29 January 2010 to reviewers. The Hanoi meeting aimed to review the comments received by experts and how to address them. Coordination with other chapters was also needed. The third Lead Authors meeting will be held in Geneva on 25-28 October 2010.  How climate change influences impacts of extreme events is a key issue and links two UNEP priorities: Climate Change & Disasters led by DTIE and DEPI respectively. DEWA/GRID-Geneva has significant expertise in these fields.

The Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Methodology Development Programme (RiVAMP) is a methodology developed by UNEP to quantify the role of ecosystems for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR); Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) as well as other benefits for sustainable development. RiVAMP is across four of the six UNEP priorities (disaster risk and conflicts, climate change, environment governance and ecosystems management). The methodology was initiated as a pilot study in Jamaica, which government requested UNEP to focused on the issue of beach erosion in Negril (Western Jamaica) and revealed that the main trigger of beach erosion was the decline of coastal ecosystems due to land-based pollution and direct impacts (seagrass manual removal and inappropriate fishing practices and related impacts on the reef). See RiVAMP-Negril and the RiVAMP-Negril report for more details.

 

The RiVAMP methodology will now be applied in different regions and different ecosystems. The next RiVAMP study will focus on the role of deforestation on soil erosion in Madagascar.

In order to disseminate the RiVAMP methodology, a training was prepared. It is based on free open-source software. You can download the training manual, data and software at the RiVAMP-training tutorial manual page.

 

A RiVAMP training was provided in Kingston at the University of West Indies in December 2011. 21 experts participated to learn how to conduct a RiVAMP analysis.