Disaster-responsive social protection in the Pacific small island developing states

Social protection refers to a broad set of government transfers of income or services designed to reduce vulnerability and build resilience of individuals, households, and communities. Making social protection disaster-responsive means that current and future levels of disaster risk, projected intensity and frequency of hazards, the exposure of populations and their coping capacities should be incorporated into the review and design of all social protection programmes. This policy brief is the first of a series comprising ESCAP’s inputs to the implementation of the Strengthening Resilience of Pacific Islands through Universal Social Protection Project. The aim of this series is to inform ongoing efforts in the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to review and design social protection systems. The focus of this issue is on Samoa, and introduces the key issues that need to be considered across the five strategic interventions of the Programme. Designed and implemented properly, disaster-responsive social protection has tremendous potential to help address the most common causes of poverty in the Pacific SIDS. The brief notes that effective design of disaster-responsive social protection programmes requires using data and evidence to design targeted parameters that can accommodate and respond to dynamic changes in patterns of vulnerability and exposure to hazards, as well as to the double burden imposed by disasters on people who are vulnerable. This brief discusses how predictable and adequate finance is key to the credibility and success of DRSP, which may be further bolstered by innovative measures, such as strengthening linkages with contingency reserves and insurance, and aligning social protection with the priorities of climate finance. Successful DRSP initiatives comprise whole-of-society undertakings that requires collaboration across various ministries, between development and humanitarian actors, and between national and village authorities.</p

Sustainable development laws and international treaty obligations : discussion papers, and commentaries from participants in a sustainable development law seminar (Kingston, Jamaica); concerning a legislative framework for developing sustainable management of the environment in Jamaica, final report

Project number related to IDRC support could not be determine

Wastewater irrigation: the state of play

As demand for fresh water intensifies, wastewater is frequently being seen as a valuable resource. Furthermore, wise reuse of wastewater alleviates concerns attendant with its discharge to the environment. Globally, around 20 million ha of land are irrigated with wastewater, and this is likely to increase markedly during the next few decades as water stress intensifies. In 1995, around 2.3 billion people lived in water-stressed river basins and this could increase to 3.5 billion by 2025. We review the current status of wastewater irrigation by providing an overview of the extent of the practice throughout the world and through synthesizing the current understanding of factors influencing sustainable wastewater irrigation. A theme that emerges is that wastewater irrigation is not only more common in water-stressed regions such as the Near East, but the rationale for the practice also tends to differ between the developing and developed worlds. In developing nations, the prime drivers are livelihood dependence and food security, whereas environmental agendas appear to hold greater sway in the developed world. The following were identified as areas requiring greater understanding for the long-term sustainability of wastewater irrigation: (i) accumulation of bioavailable forms of heavy metals in soils, (ii) environmental fate of organics in wastewater-irrigated soils, (iii) influence of reuse schemes on catchment hydrology, including transport of salt loads, (iv) risk models for helminth infections (pertinent to developing nations), (v) microbiological contamination risks for aquifers and surface waters, (vi) transfer efficiencies of chemical contaminants from soil to plants, (vii) health effects of chronic exposure to chemical contaminants, and (viii) strategies for engaging the public.<br /

Risk factors for children’s blood lead levels in metal mining and smelting communities in Armenia: a cross-sectional study

Background: Children's exposure to lead poses a significant risk for neurobehavioral consequences. Existing studies documented lead contamination in residential soil in mining and smelting communities in Armenia. This study aimed to assess blood lead levels (BLL) in children living in three communities in Armenia adjacent to metal mining and smelting industries, and related risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 159 children born from 2007 to 2009 and living in Alaverdi and Akhtala communities and Erebuni district in Yerevan - the capital city. The BLL was measured with a portable LeadCare II Blood Lead Analyzer; a survey was conducted with primary caregivers. Results: Overall Geometric Mean (GM) of BLL was 6.0 μg/dl: 6.8 for Akhtala, 6.4 for Alaverdi and 5.1 for Yerevan. In the sample 68.6 % of children had BLL above CDC defined reference level of 5 μg/dl: 83.8 % in Akhtala, 72.5 % in Alaverdi, and 52.8 % in Yerevan. Caregiver's lower education, dusting furniture less than daily, and housing distance from toxic source(s) were risk factors for higher BLL. Additional analysis for separate communities demonstrated interaction between housing distance from toxic source(s) and type of window in Erebuni district of Yerevan. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that children in three communities adjacent to metal mining and smelting industries were exposed to lead. Investigation of the risk factors suggested that in addition to promoting safe industrial practices at the national level, community-specific interventions could be implemented in low- and middle-income countries to reduce BLL among children

Sessional paper no. 9 of 2005 on forest policy

Metadata only recordThis report discusses the following six key aspects of the new Forestry Policy to obtain at least 10% forest cover in the next decade:Available in SANREM office, F