Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Free Training. Get up to speed! Fundamentals of Climate Change

"Take online courses as a group to discuss the issues".  Tests are completed alone, but discussions can be in groups.  Something for our senior 'wiser' citizens to do together.


http://einstitute.worldbank.org/ei/course/fundamentals-climate-change

WORLD BANK HOME LINK

Fundamentals of Climate Change
Free Course
Enrollment key: CCDPs
Through its five modules, the e-course Fundamentals of Climate Change covers the scientific basis of climate change, the observed and projected changes and impacts, together with, the approaches and responses development professionals and practitioners may use to address climate change within their work.

Module 1: Introduction
Module 2: Observed changes and impacts.
This set of topics cover the major observed changes in the climate system over the last 150 years and how human activities have contributed to these changes.

Module 3: Projected changes and impacts.
The three topics covered in this module provide an overview of the changes projected by the end of 2100 in the climate system.

Module 4: Responses to Climate Change.
This set of topics look at what is happening in the international negotiations under the main convention dealing with climate change, what are the ways to adapt to the changes that have occurred and likely to occur, what are some options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, what are some of the resources (such as finance, approaches, methods and tools) that are available.

Module 5: Conclusions

Learning objectives 
This course addresses the basic of climate change, including:
  • The greenhouse effect, and how it impacts the earth's climate
  • Current and projected impacts of client change on ecological, biological and socioeconomic systems
  • International negotiations and agreements addressing the climate change problem
  • Mitigation and adaptation approaches
  • Financing climate change related development actions
  • Tools and resources

Note, this e-course was produced in 2009 by the Sustainable Development Department of the World Bank as a course targeting World Bank staff hence the language in the course was targeted to development practitioners, but since the climate change scientific information, with adaptation and mitigation approaches, are of relevance to a broader community, this course is being made available via the WBI e-Institute also to an external audience. Updates to this course are currently not being planned. 


Target Audience:
Policymakers, government representatives, project developers, private sector, academia, civil society

New User? Register!

  1. Click here to register on Moodle.
  2. Check your e-mail for the confirmation.
  3. Click on the confirmation link in the e-mail.
    Course Theme:Climate Change
    Sub-Theme:Essentials of Climate Change
    Course Format:Self-paced
    Language:English
    Contact Name:Peter Schierl
    Contact Us

    World Bank eLearning Free Training: Safe and Resilient Cities. April 23 - May 21, 2014

    http://einstitute.worldbank.org/ei/course/safe-and-resilient-cities-0





    Safe and Resilient Cities
    April 23, 2014 - May 21, 2014
    Application Ends On : April 16, 2014
    November 04, 2014 - December 02, 2014
    Application Ends On : November 25, 2014
    April 14, 2015 - May 12, 2015
    Application Ends On : May 05, 201
    5
    This e-learning course focuses on disaster risk management (DRM) at the city level. Participants will learn, in particular, about planning and decision making under uncertainty and how to make their cities more resilient to climate change impacts and natural disasters. The course provides cutting edge tools on vulnerability assessment, institutional assessment and gap analysis, and on how to access finance for risk management.

    This course is divided into 4 modules:
    • Module 1: Introduction
    • Module 2: Technical Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment
    • Module 3: Accessing Finance for Urban DRM and Resilience
    • Module 4: Building and Implementing the Local Resilience Action Plan (LRAP)
    The course includes case studies from cities from around the world, presentations, videos and a selection of useful readings for further in-depth knowledge. In addition, Discussion forums will be organized and facilitated around each module, fostering participation and knowledge sharing among peers. Assignments will have to be completed according to the proposed schedule in order to successfully conclude and receive a certificate.

    Upon completion of the course, each city participant should be able to form a team in charge of urban resilience planning, develop a LRAP, including operational measures (regarding city governance, infrastructure of environmental services, health, access to financial services, education, etc.), and define an implementation strategy.

    Please consider the following in terms of time commitment:
    • Module 1: 12 hours
    • Module 2: 12 hours
    • Module 3: 8 hours
    • Module 4: 8 hours

    Target Audience:
    City officials in developing countries

    Course Theme:Innovative Solutions for Cities
    Sub-Theme:Public Safety and Resiliency
    Course Format:Facilitated
    Language:English
    Amount:US $ 0 (Course is free of charge)
    Contact Name:Rasha Rayes
    Contact Us

    Tuesday, March 25, 2014

    Ages 18-24 year old Opportunities: FEMA Corps. The application deadline for the Summer 2014 class is April 1st.


    Are you between the ages of 18-24 and looking for a way to serve? Then don't miss this awesome opportunity to become a member of FEMA Corps. The application deadline for the Summer 2014 class is April 1st. Visit www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/fema-corps for more information.

    Africa is the World's Most Food Insecure Continent

    Comment: Economic growth should go hand-in-hand with water, food, and agricultural growth.  BEMA

    http://www.voanews.com/content/africa-fao-24mar14/1878127.html

    FAO Opens Africa Conference

    FAO Assistant Director-General Bukar Tijani says more youth are needed in agriculture. Credit: FAO
    FAO Assistant Director-General Bukar Tijani says more youth are needed in agriculture. Credit: FAO

    Joe DeCapua
    The Food and Agriculture Organization says Africa is the world’s most food insecure continent. The U.N. agency is holding its 28th Regional Conference on Africa this week in Tunis.


    The FAO gave the bleak description of Africa despite some strong economic growth in recent years – an average 4.8 percent increase in Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, between 2000 and 2010. It says the problem stems from low agricultural productivity, low incomes in rural areas and high rates of malnutrition.

    There have been improvements, though. The FAO cites greater production of staple crops, the growing of better varieties of bananas in eastern and central Africa and the planting of higher yielding maize. There’s also greater production of cotton, teas and flowers. But the agency says it’s not enough to ensure food security for a growing population amid climate change.

    FAO Assistant Director-General Bukar Tijani said the conference is focusing on greater investment in smallholder farmers. Women play the major role in such farms, but Tijani says there will now be an emphasis on attracting youth.

    “The theme of the conference itself is really to support youth in different endeavors of agriculture. But then we have to be very precise. We have to also be pulling youth into agriculture because agriculture is seen as a traditional, historical culture and not as farming or as enterprise or as business.”

    The FAO said agricultural production in African countries, on average, “has increased slightly less than one-percent per year, compared with about two-percent in other developing countries.”

    Tijani said that Africa’s youth must see that agriculture is big business, not just a tradition. Entrepreneurship, he says, can be applied to agricultural products.

    “That is crops, livestock, [fisheries], forest products and the value chain activities related to it, including technologies, communication, ICT – everything that could attract youth into it because it’s big monies,” he said.

    Representatives of more than 50 countries are expected to attend the FAO regional meeting in Tunis. They’re being asked to build on the continent’s economic growth to provide “stable agriculture and fiscal policies that encourage investment.”

    ‘The future of Africa or any generation lies in the youth. And that is why I’m calling on youth to come into agribusiness so that you can have employment generation, wealth creation, incomes within agriculture across Africa,” said Tijani.

    The meeting also addresses policies to end hunger on the continent by 2025. The FAO said, “Over the past decades, absolute levels of hunger and undernourishment remain worrying in sub-Saharan Africa.” It added the Sahel and the Horn of Africa are of “particular concern.”

    The regional meeting in Tunis runs until March 28.

    Thursday, March 20, 2014

    COMCAST Program for Low Income Familiies for Access


    Comcast Extends Program for Low – Income Families:  Comcast recently announced that it will extend its “Internet Essentials Program” indefinitely.  This program connects more than 1.2 million Americans to the power of the internet at home.  It will also sponsor over $1 million in grants to non-profit organizations across the country to create Internet Essentials Learning Zones. (Details)

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