TEMPLATE
Lessons Learnt in MDG-F Joint Programming
Environment & Climate Change Window
The purpose of collecting lessons learned from the MDG-F JPs under the environment and climate
change window is to generate knowledge of successes and challenges the JPs have experienced
and share this information in an appropriate format to other JPs and wider audience for their
appreciation and learning. We would like to focus on technical lessons on actions and innovations
that have made a difference to the environment and to the beneficiaries of the JPs but we are also
interested in the means and ways you have chosen to implement the JPs.
Definitions:
A lesson learned is a summary of knowledge or understanding gained by a positive or negative
experience that has relevance for other contexts and/or is replicable.
In this form we also request you to elaborate the lessons in more detail to clearly specify the context
from which the lesson is drawn, describe a set of actions and how they led to the result.
Instructions for use:
Fill in the following fields with your information. Guidance is provided for the major sections.
I.
General Information
Date: August 2012
Thematic Window: Environment and climate change
Country: Panama
Name of Joint Programme: Mainstreaming mitigation and adaptation to climate change into
natural resources management in two Panama priority watersheds
Title of Lesson Learned: Effective Early Warning Systems
Thematic Areas: Environment and climate change
Keywords: Early Warning System
Contact information: Frieda W. Dominguez ([email protected])
Summary of the lesson learned: Please provide a 3-4 paragraph short description of what
was learned and why this experience could be applied or should be avoided in future and in
what context it could be applied and/or replicated.
The Chucunaque indigenous communities located on the river basin are facing recurrent
floods (has it been proved with base line data that these floods were due to climate change
???). The project components applied to this project include: community organization,
prevention, mitigation and response to climate change.
An early warning system to prevent floods was installed throughout the river basin. The early
warning system includes base radios; limn metric scales and various accessories in order to
monitor the river flooding. In 3 communities of the upper basin of Chucunaque river limn
metric rules and base stations were installed. When the river floods the inhabitants on the
upper basin river can alert the inhabitants living in the communities on the middle and lower
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river basin. An Early evacuation can be arranged on time following the plans prepared by the
community and the activation of various emergency committees.
II.
Context and experience
Objective: Describe the objective/ purpose of the activity that is the scope of the lesson
learnt.
(What was the purpose of this activity?)
The main purpose of Early Warning Systems is to save lives through prevention. The aim is
to prepare the communities on how to direct their traditional knowledge to the use of the right
technology and tools that would enable then to promote safety within the communities. In
order to mitigate and manage natural disasters the dissemination and assimilation of these
issues into their everyday social and cultural practices is key, as well as, the promotion of the
communities’ traditional knowledge and the dialogue between popular and scientific
knowledge.
Issue: Describe in 2 paragraphs the initial situation or issue that was the basis for development
&implementation of the lesson.
(Provide baseline data or summary of needs assessment where applicable etc.)
The Community del Salto dentro de la Comarca Embera has a historical record of recurrent
flooding, the level of vulnerability is high in this area, the damage caused by the previous
flooding were critical. Considering the risk vulnerability in this area this community was
chosen for the implementation of a pilot project on Risk Management
Strategy/ approach chosen to address the issue: Describe in 1-2 paragraphs the strategy chosen to
improve the initial situation.
The strategy used to address the risk was the Community Organization for Risk Management
with active community participation, taking into account gender, traditional authorities, local
authorities and general population.
Implementation of the strategy/ chosen approach: Describe in 3-4 paragraphs the steps taken to
implement the strategy/ approach.
(Include successes, challenges and any innovations that were applied)
Through an inclusive and participatory workshop the following was achieved:
1. Community awareness of existing vulnerabilities and safe areas
2 Emergency plans and maps developed by the community
3. Risk Management Committees Established
4. Early warning system installed
5. Basic First Aid training conducted, response issues, communications
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6. Community Equipment with essential response tools provided (kits, boards, megaphones,
radio base, vests etc.)
Results and Impacts: Describe any results and/or impacts achieved, positive or negative.
When an extreme flood event took place on 2010 the communities of Wargandi Guna and
Embera Wounaan, were able to put into action the security measures learned. They opened
evacuation shelters; managed local resources and provided local aids products
during the first 36 hours.
Evidence: What kind of supporting sources are available which attest to the lesson learned?
(Such evidence can be quantitative or qualitative, and come from a variety of sources, e.g. evaluation
findings, program participants’ experiences, expert opinion etc. Consider the question: what’s the
evidence that the lesson was actually ‘learned’?)
1. Emergency Operations Center Report (COE) - 2010 by the National Civil Protection
System - December 2010 Flood
2. Daily National News Papers-December 2010 Flood
3. Community Emergency Plan "El Salto"
4. "Strategy," Synthesis of Integrated Adaptation and mitigation to climate change in two
priority watersheds
5. UN Video
Next steps: Describe any planned next steps in implementation or corrective action as a result of this
good lesson learned.
1. The development and dissemination of “Early Warning Systems Protocols “becomes
necessary as integral part of the community/government plan to prepare the relevant
communities for future floods.
2. The sustainability of the community organization is necessary , monitoring each of the
communities to strengthen the program empowerment provided by the community and
resources to maintain the sustainability of the community organization should be secured.
Potential replication/ application: Please describe briefly the potential application of this lesson to
programming beyond the original context.
(Is the lesson meaningful enough to guide practice in other contexts (e.g. nationally, regionally etc.)?
Who would likely be interested in this lesson, and what kind of information/evidence would they like
to see?)
The functionality and efficiency of this early warning system have been tested, during the
floods in 2010. The system was validated positively since it was installed. During the 2010
floods, the community organized evacuations to safer places and there were no lives lost.
The early warning system and community work can be taken as an example to be
implemented in other communities. What is needed more to ensure that other communities
will copy and maintain the same system in their areas ??? In other words, while a succes on
the short term, what is the guarantee for sustainability and replication ? How much
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government or district buy in was achieved ?
III.
Products
Information products: Please list (and attach where possible) any publications, web references,
other information products (such as video files, sound files, etc.) linked to the lesson.
1. Emergency Operations Center Report (COE) - 2010 by the National Civil Protection
System - December 2010 Flood
2. Daily National News Papers-December 2010 Flood
3. Community Emergency Plan "El Salto"
4. "Strategy," Synthesis of Integrated Adaptation and mitigation to climate change in two
priority watersheds
5. UN Video
Photo: Where possible, please provide a photograph or other image illustrating the story above or
the success of the programme.
Activities Developed in the Embera Wounaan Region
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Coordination meetings with traditional and non traditional authorities to reactivate the Risk
Management activities in the Shire.
Participation in meetings of the Local Coordination Committee for the basin JP Chucunaque
Yaviza - Darien.
• Establishment of the Local Risk Management Committee in each of the communities.
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Training on Local Risk Management to the Committees, Community First Aid, damage
assessment, shelter management and emotional support in case of emergencies and
disasters.
Community surveys in order to create a data base for emergencies and disasters.
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Community Emergency Plan elaborated in each community with the community
participation
Community Risk Map and resources prepared on each community with the participation of
the residents.
Community Workshop on Flood Disaster.
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Workshop on how to use Extinguishers , El Salto and Lajas Blancas Health Center
Safety measures in case of earthquakes for schools students, El Salto.and Lajas Blancas
Flood evacuation signs in the Community of El Salto in the Embera Wounaan
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Other Achievements
Institutional Response Strengthening
Office furnishings and computers installed in SINAPROC Base in Santa Fe
Infrastructure was rebuilt in SINAPROC Base in Santa Fe
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