Transcript 6. Thanh PISpresentationFinalx - Climate Change

Participation and GIS
Possibilities and challenges for
participatory approaches to
reducing vulnerability to Climate
Change in Vietnam
Key questions addressed
• Which data from the project data inventory are useful to
include in the G-PIS (GIS-based participatory information
systems) for the local community and local authorities in
terms of disaster management and vulnerability reduction
• The ways in which the data from the project data inventory
can best be processed and presented in terms of usability
for the local community and local authorities
• The existing and potential capacity of local authorities and
communities in accessing the G-PIS
• The initial response among local community and local
authorities to a prototype G-PIS
Methods
• Data was gathered during three field trips
comprising approx. 1,5 months fieldwork in all
three study sites.
• Qualitative interviews among local authorities
and community members and participant
observation.
• The research particularly contributes to the
work packages concerning PIS (WP6).
GIS
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is a
sophisticated database technology
• GIS adds another dimension – a spatial
dimension – to research and practice
• GIS is continuously developing and advancing
new ways of working with spatial data,
including combining qualitative and
quantitative data
GIS and end-users
• The technological aspects of GIS are often
overwhelming to end-users
• Its use, therefore, has been primarily limited to those
schooled in its capabilities as a technical tool
• This is because GIS has been approached largely as a
“mechanical process” and it is only in recent years that
there has been increasing attention to “the kinds of
critical thinking skills needed to manipulate an easy-touse GIS interface intelligently” (Goodchild, 2010.
“Twenty years of progress: GIScience in 2010.” Journal
of Spatial Information Science 1: 15).
Qualitative GIS
• As a result of technological developments
“Qualitative GIS has emerged over the last
decade as one of the most significant
analytical and methodological developments
within contemporary geography” (Jones and
Evans, 2012, “The spatial transcript: analysing
mobilities through qualitative GIS.” Area 44(1):
92–99).
Participatory GIS
• Web-based GIS + local participation
Participation
• Popularized by Robert Chambers e.g.
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
• Multiple meanings
• Participatory approaches came to Vietnam in
the beginning of the 1990s (Neef et al. 2013:
325)
• [I will add a bit more here]
Findings: Local experiences of natural
hazards
• When asked about recent occurrences of natural
hazards, many people explained that 2014 was
unusual because there had been no floods or
typhoons: many commented that this was the
first year they had ever experienced this.
• Only very localized hazards in the form of
extreme weather were reported.
• It was still apparent that many people were
worried about drought, the early arrival of the
cold weather, and ongoing salinization.
Findings: Human-made environmental
interventions on flooding
• Apart from climate changes, we detected a high awareness of the impact
of human-made environmental interventions on flooding. Floods were
believed to be more extreme today than earlier because of:
– The upstream felling of the forest, making the water move much faster downstream
during heavy rains. Earlier it would take a few days from the rain started until flooding
would begin, whereas today it only takes one day for the water to reach from upstream
to downstream and begin flooding the area.
– Another problem mentioned is the extensive sand mining that is taking place along the
river, also impacting the flooding situation.
– Furthermore upstream hydropower plants are described as a problem. In Nghe An two
hydropower plants in the mountains were mentioned (one of them reportedly in Tuong
Duong district). Hydropower plants and irrigation reservoirs cause two problems locally:
1) periodically they have to let out water during heavy rain because of concerns that the
dam may break, 2) Water may be stored and diverted so that less water reaches
downstream outside the flooding season. One local authority believed this was the main
reason why salinity intrusion had become an increasing problem the past 10 years.
Findings: GIS as warning system versus
library of information
• “I have some concern about the output of the project. […] I think the most
important thing is a warning system, but this function played a minor role
in the workshop [the project workshop for local authorities held in
December]. Also, since we only have half a day for the workshop, I don’t
have much basis for understanding your project, but if everything is as you
say, I am concerned that it only provides a library of information. Maybe
you can use it for the next generation, but I do not think it is useful now.”
(Interview with local authority)
• Almost all local authorities were concerned with getting better warning
systems and better means of communication during natural disasters, not
least because the electricity is often cut due to the hazard it poses during
typhoons and floods. Those local authorities who were positive about PIS
mainly highlighted that it would enable a better warning system. However,
there seemed to be some misunderstanding among several local
government staff as to the nature and potential of the PIS system, since
they believed it to be a warning system rather than an information system.
Findings: GIS and weather predictions
• According to some local authorities, when the local people are
warned in due time the extreme weather does not turn into a
disaster. It is only when extreme weather comes as a surprise that
disasters happen.
• In particular, they wished that the present warning system would be
more specific for each area: the information they get is too general
and therefore not very helpful.
• Furthermore, the weather predictions were criticized for being
incorrect. For example, in 2014 when the cold weather started it
was predicted that it would only last a few days, but when we
carried out our interviews in December, we were told it had lasted
one and a half months, which has severe consequences for rice
production, aquaculture and livestock. Had they known the cold
weather would last so long, they would have covered the rice with
plastic, added more water to the ponds and moved the livestock.
Findings: Local responses to weather
predictions
• Finally, a few local representatives indicated that the
warnings produced by the higher level authorities (the
meteorological institute in Hanoi) and sent (by letter)
to the provincial level were often somewhat
embellished as compared to the daily weather
forecasts, making upcoming weather phenomena
appear more extreme than needed, with the
consequence that the local people began to
underestimate the warnings. The danger is that when
extreme and unusual weather phenomena eventually
occur, the local people may be caught unprepared.
• This is a problem all over the world.
Findings: Use and administration of
system
• “The first problem is how to administer this
system, the second is how many people can use
the system and the third problem is that because
this is a warning system, you need to input the
data to analyze the information, but who will
input the data, the administrator or the people in
the local authority? I think the information
system is a good idea, especially to enable the
administrator to know about climate change, not
just simple information like how big is the flood
or typhoon, but also how to prepare for that
natural disaster.” (Interview with local authority)
Findings: Other similar GIS systems
• In Ha Tinh province the Japanese International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) were establishing a
GIS system similar to ours, including flood
maps for Ngan Pho, Ngan Sau, and La river
basin. In Quang Binh province JICA has a
project called: “Project for Building Disaster
Resilient Society in Vietnam Phase II,” which
also seems very relevant to what we are
doing.
Recommendations based on local
input
• 1. Incorporate how the speed and distribution
of water is influenced by:
• Upstream felling of the forest
• Sand mining
• Hydropower plants
• So far, PIS is unable to incorporate real-time or
near real-time speed and distribution of water
Recommendations based on local
input
• 2. PIS as a warning system
– Include localized weather predictions in the PIS
• So far, PIS provides interactive tools to display
weather, flooding scenario ( those are results
of prediction models).
Recommendations based on local
input
• 3. How to ensure the sustainability and
usability of the system, such as in relation to
the input of data?
• The commitment of local stakeholders and
top-down and cross- provincial co-ordination
Recommendations based on local
input
• 4. Include information on how to prepare for
disaster
• PIS provides IK from local communities in
response to natural disasters. Local
communities might learn from other lessons.
• PIS can be portal to host “ guide how to
prepare for disaster”.
Recommendations based on local
input
• 5. Look into other similar systems and
whether they can be integrated
into/combined with our PIS
• PIS is open-source platform and can be
integrated with other systems
Participatory GIS
• Objectives and Technical design
PGIS design
Storage + Viewer
Web-based
Analyst tool
Map-centered
communication
tool
User interface
The PIS system provides 3 functions:
(1) Storage of various data: A page introduces project and background information
(2) Data analysis : a GIS-based Analyst (spatial analysis) tool
(3) Information communication: A map-centred communication tool (interactive
page for communication between stakeholders) integrated in a cohesive manner.
The three components are accessible through a user friendly interface web system.
PGIS design
1.
2.
3.
The purpose of the Background information ( storage of data) is to provide
background information on the CC-induced problems being addressed and
references for further reading. This section structurally comprises of a single page
introducing the initiative, objectives of the system, web structure/ sitemap,
registration page if needed. Topics covered within this section include CC-induced
disasters (drought, salinity intrusion, heavy rainfall, flood inundation) and related
documents. This section also serves as a repository of downloadable spatial data.
A GIS based analyst tool designed to involve local participation in conducting
spatial analysis that are GIS fundamental functions. The page should help local
users to make sense of their own experiences and indigenous knowledge. The UI
might look similar as below picture.
The communication component enables sharing of local/scientific knowledge and
guidance of decision makers. Data analysis by scientists, information verification
and feedbacks from the users), the information system will be getting more and
more enriched. This section might include a forum for experience sharing if
needed.
WebGIS
Clients access system via web
browsers. GeoEXT and
Openlayers javascript library
loaded from server side
Geo Webcache accelerates the
delivery of images and data by
dividing the area in to tiles and
caching for fast delivery.
Geoserver acts as a mapping
server that produces maps as
requested by clients. Geoserver
configurations comply with
OGC standards
PostgreSQl/Post GIS used as
spatial database management
system.
wps
PGIS design
• Thank you