CRISA Climate Reality in South Asia

28/11/2017

We recently launched a think tank focused on Climate Change, Climate Adaptation and Disaster Preparedness in South Asia.

If you are interested in these topics and want to follow our progress, then take a look at and "like" the page...

17/11/2017

This has been a momentous week in terms of Climate Change related developments...

The global community of leaders, who have gathered in Bonn to continue the work initiated in Paris last year, have reaffirmed a robust commitment to investing in carbon emission reduction solutions.

Here in Sri Lanka, the government disclosed its bold and visionary 2018 budget, which it has called the "Blue Green" budget, for its multiple measures intended to facilitate the shift toward a lower carbon emission future for Sri Lanka.

Here are some links for those who want to deep dive into the exciting world of government budgeting:

http://www.lankabusinessnews.com/sri-lanka-budget-2018-highlights/

From forestry initiatives, to biodiversity mindfulness, to investment in renewable energy, and tax facilities to motivate buyers to shift to electric cars and tuk tuks. Environmentally-minded observers take notice of a bold budget, not just at a rhetorical level, but also through concrete measures.

But the economic projections will have to be realized, lest the Green Blue budget turn to red. A supportive international community's investments in Sri Lanka are needed to help the country achieve its Sustainable Development Goals.

17/11/2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_WPU43ScRc

It is 5 years already since I started speaking up (as CEO of CO2 Bambu) about the urgency of Climate Adaptation and the importance of Disaster Preparedness. At the time, coming at it from the perspective of a bamboo housing manufacturer, I emphasized flood resilient housing.

But Disaster Preparedness is about so much more than housing. Keep watching this space to see CRISA's contributions in the areas of water optimization in Sri Lanka, access to potable water through desalination technologies, initiatives to reduce deforestation through bamboo substitution and warehousing/logistics coordination between the private sector and government agencies before, during and after natural disasters.

16/11/2017

Extreme weather events are, we must now recognize, an inevitable part of our lives, wherever we live.

Disaster resilience is now the highest priority we face. If disasters are inevitable, how we fare has everything to do with our levels of PREPAREDNESS.

Preparedness has much to do with planning before disasters, communicating between all stake holders, rapid asset deployment immediately after an event etc. But at the core of it, resilience has a lot to do with people's mindset and ability to cooperate and show empathy.

During our first monsoon season in Sri Lanka, the region where we live in the Southern Coast of Sri Lanka was severely impacted by flooding. While the Sri Lankan military (Air Force and Army) and the Disaster Management Center focused on the big picture, a spontaneous community-level effort came together to provide stranded community members food, water, shelter and basic items during the immediate aftermath of flooding.

CRISA was created to contribute to Sri Lanka's Disaster Preparedness. Here CRISA's founder Ben Sandzer-Bell delivering basic kits to a make shift relief center.

16/11/2017

Paris Climate Accord: Game on! By signing the Paris Climate Accord, Sri Lanka has committed to reducing its carbon emissions.

But how do we know when we have reduced our emissions if we don't know what our carbon emissions baseline is?

Put your running shoes on: we are on for a 2 year marathon (to 2020), by which time Sri Lanka's GHG emissions profile must be fully baselined, and a robust system of MONITORING, REPORTING and VERIFICATION (MGV) has to be put in place.

CRISA has brought on board an impressive set of international MRV experts with deep experience doing carbon emissions baseline, auditing national GHG emissions MRV systems and teaching the craft of MRV. (hint: it's ALL about DATA!!)

CRISA will participate in Sri Lanka's preparedness to meet its 2020 obligations per the Paris Climate Accord.

Here is a good article to understand why it is all about MRV now: http://www.wri.org/blog/2016/08/insider-untangling-measurement-reporting-and-verification-mrv-paris-agreement

16/11/2017

Know your SDGs! International institutions (U.N., World Bank, Asia Development Bank, IMF, JICA...) are investing significantly in Sri Lanka's post civil war, post Tsunami economic and social recovery. Finding the path to achieve growth without further straining the country's natural resources is a strategic priority. Sustainable Development Goals provide a roadmap to equitable, compassionate, environmentally sound growth. CRISA will participate!

First up: substituting bamboo to replace jungle timber whenever possible ~ help slow the rate of deforestation on the island, create jobs in rural communities where large bamboo exists but has zero value.

22/10/2017

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2014/11/climate-change-report-what-are-asias-risks/ .97

While UNPCC projections tend to focus on the long term and the global debate is shaped around issues such as whether or not our collective behavior and consumption habits will lead to the warming of oceans by 2degrees by 2050, the REALITY behind Climate Change is that its impacts are felt HERE and NOW.

Every year, Sri Lankan experiences both droughts and flooding and there is no need to project out to the year 2050 to understand that Climate Change represents a clear and present danger.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently released a synthesis report on the findings of over 800 scientists regarding the impacts of climate change.

22/10/2017

Like a Phoenix, CO2 Bambu after a 5 year hiatus is re-emerging as "Climate Reality in South Asia". (CRISA)

CRISA is a think tank created by Ben Sandzer-Bell and Peta Kaplan, based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. CRISA will be dedicated to addressing the challenges posed by climate changes and extreme weather events (deforestation, drought, flooding etc) in South Asia.

Initially CO2 Bambu focused on climate MITIGATION opportunities both in Nicaragua and Haiti, through bamboo plantation development and bamboo eco building infrastructure development.

We became exposed to climate ADAPTATION after delivering more than 250 bamboo houses to victims of hurricanes in Northern Nicaragua. We started research in the area of amphibious housing that could allow populations to adapt to rising sea levels without losing their homes.

While we will incorporate our experience with the bamboo economy in South Asia, the range of issues we will address and solutions we will generate, will be significantly broader.

CRISA will focus on:

*Water Management and rehabilitation of cascades in Sri Lanka for lesser vulnerability to flooding and distribution of water during droughts

*Readiness for Paris Climate Change Accord, through carbon emission baselining and monitoring, reporting, verification of carbon emissions

* Forestry and land use with climate resilience in mind

*Climate resilience assessments for large infra structure programs funded by international institutions

*Deployment of high tech products and services that can lead to improved climate resilience

We invite all CO2 Bambu followers to follow with us again, at the beginning of this exciting adventure in South Asia.

29/08/2016

NEWS FLASH!!!

CO2 BAMBU is now relocating to SE ASIA. We will be operating from Viet Nam and addressing housing needs in SE Asia, much as we did in Nicaragua, Central America. (In Nicaragua we built and delivered roughly 200 houses to Indigenous populations who lost their homes to Hurricane Mitch.)

CO2 BAMBU will be offering pre fabricated, kitted, GORGEOUS bamboo houses.

If you are interested in bamboo eco friendly houses, low cost homes or beautiful bamboo furniture, let us know.