Built Environment learning for Climate adaptation (BEACON)
With the increase in the frequency and intensity of climate induced disasters, climate change has become one of the most discussed topics in the contemporary society. Climate change is the increase in global temperatures due to the greenhouse effect, caused by the increasing emission of greenhouse gases. The BEACON project which is funded by the European Union Erasmus + is a partnership among the Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield, Lund University, University of Moratuwa, Universita` ta’ Malta, University of Colombo and the Universidad de Cantabria and seeks to develop trans-disciplinary and innovative research-based learning in the built environment to tackle climate change in coastal regions.
The BEACON project also seeks to integrate Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). DRR and CAA are two of the main conceptual frameworks which are researched upon in the existing development agenda. Where DRR tackles the existing risks mainly in the community lever, CCA tackles futuristic risks mainly in laboratory environments. The said practice of the integration of DRR and CCA has not been implemented to a significant extent in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the BEACON project aspires to fill the existing gap in research of this present and futuristic risk nexus between DRR and CAA, within the Sri Lankan context. Addressing the aforementioned gap will necessitates a multi-hazard as well as a multi- stakeholder approach to collectively examine impacts, coordinate fiscal, monetary, and social measures, share practices and lessons learned.
The objectives of the project are as follows
- To identify climate change impact on the built environment in coastal regions
- To develop a coherent framework for integrating the requirements of the Paris Agreement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR) in the context of the impact of climate change on the built environment in coastal regions
- To recognize the opportunities for climate adaptation in the coastal built environment in line with the coherent framework
- To understand skills gaps in climate adaptation in the built environment to tackle climate change in coastal regions
- To develop a trans-disciplinary and innovative research-based learning to improve competencies in climate change adaptation in the built environment in coastal regions
The project kick-off meeting was held on the on the 3rd of December, 2020, via Microsoft Teams with the participation of representatives from all partner institutes. The partners were formally welcomed and given an introduction to the project by Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga of the University of Huddersfield. The plenary discussion on “Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation into The Built Environment “was also led by the Global Disaster resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield.
Since then, a global level literature review on “climate change impact on the coastal built environment” has been initiated as the project output 1. The project partners are currently collaborating to produce country specific reports on this research area. The team at Social Policy Analysis and Research Centre (SPARC), University of Colombo is currently collaborating with University of Moratuwa, to produce a country specific report on the Sri Lankan context. The first coordination meeting between the two universities was held on the 26th of March, 2021.