Assessing the key vulnerabilities and risks of climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that adaptation can significantly reduce many potentially dangerous impacts of climate change and reduce the risk of many key vulnerabilities. However, the technical, financial and institutional capacity, and the actual planning and implementation of effective adaptation, is currently quite limited in Central Asia. In addition, the risk-reducing potential of planned adaptation is often very costly for some key vulnerabilities, such as melting of mountain glaciers.So called “remote geohazards” name all hazards like rapid erosion of dam lakes, glacier lake outburst floods or landslides blocking the runoff of a valley: The origin is located in remote areas, several ten kilometres away from possible impact areas. Contrary to hazards with local origin and local impact, they are seldom recognized before they occur. The impact is of regional scale and effects are usually disastrous. Although the physical cause of many natural events cannot be removed, geologic and hydrologic investigation, good engineering practices, awareness, preparedness and land use management regulations can reduce the risks.

The project in brief

Directorate/federal office responsible	SDC
Credit area	Humanitarian aid
Project partners	Contract partner International or foreign NGO Agha Khan Foundation
Budget	Current phase Swiss budget CHF    799’131 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    867’066
Project phases	Phase 4 01.08.2016 - 31.03.2020   (Completed) Phase 3 01.12.2013 - 31.01.2016   (Completed) Phase 2 21.09.2011 - 31.10.2013   (Completed)

Further technical details

• Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	DISASTER PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS DISASTER PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS GENERAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
  Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	Disaster prevention and preparedness Disaster prevention and preparedness Environmental policy and administrative management
  Type of support	Official development assistance (ODA)
  Type of collaboration	Bilateral cooperation
  Finance type	Aid grant
  Aid Type	Project and programme contribution
  Tied/untied aid	Untied aid
  Project number	7F06585