Marc Pinnell, Managing Director, discusses how our international projects positively affect global sustainability and support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In the coming years we will see a significant shift in the way the world adapts to a changing climate. Where we once aimed to manage risks, we will now create resilience - helping communities and businesses to resist, adapt and recover from shocks in more integrated and holistic ways. Across JBA we are set on a programme of change to embed resilience and adaptation to climate change in our thinking, services, advice we offer our clients and in our project delivery.
Creating sustainable solutions worldwide
We are now one of Europe’s leading specialists in environmental engineering and environmental management, with a strong track record of major studies for national governments and international bodies. Our expertise and emerging best practices are sought after internationally and support growth of our work in Europe, South-East Asia, Africa and Australasia. Our teams are global leaders in their fields of expertise, and we place a great deal of value on the support provided through partnerships with local consultants and organisations. We have been hugely successful in this regard, delivering more than 40 international development projects in the last five years alone.
Our projects support our ambition to lead in society’s pursuit of resilience. This is most clearly evidenced by our international work, particularly for those in developing countries and communities that are most at risk of flood, water and environmental threats.
Disaster Risk Financing systems
We support the development of Disaster Risk Financing (DRF) systems globally, promoting financial resilience to flooding. We are working with Start Network, a network of over 80 aid agencies, whose DRF systems now allow civil society in-country to proactively manage disaster risks such as droughts, heatwaves, and floods. Their aim is to reduce the impacts of extreme weather and disasters by quantifying risks in advance, pre-positioning funds, and releasing them according to pre-agreed plans. This enables earlier action, reducing the costs of disasters and increasing climate resilience. Our research in science and real-time modelling and forecasting is directly supporting the development of systems to estimate populations likely to be impacted by flooding in Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
How we help build local capacity and expertise
Our work with the African Risk Capacity in Cote D’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mozambique, Togo, Ghana, and Malawi is enabling parametric insurance that provides countries with predictable and rapid financing for early response to cope with emergency disaster events caused by floods. We use our models, and datasets to quickly deploy such forecasting systems upon project start-up and assist clients in integrating local models and data. Building local capacity and expertise ensures that DRF systems remain insurable and suitable for purpose and accepted by in-country stakeholders.
Our expertise and services
Through our projects, the team brings expertise, application, and original thinking. This draws upon our knowledge in catchment management, flood impact analyses and mapping, and climate services standards, alongside proficiency in statistical analysis, software development, and climate data needs and assessment.
The drive for resilience is critical, but it is also exciting and presents opportunities. With extreme weather events such as floods and drought more likely in future years, society needs to be prepared. Regardless of the work we have already completed, we are continuously working to lead in society’s pursuit of resilience to climate change - and crucially, building local capacity to increase self-resilience for the future.
Contact our Head of International Development John Bevington or discover more about how we are working collaboratively to create sustainable solutions worldwide here.
