About This Course
Climate change is reshaping landscapes, intensifying natural hazards, and straining the capacity of governments, humanitarian organisations, and communities to respond effectively. From shifting rainfall patterns and rising sea levels to increasingly frequent floods, droughts, and landslides, the need for robust spatial intelligence has never been greater. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have emerged as an indispensable tool for understanding, anticipating, and managing these complex, location-dependent challenges.
This 10-day intensive training programme, offered by TrainingComplex, is designed to bridge the gap between GIS technical skills and their practical application in climate change and disaster risk management contexts. Participants will move progressively from foundational spatial data concepts through to sophisticated hazard mapping, vulnerability modelling, and risk scenario analysis — all grounded in real-world case studies drawn from Africa, the Middle East, and other climate-vulnerable regions.
The course places equal emphasis on technical proficiency and strategic application. Delegates will work hands-on with leading GIS platforms — including QGIS and ArcGIS — alongside complementary tools such as Google Earth Engine and open-source remote sensing software. They will learn to integrate satellite imagery, climate datasets, demographic data, and infrastructure inventories to produce actionable risk maps and dashboards that inform early warning systems, land-use planning, emergency response, and climate adaptation strategies.
Whether you work in urban planning, environmental management, humanitarian response, public health, agriculture, or national disaster management, this programme will dramatically expand your capacity to use spatial data as a foundation for informed, resilient decision-making. Participants leave with a portfolio of completed GIS analyses relevant to their own organisational context and the confidence to lead spatial data projects within their teams.
Who Should Attend
- Disaster risk management officers and emergency planners in national and county/district government agencies
- Environmental scientists, ecologists, and climate adaptation specialists
- Humanitarian and development professionals working in food security, WASH, shelter, and livelihoods
- Urban and regional planners engaged in climate-resilient infrastructure and land-use planning
- GIS technicians and spatial data analysts seeking to specialise in climate and disaster applications
- Monitoring and evaluation specialists integrating geospatial methods into programme reporting
- Agriculture and natural resource management professionals
- Public health officers involved in disease outbreak mapping and climate-health risk assessment
- Researchers and academics in environmental, geography, and development studies fields
- NGO programme managers and technical advisors with spatial data responsibilities
Learning Objectives
- Understand the principles of GIS and remote sensing as applied to climate change and disaster risk management
- Install, configure, and navigate QGIS and ArcGIS environments with confidence for environmental and hazard analysis
- Collect, clean, and integrate multi-source spatial datasets including satellite imagery, DEM data, and socioeconomic layers
- Conduct climate trend analysis using spatial data to identify areas of increasing vulnerability
- Produce professional hazard maps for floods, droughts, landslides, and other climate-related perils
- Perform multi-criteria vulnerability and exposure assessments using weighted spatial overlay techniques
- Apply remote sensing and Google Earth Engine to monitor land cover change, deforestation, and drought indices
- Design and implement spatial early warning indicator systems for disaster preparedness
- Create compelling, audience-appropriate risk maps, dashboards, and visual reports for decision-makers
- Integrate GIS outputs into disaster risk reduction frameworks including the Sendai Framework and national DRR strategies
- Conduct participatory GIS exercises to incorporate community knowledge into risk assessments
- Develop a complete GIS-based disaster risk profile for a selected geographic area
- Communicate spatial analysis findings effectively to government bodies, donors, and affected communities
Course Modules
Module 1: Foundations of GIS and Spatial Thinking for Climate and Disaster Contexts
- Core concepts of GIS: coordinate systems, projections, data types, and spatial relationships
- Overview of GIS applications in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction
- Key international frameworks: Sendai Framework, Paris Agreement, and SDG 13 — spatial dimensions
- Navigating QGIS and ArcGIS interfaces: loading layers, setting up projects, and managing file structures
- Understanding scale and resolution trade-offs: when to use vector versus raster data for climate and hazard analysis
- Spatial thinking for risk: how geographic context shapes exposure, vulnerability, and resilience outcomes
Module 2: Spatial Data Sources and Data Management for Environmental Analysis
- Open-source and authoritative data repositories: USGS, Copernicus, GADM, OpenStreetMap, and national data portals
- Data quality assessment: identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and projection mismatches
- Geodatabase design and spatial data organisation for multi-hazard projects
- Data integration techniques: joining tabular climate statistics with spatial boundaries
- Metadata standards and documentation practices for reproducible environmental GIS workflows
- Handling large or heterogeneous datasets: clipping, reprojecting, and batch-converting files for efficient project management
Module 3: Remote Sensing Fundamentals and Satellite Imagery Interpretation
- Principles of remote sensing: electromagnetic spectrum, spectral bands, and sensor types
- Interpreting optical and radar satellite imagery for land cover and hazard identification
- Downloading and pre-processing Landsat, Sentinel, and MODIS imagery in QGIS
- Image classification techniques: supervised and unsupervised classification for environmental mapping
- Accuracy assessment of classified imagery: confusion matrices, kappa coefficients, and validation sampling strategies
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery applications: flood mapping and damage detection under cloud cover
Module 4: Climate Data Analysis and Spatial Visualisation of Climate Trends
- Sources and formats of climate datasets: temperature, precipitation, NDVI, and sea level rise projections
- Importing and visualising NetCDF and raster climate data in GIS environments
- Spatial interpolation methods for mapping climate variables across regions
- Identifying and mapping long-term climate trends and anomalies at national and sub-national scales
- Downscaling global climate model outputs for local and district-level planning applications
- Creating temporal animation and comparative map series to communicate seasonal and decadal climate variability
Module 5: Flood Hazard Mapping and Hydrological Modelling
- Digital Elevation Model (DEM) acquisition, processing, and terrain analysis
- Delineating watersheds, stream networks, and flood-prone zones using DEM data
- Integrating rainfall data with topographic analysis to model flood extent and depth
- Producing flood hazard maps and communicating uncertainty to planners and decision-makers
- Assessing the influence of land use change and urbanisation on surface runoff and flood frequency
- Validating modelled flood extents against historical inundation records and community-reported flood data
Module 6: Drought, Desertification, and Land Degradation Mapping
- Calculating vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, SPI) to assess drought severity and spatial extent
- Monitoring land cover change and desertification trends using multi-temporal imagery
- Mapping rangeland degradation and agricultural drought impact zones
- Drought early warning indicators: building spatial dashboards using historical and near-real-time data
- Quantifying soil erosion risk and land productivity decline using GIS-based erosion potential models
- Integrating drought and land degradation maps with livelihood zone data to identify food security hotspots
Module 7: Landslide, Coastal, and Multi-Hazard Risk Mapping
- Landslide susceptibility mapping using slope, geology, land cover, and rainfall layers
- Coastal vulnerability assessment: sea level rise, storm surge, and shoreline change analysis
- Multi-hazard overlay analysis: combining individual hazard layers into composite risk indices
- Case study workshop: producing a multi-hazard map for a climate-vulnerable district
- Weighting and sensitivity analysis in composite hazard indices: testing assumptions and documenting methodological choices
- Mapping cascading hazard scenarios: how primary events such as floods or earthquakes can trigger secondary landslide or contamination risks
Module 8: Vulnerability, Exposure, and Capacity Assessment Using GIS
- Conceptual frameworks for vulnerability: physical, social, economic, and institutional dimensions
- Integrating census, infrastructure, and livelihood data to map population exposure
- Weighted multi-criteria analysis (WMCA) for producing social vulnerability index maps
- Identifying and mapping adaptive capacity assets: healthcare facilities, water points, and road networks
- Disaggregating vulnerability by gender, age, and disability status to reveal differentiated risk within communities
- Validating GIS-derived vulnerability indices against field data and community-held knowledge to reduce analytical bias
Module 9: Google Earth Engine for Large-Scale Climate and Hazard Monitoring
- Introduction to Google Earth Engine: cloud computing concepts and the JavaScript code editor
- Accessing and filtering large image collections for time-series analysis
- Calculating fire risk indices, flood inundation extents, and vegetation stress at national scale
- Exporting GEE outputs to GIS for integration into broader risk assessment workflows
- Building reproducible GEE scripts for automated seasonal monitoring and anomaly detection
- Comparing GEE-derived indicators with in-situ station data to evaluate remote sensing accuracy at the landscape scale
Module 10: Participatory GIS and Community-Based Disaster Risk Mapping
- Principles of participatory GIS and its role in inclusive disaster risk governance
- GPS field data collection using mobile tools: KoBoToolbox, ODK, and QField integration with QGIS
- Digitising community sketch maps and integrating local knowledge with authoritative spatial data
- Ethical considerations in community mapping: data ownership, privacy, and feedback loops
- Designing participatory mapping exercises that are accessible to low-literacy and marginalised community members
- Using community-generated spatial data to challenge, update, or validate official hazard and vulnerability datasets
Module 11: Spatial Early Warning Systems and Disaster Preparedness Planning
- Architecture of spatial early warning systems: data inputs, trigger thresholds, and dissemination channels
- Building automated alert indicators using QGIS processing models and raster calculators
- Evacuation route mapping and shelter site suitability analysis
- Linking GIS early warning outputs to national DRR plans and humanitarian coordination platforms
- Designing last-mile communication strategies that translate spatial alert information into actionable guidance for at-risk communities
- Testing and maintaining early warning systems: simulation exercises, threshold revision protocols, and inter-agency data sharing agreements
Module 12: GIS for Post-Disaster Damage Assessment and Recovery Planning
- Rapid damage assessment methodologies using pre- and post-event satellite imagery
- Change detection techniques to quantify infrastructure loss, displacement, and land degradation
- Mapping recovery priorities: integrating damage data with vulnerability and access layers
- Supporting build-back-better planning with spatial evidence for reconstruction investment
- Estimating population displacement and shelter needs by overlaying damage extents with pre-disaster population distribution data
- Monitoring reconstruction progress over time using repeat satellite imagery and field verification to track build-back-better commitments
Module 13: Communicating Spatial Risk: Map Design, Reporting, and Policy Integration
- Principles of effective map design: symbology, layout, colour theory, and audience adaptation
- Creating interactive maps and web dashboards using QGIS2Web and ArcGIS Online
- Structuring GIS-based risk reports for government ministries, donors, and community audiences
- Final portfolio presentations: participants present completed disaster risk profiles and receive structured peer and facilitator feedback
- Tailoring spatial narratives for advocacy: selecting indicators, visuals, and geographic scales that resonate with specific policy audiences
- Embedding GIS outputs within broader disaster risk communication strategies: integrating maps with infographics, briefing notes, and operational dashboards
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have a basic familiarity with computers and file management, and a working understanding of environmental or development concepts relevant to climate change or disaster risk. Prior exposure to GIS software is helpful but not mandatory, as the course begins with foundational concepts before advancing to complex applications. Delegates are encouraged to bring a laptop with at least 8 GB RAM; software installation guides will be shared in advance of the training.
Training Methodology
- Hands-on GIS lab sessions using QGIS and ArcGIS with real climate and hazard datasets from African and Middle Eastern contexts
- Step-by-step guided workflows followed by independent practice exercises to reinforce each technical skill
- Case study analysis of documented disaster events — including East African floods, Sahel droughts, and coastal erosion scenarios — to contextualise spatial methods
- Group mapping projects in which teams produce a full disaster risk profile for an assigned study area, simulating professional practice
- Google Earth Engine scripting exercises for large-scale land cover and vegetation index monitoring
- Peer review sessions where participants critique and improve each other's maps and spatial analyses
- Scenario-based simulation of an emergency response planning exercise, from hazard alert to evacuation route mapping
- Participatory GIS demonstration using community sketch maps and GPS field data collection to integrate local knowledge
- Daily reflection debriefs linking technical outputs to policy frameworks such as the Sendai Framework and national DRR plans
- Final portfolio presentation where each participant presents their completed GIS risk analysis to the group for structured feedback
Organisational Benefits
- Strengthened organisational capacity to produce and use spatial data for evidence-based climate adaptation and disaster risk planning
- Improved quality and credibility of risk assessments, vulnerability analyses, and early warning reports
- Reduced dependency on external consultants for GIS mapping and spatial analysis tasks
- Faster, more accurate emergency response planning supported by up-to-date hazard and exposure maps
- Enhanced alignment with international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework, Paris Agreement, and Sustainable Development Goals through data-driven reporting
- Better integration of climate risk considerations into programme design, land-use decisions, and infrastructure investment
- Increased access to climate finance and humanitarian funding through professionally produced risk evidence packages
- A growing internal pool of GIS-competent staff who can mentor colleagues and lead spatial data initiatives
- Improved cross-departmental collaboration through shared spatial data platforms and standardised mapping products
Where Is GIS for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Johannesburg, Nairobi, Kigali, Addis Ababa, Accra, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Naivasha, Abuja, Pretoria, Kisumu, Zanzibar, Riyadh, Nakuru, Dubai, Arusha, Mombasa, Lagos, Cape Town, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 7,000 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
KES 230,000 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,800 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
USD 7,600 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
KES 160,000 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,600 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 230,000 |
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 5,600 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
USD 6,600 |
| Kisumu, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
KES 240,000 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
24 Oct 2026 – 13 Dec 2026 |
KES 160,000 |
| Zanzibar, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 4 Nov 2026 |
USD 5,000 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 9,000 |
+234 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior GIS experience to attend this course?
Prior GIS experience is helpful but not required. The programme begins with foundational concepts and builds progressively, so motivated beginners with a relevant professional background can participate successfully. Delegates with existing GIS skills will benefit from the advanced climate and disaster-specific applications covered from Module 3 onwards.
What software will be used, and do I need to purchase licences?
The course primarily uses QGIS, which is free and open-source, supplemented by Google Earth Engine (also free with a Google account) and select ArcGIS exercises. Detailed installation instructions and free trial access details for any commercial tools will be shared with all registered participants at least two weeks before the start date.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes. Participants who attend the full 10-day programme and complete the final portfolio exercise will receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in GIS for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, which can be used for professional development portfolios and CPD records.
Can my organisation send multiple staff members at a group rate?
Yes, TrainingComplex offers group enrolment discounts for organisations registering three or more participants on the same cohort. Please contact our training coordinators directly to discuss tailored group pricing and, where required, in-house delivery options for larger teams.
Is this course available online or only in person?
The programme is primarily delivered in person to maximise the hands-on GIS lab experience; however, selected cohorts are offered as live virtual sessions via a video conferencing platform with remote access to shared datasets and virtual machine environments. Check the schedule listings for your preferred location and cohort format.
