State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptationSession 3 – International experience on ecosystem based approaches to address climate changeRobert Munroe

UNEP-WCMC

2State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

Terminology – CBD and UNFCCC both use: ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation“the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change”(CBD 2nd AHTEG Biodiversity and climate change)+This includes: “sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems, as part of an overall adaptation strategy that takes into account the multiple social, economic and cultural co-benefits for local communities” (CBD COP10, decision X/33)

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3State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

What are ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation?

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• Mangrove maintenance/restoration to reduce coastal flooding/erosion from extreme events and sea-level rise • Forest conservation/restoration to stabilize land slopes and regulate water flows, preventing flash flooding and landslides as rainfall levels and intensity vary• Sustainable management of upland wetlands and floodplains for maintenance of water flow and quality• Diverse agroforestry systems providing flexible livelihood options to cope with increased risk from changed climatic conditions• Agro-biodiversity conservation to provide specific gene pools for crop and livestock adaptation, and to maintain soil moisture and nutrients.

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Figure 1: Ecosystem-based Adaptation conceptualised in the Driving Forces-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses (DPSIR) framework, p.4, Making the case for Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Building Resilience to Climate Change, UNEP-UNDP-IUCN

5State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

What are ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation?

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Examples of EbA-relevant interventions covered in the peer-reviewed and grey literature

Intervention Impact/hazard addressed

Sustainable forest management Reductions in productivity

Reforestation Flooding/erosion/water regulation

Tree shelterbelts Drought

Agroforestry/silvopastoralism Drought/ reductions in productivity

Livelihood diversification/alternative strategies Drought

Integrated watershed management Drought

Managed realignment Sea-level rise/storm wave induced erosion

Integrated coastal zone management Sea-level rise/storm wave induced erosion

Mangrove restoration Sea-level rise/storm wave induced erosion

Coastal vegetation buffer sustainable

management

Sea-level rise/storm wave induced erosion/storm

surges

Wetlands restoration Surface water shortage and flooding

Floodplain management Flooding

Rangeland management Loss of husbandry water source/grazing

Conservation agriculture Reductions in productivity

Soil conservation Reductions in productivity

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State of the evidence-baseNeed• Lots of anecdotal case studies – few reviews• Consolidate broad range of literature that makes up evidence-base• Enable decision-making between alternatives

Method• Systematic review methodology to describe extent of available evidence• Studies that assessed the effectiveness of using biodiversity/ecosystem services to help people adapt to climatic variability, climatic change and/or natural hazards linked to climate (i.e. EbA relevant interventions)• Peer-reviewed published literature (~7700 132) and sample of grey literature (32)• Assessment framework (to ask questions of the evidence and identify knowledge gaps)• 2011-2012

Munroe et al. (2012) ‘Review of the evidence base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation to climate change’, Environmental Evidence, 1: 13

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

CambridgeConservationInitiative

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State of the evidence-base

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

CambridgeConservationInitiative

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Gaps in knowledge• Comparisons needed between EbA and alternatives – 10% peer-reviewed literature• Costs - economic (including operational, opportunity), social, environmental• Whether EbA is supported by policies• Temporal and spatial aspects of effectiveness

Munroe et al. (2011) Does EbA Work? A review of the evidence on the effectiveness of ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation; Policy Brief; UNEP-WCMC, BirdLife, IIED, University of Cambridge, ELAN; Cambridge http://pubs.iied.org/G03187.html

Doswald et al. (in press) ‘Effectiveness of ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation: review of the evidence-base’, Climate and Development

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

CambridgeConservationInitiative

9State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation16 October

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FCCC/SBSTA/2013/2 Report on the technical workshop on ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation to climate change

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

EbA knowledge and activity gaps • How to do climate change vulnerability

assessments that incorporate ecosystem considerations?• Short, medium and long-term benefits and costs• Conditions/limits for ecosystems to provide adaptation benefits• Monitoring and evaluation frameworks for EbA (including example indicators)• Cost-benefit analysis methodologies• Economic effectiveness for EbA (micro/macro)• More comparative studies between EbA and alternatives 

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

EbA knowledge and activity gaps • How can EbA learn from

Community-based adaptation?

• Insight into grey-green/hybrid approaches• Links to REDD+? 

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Jaffe et al. 2009 Earth-Science Review

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

EbA knowledge and activity gaps • Where are country EbA ‘champions’?

• Global mapping of EbA activities• What are the barriers to EbA?• Who have divergent interests?• Who are the winners and losers?• Guidelines/guidance translated into different languages and for different types of decision makers/sectors 

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

Without addressing these, mainstreaming will be a

challenge but need ‘learning by doing’

(and research)

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Addressing the gapsTravers et al. 2012 Ecosystem-based Adaptation Guidance: Moving from Principles to Practice / UNEP-led Decision Support Framework

Organises wide-ranging information and advice to support planners and programme designers compare, select, design and track context-specific EbA versus other adaptation measures

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

Guidance for integrating ecosystem considerations intoclimate change vulnerability assessments – part of the project ‘EbA – Adapting to climate change in mountain ecosystems’ UNEP, UNDP, IUCN, supported by BMU, in Nepal, Peru and Uganda

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Addressing the gaps

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State of the evidence-base for ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation

An economic analysis of ecosystem-based adaptation and engineering options for climate change adaptation in Lami Town, Republic of the Fiji Islands – collaboration of UNEP, SPREP, Conservation International, UN-Habitat, Lami Town Council, and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

Figure 6, Total cost to implement adaptation options for all identified sites throughout Lami Town, p.18, Rao et al. 2013 An economic analysis of ecosystem-based adaptation and engineering options for climate change adaptation in Lami Town, Republic of the Fiji Islands. A technical report by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.