Ecosystem and Community-based Adaptation, 2010

the role of ecosystems in human adaptation

Charles EhrhartCARE Internationalʼs Poverty, Environment and Climate Change NetworkPresentation during annual Adaptation Theme Team meeting8th September, 2010

disparities & convergence between CBA and EBA

1Wednesday, November 17, 2010

ecosystems and human wellbeing

the Millennium Ecosystems Assessment (United Nations, 2001 - 2005) was a milestone in recognising linkages

the MA identified critical ecosystem services, namely:

Supporting,

Provisioning,

Regulating and

Cultural services...

and linked them to key constituents of human well-being including, security, basic material for a good life, health and good social relations


!3Wednesday, November 17, 2010

ecosystems and human wellbeing

healthy ecosystems sustain goods and services for humans, provide livelihood opportunities, and enhance human resilience to climate related shocks and stresses in many direct and indirect ways

rapidly growing human population, changing lifestyles and socio-economic development often result in unsustainable exploitation of ecosystems

climate change is placing major strains on ecosystems


Community-Based Adaptation (CBA)

the goal of CBA is to build the resilience of individuals, households, communities and societies from the ground up

action is based on local priorities (taking into account social heterogeneity)

it starts with local knowledge but also seeks to integrate scientific knowledge into decision making processes

operates at multiple levels and can be large scale - so long as communities remain at the centre of planning and action


Community-Based Adaptation (CBA)

the most effective CBA is long-term and:

strengthens the resilience of local livelihoods

reduces disaster risks

creates an enabling environment for effective action at individual, household, and community levels (through good governance, sound environmental stewardship, etc.)

improves social equity (i.e. reduces discriminatory structures that would prevent people from adapting to climate change)


ecosystems in the context of CBA

CBA frequently deals with natural resources (and often prioritises improved NRM-related activities)

CBA is frequently concerned with the continuing flow of environmental goods and services

however, it rarely takes a holistic approach to working with complex ecosystems...


CBA in practice

example of including natural resource management activities: well... just about any CBA project that is promoting resilient livelihoods is going to be dealing with sustainable natural resource managament

example of operating at multiple levels: CARE’s Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change (RVCC) project in Bangladesh worked in communities but ALSO helped 14 Union Parishads develop adaptation plans and undertook national level advocacy on growing salinity and decreasing access to potable water

8Wednesday, November 17, 2010The project took an integrated approach to vulnerability reduction, focusing on raising awareness of climate change and associated vulnerability areas, promoting concrete actions by households and communities to reduce their vulnerability, and advocating with government at multiple levels for appropriate action to reduce vulnerability to climate change.

RVCC recognized that grassroots actions are not enough, and worked with local, regional and national government to promote action to reduce climate-related vulnerability.

EbA in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) means different things to different people.

sometimes, it is about using biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate.

the practice that, “integrates the sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services into an overall adaptation strategy”

9Wednesday, November 17, 2010The CBD promotes EbA as, potentially, a cost-effective solution that can “generate social, economic and cultural co-benefits and contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.” The emphasis is on the “sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems to provide services that help people adapt to both current climate variability, and climate change.”

Ecosystem-based Adaptation in practice

but, frequently, its about targeting the most valuable conservation areas (e.g. Protected Areas) and focusing on activities that will reduce the vulnerability of species or biological communities to the impacts of climate change.


CBA and EbA, side-by-side

CBA EbA‣ Targets the most vulnerable human

communities

‣ Often focuses on activities to reduce the vulnerability of people in marginalised social groups

‣ Sometimes incorporates “southern” environmental agendas (e.g. ensuring the continuity of environmental goods and services)

‣ Has an explicit social agenda that frequently includes good governance and social equality

‣ Frequently targets priority conservation areas (which may be sparsely populated)

‣ Often focuses on activities to reduce the vulnerability of endangered species or biological communities

‣ In practice, often reflects a “northern” environmental agenda (e.g. biodiversity conservation)

‣ Rarely (if ever?) includes an explicit social agenda

11Wednesday, November 17, 2010Some people say that EbA and CBA are really the same thing by different names. But while some descriptions of EbA have much in common, EbA currently looks very different in practice. Moreover, their analysis of the underlying causes of vulnerability are almost inevitably different.

conclusions

EbA and CBA are not the same thing by different names

most development-oriented NGOs would not find it possible to embrace an ecosystem “based” approach to adaptation...

for practical and ethical reasons, our “base” is and must remain communities

however, most of us would agree that:

an “ecosystem perspective” should be applied to all adaptation responses to ensure they are environmentally sound

in many cases, ecosystem adaptation has an important part to play in CBA


unequal burden and the equity principle

The UNFCCC’s equity principle acknowledges that:

some countries have contributed more than others to the problem

some countries are more vulnerable to the impacts of CC than others...

...typically, these are poorer countries that have contributed least to the causes of CC.

“Climate change affects us all, but it does not affect us all equally. The poorest and most vulnerable - those who have done the least to contribute to global warming - are bearing the brunt of the impact.”

- UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon

13Wednesday, November 17, 2010The unequal burden of the effects of climate change is reflected in article 3 of the UNFCCC (referred to as “the equity article”). It stipulates that parties should protect the climate system “on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities”; that developed countries “should take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof” and that full consideration should be given to the needs of developing countries, especially “those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change” and “that would have to bear a disproportionate or abnormal burden under the Convention”. Giving operational meaning to the “equity principle” is a key challenge in ongoing climate change negotiations.

the equity principle & implications for adaptation action

as per the UNFCCC’s “equity principle,” historical high emitters have agreed to help vulnerable [countries/populations] deal with the costs of climate change...

for most southern governments and civil society organisations, this is about dealing with the human costs of climate change.

CARE and many other development-oriented NGOs believe biodiversity and ecosystem services have a critical role to play in overarching strategies to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.


More information:www.careclimatechange.org


Documents

Ecosystem and Community-based Adaptation, 2010