Ecological Infrastructure and EbA in South African rural and urban landscapes

Dr. Mandy Barnett, Climate Change Adaptation, SANBI

OECD TASK TEAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION Paris, 20 April 2015

Overview of presentation

Defining Ecological Infrastructure (EI) and explaining the

rationale for the concept

Introducing the uMngeni catchment

Overview of two Rural EbA pilots under the AF

Overview of the uMngeni EI partnership: An EI pilot in the uMngeni catchment

Insights and lessons

Introducing the concept of Ecological Infrastructure

(as it is applied in South Africa)

Born out of a study looking at ‘making the case’ for investments in BD conservation in SA

Several directives from the study:

• No more doom and gloom messaging – speak in a language of ‘hope of gain’

• Target messaging at main priorities of policy makers

• Align with service delivery imperatives which are high up on SA Govt priority list

• Ecological infrastructure is natures equivalent of built infrastructure

• It refers to those naturally functioning ecosystems that deliver valuable services to people

• It is our catchments, wetlands, estuaries, coastal dunes, grasslands, soil, water recharge areas etc

• It provides cost effective, long term solutions to service delivery

• EI is a useful way to frame climate change adaptation in the context of development

Nhalzuka

Vulindlela

the uMngeni Catchment Providing water to

the Cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban

uMgungundlovu District Municipality boundary

Local scale analyses show:

• Average temperature increases

• Possible increase in mean rainfall

• Increase in daily maximum rainfall

• Increase in extreme storm and flood events

• Seasonal shifts and later onset of summer rains

….increased risk of wildland fires, storms and flooding, heat stress and possible drought events

Climate predictions for the uMngeni Catchment (from Long Term Adaptation Scenarios and

Municipal climate change strategy documents)

Adaptation Fund Project:

Building resilience in the Greater uMngeni Catchment, South Africa

(USD 7.5 million)

• Early warning systems that support local communities and small scale farmers

• Climate-proof settlements (built and ecological infrastructure) and informing settlement planning

• Climate resilient agriculture

• Lessons learnt

= Rural EbA pilots

EbA in Vulindlela Rehabilitating grasslands to improve grazing capacity and flood mitigation

EbA in Nhlazuka Tackling bush encroachment to reduce risk from wild fires and increase food security

The uMngeni Ecological Infrastructure Partnership Rationale: Demand for water in the catchment is close to exceeding supply; engineering options have nearly been exhausted The City is turning to a cross sectoral Ecological Infrastructure partnership for solutions – 36 partners to date Interventions to improve flow and quality: • Rehabilitation and maintenance of

grasslands, river banks and wetlands • Construction of artificial wetlands • Upgrading of sewerage treatment and

pollution control • Invasive alien plant control and

biological monitoring

Success will depend on: • Cross-sectoral cooperation • Partnerships between govt, civil society

and the private sector

Linking catchment management to urban water supply in the City of Durban

Lessons and insights and a few questions….

• Framing and language is important for unlocking local partnerships, scaling up and success - ‘Ecological Infrastructure’ is a very useful concept for mainstreaming biodiversity considerations into development planning and for framing Climate Change Adaptation interventions

• EI and EbA interventions MUST be designed as part of social and economic development programmes, and cross sectoral integration is crucial – easier at site level…it is challenging to bring this to scale…

• Partnerships are essential, including involvement of civil society, all spheres of government , pvt sector. And with this, resources are needed to support good process

• There is a big gap between national and international policy work, and the identification of local level interventions, including in EbA. Can NAPs help us to work in a more cross sectoral and to close this gap?

Thank you