forests and climate change: linking adaptation and mitigation
DESCRIPTION
There are two approaches to combating climate change, adaptation and mitigation, and forests can contribute to both. Too often these two approaches are treated as separate strategies. In this presentation, titled “Forests and Climate Change: Linking Adaptation and Mitigation”, CIFOR and CIRAD scientist Bruno Locatelli explains the possible synergies between adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.TRANSCRIPT
THINKING beyond the canopy
Forests and Climate Change:Linking Adaptation
and MitigationBruno Locatelli, CIRAD-CIFOR
Thursday 29 September 2011CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia
THINKING beyond the canopy
Introduction
Recent interest in research and policy on linking climate change adaptation and mitigation(e.g., Tol 2005; Swart & Raes 2007; Ayers & Hug 2009; Laukkonen et al. 2009)
• Synergies and conflicts at different scales(Klein 2005, Liverman 2008)
Forests:
• A sector highly relevant to both mitigation & adaptation
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MITIGATION
Greenhouse gas concentrations
Climate change
Impacts
Responses
Global ecosystem service:Carbon sequestrationPolicies: CDM, REDD
Ecosystem-Based Mitigation
ADAPTATION
Ecosystem-Based AdaptationLocal ecosystem services:
Water regulation, provision of goods...Policies: EBA
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Ecosystem-Based Mitigation: Examples
e.g. Afforestation & Reforestation (CDM)
Increasing carbon in ecosystems
t
With reforestation
Carbon in ecosystem
Baseline
Avoiding loss of carbon from ecosystems
Conservation
Carbon in ecosystem
tBaseline (deforestation)
e.g. Avoided Deforestation (REDD)
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Ecosystem-Based Adaptation: Examples
Increasing rainfall intensity => Increased soil erosion, sedimentation in hydroelectric dams.Upstream soil conservation = Adaptation.
Soil conservation and hydroelectricity in Central America
Climate events affect local communities.Forest products less sensitive than agriculture.Forests = Safety nets.Better forest management = Adaptation.
Forests and local people in Central Africa
Coastal vulnerability (storms, waves, sea level rise).Protective role of mangroves + provision of goods.Better mangrove management = Adaptation.
Mangroves and coastal areas in Asia
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Outline Synergies between adaptation and mitigation
• Ecosystem services
• Subnational initiatives (forestry projects) Mitigation =>Adaptation Adaptation =>Mitigation Reasons for integration
Facilitating integration
• National policies
• International policies
• Standards
• Knowledge Research ideas
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Synergies between adaptation & mitigation in ecosystem services
Synergies between carbon and ecosystem services relevant to adaptation
Ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation AND mitigation
Examples:• Mangroves storing carbon (M) and protecting
coastal areas from storms and waves (A)• Forests storing carbon (M) and regulating
waters or providing safety nets to local communities when agriculture is affected by climate events (A)
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Synergies in subnational initiatives:Mitigation influencing adaptation
Link Rationale Examples in Latin America
Mitigation => Adaptation of forest
REDD+ projects can increase ecosystem resilience in landscapes
No explicit reference
Mitigation => Adaptation of people
REDD+ projects influences livelihoods and community adaptation
Noel Kempff (Bolivia), Chinchiná (Colombia), Scolel Té (Mexico), Juma (Brazil)
Locatelli, B, Evans, V, Wardell, A, Andrade, A & Vignola, R 2011, ‘Forests and Climate Change in Latin America: Linking Adaptation and Mitigation’, Forests, vol 2, no 1, pp431-450 http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/2/1/431/pdf
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Synergies in subnational initiatives:Adaptation influencing mitigation
Link Rationale Ex. in Latin America
Adaptation of forest => Mitigation
Adaptation measures can increase the permanence of carbon in a changing climate
Klinki (Costa Rica), Return to Forests (Nicaragua)
Adaptation of people => Mitigation
(i) EBA projects conserve ecosystems (and carbon).(ii) EBA projects can benefit the clean energy sector(iii) Adaptation in agriculture can preserve agricultural yield and avoid displacement of agriculture to forests
(i) Tegucigalpa water (Honduras), Colombian mountains (Colombia), AdapCC (Peru)(ii) Chingaza (Colombia)(iii) No explicit reference
Locatelli B., Evans V., Wardell A., Andrade A., Vignola R., 2011. Forests and Climate Change in Latin America: Linking Adaptation and Mitigation. Forests 2(1): 431-450. http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/2/1/431/pdf
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Reasons for integrating mitigation & adaptation in forestry projects
Mitigation needs Adaptation
• REDD+ projects more sustainable & carbon more permanent with A measures for communities and ecosystems.
• Integrating A also increases the local legitimacy of REDD+ projects, as A puts emphasis on local needs.
Adaptation needs Mitigation
• An A project contributing to M may benefit from carbon funding.
• Donors may favor projects with global benefits such as M, in addition to the local A benefits.
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What can facilitate the integration of mitigation & adaptation in
forests? (1/2)
National policies.
• Approval procedures of M projects.
• National conservation or development policies (Mexico’s strategy for protected areas: “adaptive capacity of ecosystems and people […] and greenhouse gas mitigation”).
International policies.
• So far A and M have been treated separately, even though some countries have asked for synergistic measures.
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What can facilitate the integration of mitigation & adaptation in
forests? (2/2)
Standards.• E.g. the Climate Community Biodiversity
Standards integrate A criteria for evaluating impact of M projects.
Knowledge generation, communication and capacity-building. • Bridge the two ‘separate’ communities
→ need for informing M stakeholders about A and vice-versa.
Need for more research on synergies and trade-offs.
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Research ideas:Ecosystem services
Synergies and trade-offs between carbon and local ecosystem services that are relevant to adaptation
Synergies and trade-offs between carbon, biodiversity and local services in Costa Rica
(Locatelli, Imbach & Wunder, submitted)
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Research idea:Livelihoods and governance
ADAPTATION(low social vulnerability, high adaptive capacity)
MITIGATION(conserved ecosystems
high carbon sequestration)
Synergies
Bottlenecks
Trade-Offs
Hypothetical case studies
Scenarios
Best practices (e.g. combining scientific modelling and participatory assessment) for defining and analysing future scenarios and pathways for mitigation & adaptation
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Research ideas: Subnational initiatives
Analysis of the impacts of climate change on the success of REDD+ initiatives (through impacts on forests and carbon, or impacts on local population)
Analysis of how to include adaptation in REDD+ initiatives for increasing social and ecological resilience
Analysis of the contribution of different adaptation options to mitigation
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Research ideas: Policy
Assessment of the political economy of mitigation & adaptation trade-offs• e.g. mitigation as a global issue driven by
developed countries vs. adaptation driven by local and national needs in developing countries
Analysis of institutional and financial mechanisms for fostering the synergies between mitigation & adaptation (e.g. pro-poor payments for multiple ecosystem services)
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Thank you!Thank you!