Session 6.4 es as a vehicle for synergies btwn climate change mitigation & adaptation

Environmental services as a vehicle for synergies between climate change

mitigation and adaptation

Lalisa A. Duguma*, Peter A. Minang, Dieudonne Alemagi, Zac Tchoundjeu, Fredrik Nkeumoe

*World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) &ASB Partnership for Tropical Forest Margins

Email: [email protected]

Introduction Strong mitigation-adaptation synergy potential sectors: Land

use sector, energy and construction (Klein et al. 2007).

Strong segregation at higher levels (e.g. global and national level) which eventually decreases moving to the landscape and farm levels.

Such segregations may be due to limited understanding of: the interdependencies between M and A

the possible strategies to address the interdependencies

Aim: To highlight how environmental services could be a basis for promoting synergies between mitigation and adaptation

The M A Interdependence [The Domino Effect]

In economies relying on land resources: Failure in adaptation → mitigation efforts are in

jeopardy. Failure in mitigation → expensive adaptation.

1. Weak adaptation → Poor mitigation:

e.g. Forest exploitation in Suba, EthiopiaConsider forest carbon as a proxy for mitigation

Crop failure due to shortage of rainfall (drought)

Poor/No crop yield

Need for alternative income/livelihood sources to survive

Exploitation of nearby forests for extracting fuel wood and timber for sale

Flooding in the low lying areas

Clearing forests to create new farmlands

ADAPTATION MITIGATION

1984 2004

9557 ha 3530 ha

Menagesha Suba state forest

Each pale symbol is a FARM HOUSEHOLD

2. Poor mitigation→ Expensive adaptation

As a result of poor mitigation:

CO2 in atmosphere increases

Plants close stomata early

Limited release of H2O to atm.

Less cloud formation

The surface T0 increases.

• Higher costs to cool our living spaces • Drought • Shortage of irrigation water…• Poor hydrological functions as a whole• Disease prevalence may increases e.g.

Malaria

Cloud reflectance diminishes ; sunlight hits

directly

• Migration• Social conflict – East

African rangelands• Invasive alien species

Computer model calculation of the effect of carbon dioxide on plant physiology and global climate if CO2 concentration grows to 700ppm. http://studentresearch.wcp.muohio.edu/ClimateChangePrediction/studentarticles/Changinggloballandsurface.pdf

Ecosystem services and vulnerability to CC

Category Vulnerability Proxies/variables

Role of ES in addressing the vulnerability

Economy Income Sources of income e.g. fishing, ornamentals, tourism….

Health and Nutrition

Health expenditure Biochemical and natural medicines

Calories intake Wild foods (fruits, honey, insects, etc.)

Access to nutrition Wild fruits, mushrooms, insects, fungi, meat, nuts

Infrastructure Roads Flood protection, storm impacts and landslides risk minimization

Access to sanitation and clean water

Water purification; sources of freshwater Biodegradation detoxification

Coastal risk Storm protection by coral reefs

Agriculture Agricultural self sufficiency

Soil formation and retention, soil moisture retention, water regulation, pollination, pest and disease control, climate regulation,….

Ecology Genetic resources (protected area)

Habitat and reproductions sites; pollination;

Ecological stress Population control e.g. prey predator balance, control of pests and diseases

Ecosystem services and mitigationCategory Mitigation actions Role of ES in promoting the mitigation actions

Land use and agriculture

Reduce deforestation and forest degradation

Regulatory and provisioning ES strongly boost agricultural productivity – less deforestation and forest degradation.

Rehabilitation of degraded land

Sources of genetic materials e.g. soil seed banks,

Tree plantations Genetic materials for planting, growing medium, nutrient cycling, nutrient regulation, etc…

Biodegradation of agricultural wastes

Detoxification; Air quality regulation;

Energy Hydroelectric supply Water supply; water regulation i.e. runoff and water discharge regulation

Biomass energy Sources of biomass fuels

Selected Ecosystem Services crucial for mitigation and

adaptationo Pollination (animal pollinators)

75% of leading food crops (Klein et al. 2007) 79% (~ 308,006 plants) of the total plant species on earth (Ollerton et

al 2011) . West Africa produces 56% of global stimulant crops with 90%

vulnerability to pollinator loss (Gallai et al 2009).

o Nutrient cycling (Biogeochemical processes) Nitrogen cycle; carbon cycle; the food web

o Hydrological functions (hydrological cycle) 80% of agricultural water use comes from rainfall stored in soil

moisture – dependent on plant cover, SOM and soil microbial community (Power 2010; Molden 2007)

Concluding Remarks

Climate change mitigation and adaptation are considerably interdependent in the land use sector.

Mitigation-adaptation linkages are often through one or more ecosystem services.

THEREFORE,

1. Targeting ecosystem restoration/ management for better ecosystem services provision could enhance the opportunities for synergies in the land use sector.

2. At a landscape level, actions/strategies that enhance multifunctionality could provide the right direction.

Thank You!