Adaptation learning from case studies for adaptation policies

Adaptation – learning from case studies for adaptation policies and sustainable development Habiba Gitay World Resources Institute hgitay@wri. org Climate, Energy and Pollution Program World Resources Institute http: //www. wri. org

What I want to cover…. Human activities Multiple pressures Responses Impacts: Ecosystems, ecosystem services, human well-being Natural and human capital Use this approach to for case studies WRI

Human activities Population/demographic Consumption/production Technological changes

Human activities ^GHG LULCC

Human activities Air pollution, aerosols ^GHG Strat ozone dep LULCC Pers org poll

Human activities Air pollution, aerosols ^GHG Strat ozone dep Climate change LULCC Pers org poll

Human activities Air pollution, aerosols ^GHG LULCC Pers org poll Strat ozone dep Climate change Changes in biodiversity Land degradation Water degradation

Linkages…. Between Climate change, Land degradation, water degradation and loss in biodiversity Land degradation Water degradation Climate changes in Biodiversity strong medium weak

Human activities Air pollution, aerosols ^GHG LULCC Pers org poll Strat ozone dep Climate change Human well-being Environment sustainability -ve Changes in biodiversity Land degradation Water degradation

Ecosystem Services The benefits people obtain from ecosystems • Provisioning • Goods produced or provided by ecosystems • food • fresh water • fuel wood • fiber • biochemicals • genetic resources • Regulating • Benefits obtained from regulation of ecosystem processes • climate regulation • disease control • flood control • detoxification • Cultural • Non-material benefits obtained from ecosystems • spiritual • recreational • aesthetic • inspirational • educational • communal • symbolic • Supporting • Services that maintain the conditions for life on earth. • Soil formation • Nutrient cycling • Pollination WRI

Human activities Air pollution, aerosols ^GHG LULCC Pers org poll Strat ozone dep Climate change Human well-being Environment sustainability -ve Changes in biodiversity Responses to reverse trends Responses and meet sust dev goals Land degradation Water degradation

Human activities Air pollution, aerosols ^GHG LULCC Pers org poll Strat ozone dep Climate change Human well-being Environmental sustainability Economic -ve Legal & institutional Changes in biodiversity Social & behavioural Land degradation Science, tech & transfer Water degradation

Response options for developing policies • Economic • Legal and institutional • Social and Behavioural • Science, technology transfer • All of these can be part of adaptation WRI

What is our approach…. . • Multiple stages • Initial stage – a set of case studies focused on water and agriculture in specific landscapes • Ask a series of questions to analyse what is happening on the ground before going into future planned adaptation (network. . ) WRI

Our approach…. a series of questions • What is the status of the ecosystems, ecosystem services and human well-being? • What are the multiple pressures that affect these landscapes and human societies? • How do individuals/households, formal and informal institutions respond to these pressures including climatic extremes? • What are the projected changes? (scenarios. . ) • Can the present responses cope with future changes? Adaptation –short-term, medium and long-term WRI

Our approach…. scenario and their uses • Scenario development • Aspiration of people at local level • Sustainable development plans at state/regional/national level • projections of how pressures (LULCC, population, consumption patterns) are changing, Climate change projections WRI

Our approach… future stages… • Awareness raising • Information – generation and dissemination • planning and decision-making • private sector? ? ? • Tools and methods (maybe) • Resources WRI

So in conclusion • Work in specific landscapes/watersheds • • Pilots, learning by doing; understand present Inclusion of multiple pressures • Climate change exacerbating them – may be dominant in future WRI

In conclusion • Consider ecosystem services and tradeoffs between them in space and time • Consider developing scenarios/storylines • Use “adaptation” as a vehicle for addressing multiple pressures and maybe indirect drivers (root causes) and moving towards sustainable development WRI