global climate change alliance support facility

Global Climate Change AllianceSupport Facility

Module 1

Understanding climate change –

development linkages

Training workshops onmainstreaming climate change

development linkages

Adaptation, mitigation and vulnerabilityAdaptation, mitigation and vulnerability

2

Adaptation and mitigation

Humanactivities

AdaptationMitigation

Climate,environment &

natural resources

Impacts

3

Opportunities, risks& constraints

Vulnerability

•Age•Gender

•Social group

•Education

•Wealth

•Access toinformation and

++

+

Exposure Sensitivity Adaptive capacity

Resilienceinformation and

technology

•‘Built’ and ‘green’infrastructure

•Institutions

•Social organisation

•Culture

•Equity &(in)equality

•Development level

Adaptation Maladaptation

-

+-

4

Vulnerability

Resilience

Biophysical and socioeconomicimpacts

Biophysicalimpacts

Changes in t°

Changes in rainfallpatterns

Shifts in seasons

Socioeconomicimpacts

Damage to ordestruction ofinfrastructure

Reduced food security,malnutrition

VulnerabilityMore frequent or severestorms, floods, droughts

Raised sea level

Erosion, desertification

Changes in waterquality/availability

Changes in ecosystems

Biodiversity loss

Disease & pestoutbreaks, ...

malnutrition

Economic disruption,loss of livelihoods, social

disruption

Increased mortality andmorbidity

Reduced availability ofhydropower

Conflicts, populationdisplacement, human

migrations, ...

Vulnerabilityfactors

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Examples of actual and potentialCC impacts in OCTs (1)

• Impacts on coastal ecosystems andinfrastructure, e.g.– storm damage to mangroves and reefs in the Caribbean and

the Pacific (with impacts on coastal fisheries)

– submersion of atolls in the Pacific, and of low-lying coastal– submersion of atolls in the Pacific, and of low-lying coastalareas in all countries/territories

– coral bleaching due to high temperatures

– damage from storms, sea surges and coastal flooding affectingcoastal infrastructure (incl. public and private buildings,harbours, airports, roads, power lines, ...), in particular in storm-prone areas

6Main source: Petit & Prudent (2008)


• Impacts on fishing and aquaculture, e.g.– migration of ocean fish stocks towards cooler waters

– reduced fish stocks due to lower phytoplankton production inwarmer Pacific waters

– changes in the distribution and abundance of coastal fish– changes in the distribution and abundance of coastal fishstocks in tropical regions (due to rising water temperature anddamage to habitats such as mangroves and coral reefs)

– increased mortality of pearl-producing oysters in the Pacific dueto high temperatures and reduced oxygen levels



• Impacts on agriculture, e.g.– destruction of banana and sugar cane plantations by

hurricanes in the Caribbean

– reduced yields of important root plants such as cassava, sweetpotatoes (Caribbean) or taro (Pacific)potatoes (Caribbean) or taro (Pacific)

– cricket invasions from the Sahel affecting Canary islands

– loss of agricultural land due to coastal flooding or submersionand increased salinity of coastal soils and aquifers (affecting alllow-lying coastal areas)



• Impacts on tourism, e.g.– damage to tourist infrastructure, notably along all coasts

exposed to tropical storms

– damage to or destruction of key natural resources that attracttourists (coral reefs, sandy beaches, forests, ...)tourists (coral reefs, sandy beaches, forests, ...)

– increased difficulties or costs in providing freshwater due to thesalinisation of coastal aquifers

– tourists deterred by less friendly climate (e.g. greater risk of fireor violent storm, heat waves) or higher health risks (e.g. fromvector-borne diseases)

– long-distance tourists deterred by carbon footprint and possiblyhigher flight costs (if kerosene or airplane carbon emissions aretaxed)



• Impacts on health, e.g.– increased exposure to vector-borne diseases as the range

or development of vectors changes (e.g. dengue fever in theCaribbean, malaria and Rift valley fever in the Indian ocean,risk of dengue and yellow fever in Madeira followingcolonisation by the Aedes aegypti mosquito)colonisation by the Aedes aegypti mosquito)

– increased risk of ciguatera poisoning due to the proliferation oftoxic micro-algae in the Indian and Pacific oceans

– increased exposure to poor-quality, contaminated water

– increased risk of food poisoning linked to higher temperatures

– increased prevalence of malnutrition resulting from impacts onagriculture, fisheries, hunting, and livelihoods in general

– increased risk of injury from storms, floods, wildfires, ...


CC as a source of opportunity...and new threats (1)

• St Pierre and Miquelon:

– Agriculture and tourism may benefit from highertemperatures – but impacts on fishing, the largest activity,may not be positive

• Greenland:• Greenland:

– Fishing may benefit from the shrinkage of sea ice andhigher primary plankton production in warmer waters – buttraditional hunting and fishing are likely to suffer

– Mining and oil exploration/exploitation operations will bemade easier by higher temperatures and the recession ofice – but this will create new environmental risks


CC as a source of opportunity...and new threats (2)

• Greenland (cont’d):

– The opening up of the North West Passage to sailingmay be a source of economic opportunity – but also athreat to the environment

– Tourism may benefit from higher temperatures – again a– Tourism may benefit from higher temperatures – again asource of opportunity but also threats (e.g. on theenvironment and traditional lifestyles)

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Climate change, environment and developmentClimate change, environment and development

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Environment – climate change –development linkages

Climate change:

- an environ-- an environ-mental issue

- a developmentissue

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Source: MillenniumEcosystem

Assessment (2005)Figure B, p. 7.

Climate change and environment

• Climate change is a theme to be addressedwith other environmental issues:– Climate change exacerbates certain environmental trends

and problems

– Environmental management has an impact on climate change

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Credit: Proyecto Rio Hurtado,EuropeAid Photo Library

Credit: Vietnamese journalist,EuropeAid Photo Library

Climate change and MDGs

Potential

Eradicateextreme poverty

& hunger

Reduce childmortality

Promote genderequality &

empower women

e.g. Adverseeffects on

food security

e.g. Increasedincidence ofwaterbornediseases

Potentialimpacts on

MDGs

Improvematernal

healthCombat major

diseases

Ensureenvironmentalsustainability

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e.g. Dependenceon livelihoods put

at risk by CC

e.g. Higherincidence of

anaemia resultingfrom malaria

e.g. Heat-relatedmortality & illnesses e.g. Increased stress

on ecosystems andbiodiversity

Source: OECD (2009a)

The development–adaptationcontinuum

Vulnerability Response to impacts

Addressing thedrivers of

Building theresponse

Managing climaterisk

Specificallyconfronting

vulnerability

Developmentalbenefits

capacity

=> Developmentaland climate

adaptation benefits

(e.g. DRR)

=> Primarilyadaptation benefits,

developmentalbenefits as a ‘side

effect’

climate change

=> Quasi-exclusivefocus on very

specific CC impacts,adaptation benefits

only

Adapted from: McGray et al (2007), OECD (2009a), Olhoff & Schaer (2010)

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Benefits in the absence of climate change100 0

Moving to climate-resilient,

low-emission development

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Climate-resilient development

Biophysicalimpacts

Socioeconomicimpacts

Vulnerabilityfactors

The develop-ment pathaddresses

factors

Climate riskmanagement

Specificadaptationmeasures

Development(vulnerability

reduction)activities

Response capacity building

Climate riskmanagement

Specificadaptationmeasures

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addressescurrent and

futurevulnerability,

risks andimpacts

Low-emission development

• Generally, the three ‘sectors’ that are thebiggest contributors to GHG emissionsare also the main targets for emissionreductions: The

develop-

• Country-specific emission patterns anddevelopment objectives should beconsidered to determine nationalmitigation priorities

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Energy (fossil-fuel burning)

AgricultureLand use changeesp. deforestation

develop-ment pathaddressessources ofemissions

Adaptation and mitigation:seizing opportunities

• Green growth

– ‘A way to pursue economic growth and development,while preventing environmental degradation, biodiversityloss and unsustainable natural resource use’

• Green jobsSource: OECD (2010b)

• Green jobs

• Adaptation and mitigation as ‘opportunities’:development co-benefits

e.g. renewable energy

e.g. clean technologies

e.g. forestry (REDD+)

e.g. agricultural productivity

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Adaptation and mitigation:developing synergies

• Quite frequently adaptation and mitigationmeasures are congruent and can produce a doublestream of benefits

– e.g. reduced tillage agriculture enhances carbon– e.g. reduced tillage agriculture enhances carbonsequestration in soils while supporting soil moistureretention, thus increasing resilience to dry spells

– e.g. sustainable reforestation may simultaneouslyenhance carbon stocks and, by offering new livelihoodopportunities, enhance the adaptive capacity of localcommunities

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• IRACC: Initiative for smallholder agricultureadaptation to climate change in the Indian Oceanislands through the promotion of agroecology

Developing synergies in the IndianOcean: IRACC regional project (1)

• Promoters: Indian Ocean Commission / IFAD

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Source: IOC/IFAD (2010) Presentation byR. Andriantahina, regional coordinatorWorkshop of 8-9 December 2010 in Mauritius(www.coi-ioc.org)

• Project target: smallholders in IOC memberstates and Zanzibar

Climateconstraints (*)

Productionconstraints

Marketing & tradeconstraints Demographic


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constraints (*)

Agriculture

Fragile natural environmentPoor land use & planning practicesUnsuitable agricultural techniques

Fragile and vulnerable soils

constraints Demographicgrowth

Naturalecosystems

Socioeconomicactivities

(*) Shift in seasons,higher average

temperatures, erraticrainfall, early and long

drought periods, floods,storms and cyclones, ...

Response:-Agroecological

techniques-Notably permanent

soil cover

• Benefits of permanent soil cover:

– Increased resilience of agriculture to climate variability(notably through improved storage and retention of water and organic matter

in solis) => adaptation to CC


– Restoration and enhancement of soil fertility(independently from climate-related considerations)

– Possibility of using non-cultivated or degraded land

– Watershed protection

– Carbon sequestration in soils => contribution to CCmitigation

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Adaptation and mitigation:ensuring complementarity

• Mitigation should:

– Be compatible with adaptation policies and requirements

– Rely on environmentally sustainable practices• e.g. unsustainable agrofuels may be a threat to food security,

water availability and ecosystemswater availability and ecosystems

– Not result in increased vulnerability to climate change

• Adaptation should:

– Take emissions into account• e.g. agricultural intensification for improved food security may

increase emissions from the use of fertilisers

• e.g. the increased adoption of air conditioning to adapt to heatwaves may result in increased emissions from fossil energy use

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Moving to climate-resilient,low-emission development

• Both climate-resilient development and low-emission development result from mainstreamingclimate change in policymaking and planning

Adaptationmainstreaming

Mainstreaming ofclimate change

mitigation

Low-emissiondevelopment

Climate-resilientdevelopment

The twoapproaches arecomplementary

In both cases,focus on co-

benefits

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Illustration: British Virgin Islands’climate change policy

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References (1)

• Government of the Virgin Islands (2011) The Virgin Islands’ Climate Change Policy: AchievingLow-Carbon, Climate-Resilient Development. Prepared by the Conservation and FisheriesDepartment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour [author: Angela Burnett Penn]. Technicalreport 5C/ECACC-11-10-1, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Belmopan, Belize.Available from: http://www.caribbeanclimate.bz/projects/enhancing-capacity-for-adaptation-to-climate-change-ecacc-in-the-uk-caribbean-overseas-territories-project.html

• IOC (2010) Initiative pour l’adaptation des systèmes de production des petits agriculteurs aux• IOC (2010) Initiative pour l’adaptation des systèmes de production des petits agriculteurs auxchangements climatiques dans les îles de l’océan indien. Presentation on the IRACC project’sreference sites. Workshop in Quatre Bornes, Mauritius, 8-9 December 2010. Indian OceanCommission. Available from: http://www.coi-ioc.org

• McGray H., Hammill A. & Bradley R. (2007) Weathering the Storm: Options for FramingAdaptation and Development. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. Available from:http://pdf.wri.org/weathering_the_storm.pdf

• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis. IslandPress, Washington, DC. Available from: http://www.maweb.org/en/Synthesis.aspx

• OECD (2009a) Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into Development Co-operation: Policyguidance. OECD Publishing, Paris. [Read-only, browse-it edition] Available from:http://browse.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/pdfs/browseit/4309171E.PDF

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http://www.caribbeanclimate.bz/projects/enhancing-capacity-for-adaptation-to-climate-change-ecacc-in-the-uk-caribbean-overseas-territories-project.html

http://www.caribbeanclimate.bz/projects/enhancing-capacity-for-adaptation-to-climate-change-ecacc-in-the-uk-caribbean-overseas-territories-project.html

http://www.coi-ioc.org/

http://pdf.wri.org/weathering_the_storm.pdf

http://www.maweb.org/en/Synthesis.aspx

http://browse.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/pdfs/browseit/4309171E.PDF

References (2)

• OECD (2010b) Interim Report of the Green Growth Strategy: Implementing our commitment for asustainable future. Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level, 27-28 May 2010.C/MIN(2010)5. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris. Available from:http://www.oecd.org/document/3/0,3343,en_2649_37465_45196035_1_1_1_1,00.html

• Olhoff A. & Schaer C. (2010) Screening tools and guidelines to support the mainstreaming ofclimate change adaptation into development assistance: A stocktaking report. Environment &Energy Group, United Nations Development Programme, New York. Available from:Energy Group, United Nations Development Programme, New York. Available from:http://www.undp.org/climatechange/library_integrating_cc.shtml

• Petit J. & Prudent G. (eds) (2008, reprint 2010) Climate Change and Biodiversity in the EuropeanUnion Overseas Entities. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Brussels, Belgium. Available from:http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2010-064.pdf

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http://www.oecd.org/document/3/0,3343,en_2649_37465_45196035_1_1_1_1,00.html

http://www.undp.org/climatechange/library_integrating_cc.shtml

http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2010-064.pdf

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