Ecosystem and Community-based Adaptation, 2010

the role of
ecosystems in
human adaptation

disparities & convergence between CBA and EBA

Charles Ehrhart
CARE Internationalʼs Poverty, Environment and Climate Change Network
Presentation during annual Adaptation Theme Team meeting
8th September, 2010

Wednesday, November 17, 2010 1

ecosystems and human wellbeing

the Millennium Ecosystems Assessment
(United Nations, 2001 - 2005) was a
milestone in recognising linkages

the MA identified critical ecosystem
services, namely:

Supporting,

Provisioning,

Regulating and

Cultural services...

and linked them to key constituents of
human well-being including, security,
basic material for a good life, health and
good social relations


!

ecosystems and human wellbeing

healthy ecosystems sustain goods
and services for humans, provide
livelihood opportunities, and
enhance human resilience to climate
related shocks and stresses in many
direct and indirect ways

rapidly growing human population,
changing lifestyles and socio-
economic development often result
in unsustainable exploitation of
ecosystems

climate change is placing major
strains on ecosystems


Community-Based Adaptation (CBA)

the goal of CBA is to build the
resilience of individuals, households,
communities and societies from the
ground up

action is based on local priorities
(taking into account social
heterogeneity)

it starts with local knowledge but also
seeks to integrate scientific knowledge
into decision making processes

operates at multiple levels and can be
large scale - so long as communities
remain at the centre of planning and
action


Community-Based Adaptation (CBA)

the most effective CBA is long-term
and:

strengthens the resilience of local
livelihoods

reduces disaster risks

creates an enabling environment for
effective action at individual,
household, and community levels
(through good governance, sound
environmental stewardship, etc.)

improves social equity (i.e. reduces
discriminatory structures that would
prevent people from adapting to
climate change)


ecosystems in the context of CBA

CBA frequently deals with natural
resources (and often prioritises
improved NRM-related activities)

CBA is frequently concerned with the
continuing flow of environmental goods
and services

however, it rarely takes a holistic
approach to working with complex
ecosystems...


CBA in practice

example of including natural
resource management activities:
well... just about any CBA project
that is promoting resilient livelihoods
is going to be dealing with
sustainable natural resource
managament

example of operating at multiple
levels: CARE’s Reducing
Vulnerability to Climate Change
(RVCC) project in Bangladesh
worked in communities but ALSO
helped 14 Union Parishads develop
adaptation plans and undertook
national level advocacy on growing
salinity and decreasing access to
potable water

The project took an integrated approach to vulnerability reduction, focusing on raising awareness of climate change and associated vulnerability areas, promoting
concrete actions by households and communities to reduce their vulnerability, and advocating with government at multiple levels for appropriate action to reduce
vulnerability to climate change.

RVCC recognized that grassroots actions are not enough, and worked with local, regional and national government to promote action to reduce climate-related
vulnerability.

EbA in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA)
means different things to different
people.

sometimes, it is about using
biodiversity and ecosystem services
as part of an overall adaptation
strategy to help people adapt to the
adverse effects of climate.

the practice that, “integrates the
sustainable use of biodiversity and
ecosystem services into an overall
adaptation strategy”

The CBD promotes EbA as, potentially, a cost-effective solution that can “generate social, economic and cultural co-benefits and contribute to the conservation of
biodiversity.” The emphasis is on the “sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems to provide services that help people adapt to both
current climate variability, and climate change.”

Ecosystem-based Adaptation in practice

but, frequently, its about targeting
the most valuable conservation
areas (e.g. Protected Areas) and
focusing on activities that will
reduce the vulnerability of
species or biological
communities to the impacts of
climate change.


CBA and EbA, side-by-side

CBA EbA
‣ Targets the most vulnerable human ‣ Frequently targets priority conservation
communities areas (which may be sparsely populated)

‣ Often focuses on activities to ‣ Often focuses on activities to reduce the
reduce the vulnerability of people in vulnerability of endangered species or
marginalised social groups biological communities

‣ Sometimes incorporates “southern” ‣ In practice, often reflects a “northern”
environmental agendas (e.g. environmental agenda (e.g. biodiversity
ensuring the continuity of conservation)
environmental goods and services)

‣ Has an explicit social agenda that ‣ Rarely (if ever?) includes an explicit social
frequently includes good agenda
governance and social equality

Some people say that EbA and CBA are really the same thing by different names. But while some descriptions of EbA have much in common, EbA currently looks
very different in practice. Moreover, their analysis of the underlying causes of vulnerability are almost inevitably different.

conclusions

EbA and CBA are not the same thing
by different names

most development-oriented NGOs
would not find it possible to embrace
an ecosystem “based” approach to
adaptation...

for practical and ethical reasons, our
“base” is and must remain
communities

however, most of us would agree that:

an “ecosystem perspective” should be
applied to all adaptation responses to
ensure they are environmentally
sound

in many cases, ecosystem adaptation
has an important part to play in CBA


unequal burden and the equity principle

“Climate change affects us all, but it does
not affect us all equally. The poorest and
most vulnerable - those who have done
the least to contribute to global warming -
are bearing the brunt of the impact.”

- UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon

The UNFCCC’s equity principle acknowledges
that:

some countries have contributed more than
others to the problem

some countries are more vulnerable to the
impacts of CC than others...

...typically, these are poorer countries that
have contributed least to the causes of CC.

The unequal burden of the effects of climate change is reflected in article 3 of the UNFCCC (referred to as “the equity article”). It stipulates that parties should
protect the climate system “on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities”; that
developed countries “should take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof” and that full consideration should be given to the needs of
developing countries, especially “those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change” and “that would have to bear a disproportionate or
abnormal burden under the Convention”. Giving operational meaning to the “equity principle” is a key challenge in ongoing climate change negotiations.

the equity principle & implications for adaptation action

as per the UNFCCC’s “equity principle,”
historical high emitters have agreed to
help vulnerable [countries/populations]
deal with the costs of climate change...

for most southern governments and
civil society organisations, this is about
dealing with the human costs of climate
change.

CARE and many other development-
oriented NGOs believe biodiversity and
ecosystem services have a critical role
to play in overarching strategies to help
people adapt to the adverse effects of
climate change.


More information:
www.careclimatechange.org


Ecosystem and Community-based Adaptation, 2010

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