www.fao.org/climatechange/epic
This presentation was prepared to provide a general overview of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) and the EPIC programme. After providing a definition of CSA, the presentation focuses on Sustainable Land Management and the role of climate finance to support CSA. It concludes with a description of the FAO-EC project on CSA.
A presentation by John Gathenya at the Community Based Adaptation and Resilience in East and Southern Africa’s Drylands
1-4 September 2014, Addis Ababa
Presentation introduces the concept of Climate Scenarios and Analogues. This was during a training held in Nairobi in late 2013. Presenters were David Arango and Edward Jones who work for CCAFS - CIAT. Find out more about the work of CCAFS in East Africa: http://ccafs.cgiar.org/regions/east-africa
A look at how nature provides us with services and how valuing these services is important to well-being. Slideshow from Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, UNEP
Methodological Framework for AssessingVulnerability to Climate Change by IPCCHILLFORT
IPCC Climate vulnerability Assessment procedure. The presentation was a part of College Assignment. I am thankful to ITPI journal where I got the topic for the same. The reference is:
Methodological Frameworks for Assessing Vulnerability to Climate Change. Written by Rekha S Nair and Dr. Alka Bharat.
Institute of Town Planners, India Journal 8 - 1, 01 - 15, January - March 2011
www.fao.org/climatechange/epic
This presentation was prepared to provide a general overview of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) and the EPIC programme. After providing a definition of CSA, the presentation focuses on Sustainable Land Management and the role of climate finance to support CSA. It concludes with a description of the FAO-EC project on CSA.
A presentation by John Gathenya at the Community Based Adaptation and Resilience in East and Southern Africa’s Drylands
1-4 September 2014, Addis Ababa
Presentation introduces the concept of Climate Scenarios and Analogues. This was during a training held in Nairobi in late 2013. Presenters were David Arango and Edward Jones who work for CCAFS - CIAT. Find out more about the work of CCAFS in East Africa: http://ccafs.cgiar.org/regions/east-africa
A look at how nature provides us with services and how valuing these services is important to well-being. Slideshow from Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, UNEP
Methodological Framework for AssessingVulnerability to Climate Change by IPCCHILLFORT
IPCC Climate vulnerability Assessment procedure. The presentation was a part of College Assignment. I am thankful to ITPI journal where I got the topic for the same. The reference is:
Methodological Frameworks for Assessing Vulnerability to Climate Change. Written by Rekha S Nair and Dr. Alka Bharat.
Institute of Town Planners, India Journal 8 - 1, 01 - 15, January - March 2011
Presentation by Gezahegn Lemecha from IRC WASH on the concept of Climate Resilient WASH. This presentation was given during the Climate Resilient WASH learning workshop in Adama, Ethiopia, on 23 September 2021.
During the webinar, the speakers promoted a set of training materials that is freely available for those interested in learning more about the implementation of NDCs in the agriculture sector in Africa.
More info about the webinar: https://ccafs.cgiar.org/implementing-ndcs-agriculture-sector-across-africa-what-directions-capacity-building#.XxaxH_gzbfZ
Achievements and challenges in Ethiopian agricultureILRI
Presented by Dr. Abera Deresa (State Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) at the 'Dialogue on Ethiopia’s Agricultural Development', 12 November 2015, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Guush Berhane, Daniel Gilligan, Fikirte Girmachew, John Hoddinott, Neha Kumar, Alemayehu Seyoum Taffesse
REGIONAL WORKSHOP
SPIR II Learning Event
Co-organized by IFPRI, USAID, CARE, ORDA, and World Vision
MAY 16, 2023 - 9:00AM TO MAY 17, 2023 - 5:00PM EAT
Agriculture in developing countries must undergo a significant transformation in order to meet the related challenges of achieving food security and responding to climate change. Projections based on population growth and food consumption patterns indicate that agricultural production will need to increase by at least 70 percent to meet demands by 2050. Most estimates also indicate that climate change is likely to reduce agricultural productivity, production stability and incomes in some areas that already have high levels of food insecurity. Developing climate-smart agriculture is thus crucial to achieving future food security and climate change goals. This seminar describe an approach to deal with the above issue viz. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and also examines some of the key technical, institutional, policy and financial responses required to achieve this transformation. Building on cases from the field, the seminar try to outlines a range of practices, approaches and tools aimed at increase the resilience and productivity of agricultural product systems, while also reducing and removing emissions. A part of the seminar elaborates institutional and policy options available to promote the transition to climate-smart agriculture at the smallholder level. Finally, the paper considers current gaps and makes innovative suggestion regarding the combined use of different sources, financing mechanism and delivery systems.
At the Africa Agriculture Science Week AASW 15-20 July, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Head of Research Sonja Vermeulen gave a presentation on Climate-Smart Agriculture for an African context.
Presented by Michael Richards and Sara Namirembe. This presentation provides examples of places where payments for environmental services (PES) have been implemented.
Presentation by Gezahegn Lemecha from IRC WASH on the concept of Climate Resilient WASH. This presentation was given during the Climate Resilient WASH learning workshop in Adama, Ethiopia, on 23 September 2021.
During the webinar, the speakers promoted a set of training materials that is freely available for those interested in learning more about the implementation of NDCs in the agriculture sector in Africa.
More info about the webinar: https://ccafs.cgiar.org/implementing-ndcs-agriculture-sector-across-africa-what-directions-capacity-building#.XxaxH_gzbfZ
Achievements and challenges in Ethiopian agricultureILRI
Presented by Dr. Abera Deresa (State Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) at the 'Dialogue on Ethiopia’s Agricultural Development', 12 November 2015, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Guush Berhane, Daniel Gilligan, Fikirte Girmachew, John Hoddinott, Neha Kumar, Alemayehu Seyoum Taffesse
REGIONAL WORKSHOP
SPIR II Learning Event
Co-organized by IFPRI, USAID, CARE, ORDA, and World Vision
MAY 16, 2023 - 9:00AM TO MAY 17, 2023 - 5:00PM EAT
Agriculture in developing countries must undergo a significant transformation in order to meet the related challenges of achieving food security and responding to climate change. Projections based on population growth and food consumption patterns indicate that agricultural production will need to increase by at least 70 percent to meet demands by 2050. Most estimates also indicate that climate change is likely to reduce agricultural productivity, production stability and incomes in some areas that already have high levels of food insecurity. Developing climate-smart agriculture is thus crucial to achieving future food security and climate change goals. This seminar describe an approach to deal with the above issue viz. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and also examines some of the key technical, institutional, policy and financial responses required to achieve this transformation. Building on cases from the field, the seminar try to outlines a range of practices, approaches and tools aimed at increase the resilience and productivity of agricultural product systems, while also reducing and removing emissions. A part of the seminar elaborates institutional and policy options available to promote the transition to climate-smart agriculture at the smallholder level. Finally, the paper considers current gaps and makes innovative suggestion regarding the combined use of different sources, financing mechanism and delivery systems.
At the Africa Agriculture Science Week AASW 15-20 July, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Head of Research Sonja Vermeulen gave a presentation on Climate-Smart Agriculture for an African context.
Presented by Michael Richards and Sara Namirembe. This presentation provides examples of places where payments for environmental services (PES) have been implemented.
Presentation by Beria Leimona, Rachman Pasha, Tony Setiawan, Suyanto, and Bruno Verbist. This is a case study of a RUPES Project at Sumberjaya Watershed, Lampung Province, Indonesia.
Presentation by Florence Bernard and Slayde Hawkins.
PES may be prohibited by Constitution or law. This presentation discusses how policy may affect the implementation of PES and REDD projects.
Presentation by Michael Richards. The presentation shows the necessary steps in conducting a social and biodiversity impact assessment (SBIA) for REDD projects.
Conceptualising Climate Finance: Definitions, Typologies and DiscoursesFelicia Liu
Issues of environmental change and sustainability are increasingly pressing as the human capacity to alter environmental conditions at the regional and global levels continues to expand with increasingly manifest consequences. Humans have long had environmental impacts on the micro scale, and these were relatively concrete to address in planning terms. As human ability to affect the environment on macro scales grows, the ability to shift geography to avoid impacts is radically decreased. At the same time, the ability to adjust to environmental changes and to implement sustainable solutions are increasingly financialized, as the global response to climate change (e.g. carbon markets) suggests. ‘Green investments’ have been gaining weight in global investors’ strategies. Yet, green investments come not without costs. Critics point out that catchphrases such as ‘green economy’, ‘impact investing’ and ‘smart growth’ would only pretend to reconcile the economy with environmental concerns, yet neither abandon the capitalist logic of unending growth nor provide solutions to remedy resource depletion and environmental degradation. In contrast, debates revolving around ‘alternative’ or ‘diverse’ economies question the unbalanced growth- and profit-orientation and address new forms of societal power and control in more socially just and environmentally sustainable economic systems. This session on finance and environmental sustainability invites conceptual and empirical contributions that seek to broaden our understanding of the relationship between finance and geography, and how this link shapes social system responses to environmental processes. We invite contributions on theoretical topics such as alternative economics, land valuation and environmental use, as well as empirical topics such as financing mitigation and adaptation, energy transition and infrastructure and technology transformation.
Equity workshop: Safeguards and standards for equity in redd+IIED
Safeguards and standards for equity in REDD+
A presentation by Phil Franks, IIED/REDD+ SES Secretariat
This presentation was given at the Expert Workshop on Equity, Justice and Well-being in Ecosystem Governance, held at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) in London, March, 2015.
Is your agency thinking about developing affordable housing – or already doing it? This workshop will present introductory information on how to develop affordable housing, including strategies to partner with housing finance agencies and developers. Speakers will describe a simple Low Income Housing Tax Credit financed project.
OECD Workshop on Regional Trade Agreements and the Environment Session 1 - Ro...OECD Environment
This workshop focused on key issues related to Regional Trade Agreements (RTA) and the environment. It had three main objectives: (i) to take stock of current experience and insights on RTAs and the environment from different stakeholders, and to establish a stakeholder dialogue on this topic; (ii) to investigate how RTAs can serve as a vehicle to advance a resource efficient and circular economy transition; and (iii) to explore the potential of RTAs in addressing the nexus of illegal trade and environmental crime
The Policy and Regulatory Framework for Renewable EnergyMirzo Ibragimov
On 5-6 December, Tashkent hosted a workshop on renewable energy (RE) policy development jointly organized by the Government of Uzbekistan and the World Bank Group (WBG) in partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The presentation was delivered during the above-mentioned event.
An overview of IGF Guidance Local content policiesIsabelle Ramdoo
In 2018, IGF released a Guidance to the attention of governments on the design of local content policies. The Guidance provides the key steps that are necessary for effective policy design, and highlights the necessary pre-requisits that need to be in place for successful policies. Key instruments of local content are also highlighted. The Guidance is informed by case studies of successful and failed policies.
Financing FLR: Governance and funding opportunities for landscape management ...Etifor srl
Presentation by Etifor at the workshop Maich Chania organised in the context of the Mediterre3 project. The project is supported by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI)
Presentation by the Jane Goodall Institute. The goal of this project is to reduce deforestation and forest degradation within the Budongo-Bugoma corridor (BBC) by at least half by building awareness, capacity and governance mechanisms for private forest owners and community groups to access carbon payments and benefit from REDD based global approaches to climate change mitigation.
Presentation by Tuyeni Mwampamba. The presentation discusses data collection, analysis and reporting in Social and Biodiversity Impact Assessment (SBIA) for REDD projects.
GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using Deplo...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 5DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 5. In this session, we will cover CI/CD with devops.
Topics covered:
CI/CD with in UiPath
End-to-end overview of CI/CD pipeline with Azure devops
Speaker:
Lyndsey Byblow, Test Suite Sales Engineer @ UiPath, Inc.
Elevating Tactical DDD Patterns Through Object CalisthenicsDorra BARTAGUIZ
After immersing yourself in the blue book and its red counterpart, attending DDD-focused conferences, and applying tactical patterns, you're left with a crucial question: How do I ensure my design is effective? Tactical patterns within Domain-Driven Design (DDD) serve as guiding principles for creating clear and manageable domain models. However, achieving success with these patterns requires additional guidance. Interestingly, we've observed that a set of constraints initially designed for training purposes remarkably aligns with effective pattern implementation, offering a more ‘mechanical’ approach. Let's explore together how Object Calisthenics can elevate the design of your tactical DDD patterns, offering concrete help for those venturing into DDD for the first time!
A tale of scale & speed: How the US Navy is enabling software delivery from l...sonjaschweigert1
Rapid and secure feature delivery is a goal across every application team and every branch of the DoD. The Navy’s DevSecOps platform, Party Barge, has achieved:
- Reduction in onboarding time from 5 weeks to 1 day
- Improved developer experience and productivity through actionable findings and reduction of false positives
- Maintenance of superior security standards and inherent policy enforcement with Authorization to Operate (ATO)
Development teams can ship efficiently and ensure applications are cyber ready for Navy Authorizing Officials (AOs). In this webinar, Sigma Defense and Anchore will give attendees a look behind the scenes and demo secure pipeline automation and security artifacts that speed up application ATO and time to production.
We will cover:
- How to remove silos in DevSecOps
- How to build efficient development pipeline roles and component templates
- How to deliver security artifacts that matter for ATO’s (SBOMs, vulnerability reports, and policy evidence)
- How to streamline operations with automated policy checks on container images
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
GraphSummit Singapore | The Future of Agility: Supercharging Digital Transfor...Neo4j
Leonard Jayamohan, Partner & Generative AI Lead, Deloitte
This keynote will reveal how Deloitte leverages Neo4j’s graph power for groundbreaking digital twin solutions, achieving a staggering 100x performance boost. Discover the essential role knowledge graphs play in successful generative AI implementations. Plus, get an exclusive look at an innovative Neo4j + Generative AI solution Deloitte is developing in-house.
Essentials of Automations: The Art of Triggers and Actions in FMESafe Software
In this second installment of our Essentials of Automations webinar series, we’ll explore the landscape of triggers and actions, guiding you through the nuances of authoring and adapting workspaces for seamless automations. Gain an understanding of the full spectrum of triggers and actions available in FME, empowering you to enhance your workspaces for efficient automation.
We’ll kick things off by showcasing the most commonly used event-based triggers, introducing you to various automation workflows like manual triggers, schedules, directory watchers, and more. Plus, see how these elements play out in real scenarios.
Whether you’re tweaking your current setup or building from the ground up, this session will arm you with the tools and insights needed to transform your FME usage into a powerhouse of productivity. Join us to discover effective strategies that simplify complex processes, enhancing your productivity and transforming your data management practices with FME. Let’s turn complexity into clarity and make your workspaces work wonders!
GridMate - End to end testing is a critical piece to ensure quality and avoid...ThomasParaiso2
End to end testing is a critical piece to ensure quality and avoid regressions. In this session, we share our journey building an E2E testing pipeline for GridMate components (LWC and Aura) using Cypress, JSForce, FakerJS…
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
PHP Frameworks: I want to break free (IPC Berlin 2024)Ralf Eggert
In this presentation, we examine the challenges and limitations of relying too heavily on PHP frameworks in web development. We discuss the history of PHP and its frameworks to understand how this dependence has evolved. The focus will be on providing concrete tips and strategies to reduce reliance on these frameworks, based on real-world examples and practical considerations. The goal is to equip developers with the skills and knowledge to create more flexible and future-proof web applications. We'll explore the importance of maintaining autonomy in a rapidly changing tech landscape and how to make informed decisions in PHP development.
This talk is aimed at encouraging a more independent approach to using PHP frameworks, moving towards a more flexible and future-proof approach to PHP development.
Climate Impact of Software Testing at Nordic Testing DaysKari Kakkonen
My slides at Nordic Testing Days 6.6.2024
Climate impact / sustainability of software testing discussed on the talk. ICT and testing must carry their part of global responsibility to help with the climat warming. We can minimize the carbon footprint but we can also have a carbon handprint, a positive impact on the climate. Quality characteristics can be added with sustainability, and then measured continuously. Test environments can be used less, and in smaller scale and on demand. Test techniques can be used in optimizing or minimizing number of tests. Test automation can be used to speed up testing.
Encryption in Microsoft 365 - ExpertsLive Netherlands 2024Albert Hoitingh
In this session I delve into the encryption technology used in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Purview. Including the concepts of Customer Key and Double Key Encryption.
GraphSummit Singapore | The Art of the Possible with Graph - Q2 2024Neo4j
Neha Bajwa, Vice President of Product Marketing, Neo4j
Join us as we explore breakthrough innovations enabled by interconnected data and AI. Discover firsthand how organizations use relationships in data to uncover contextual insights and solve our most pressing challenges – from optimizing supply chains, detecting fraud, and improving customer experiences to accelerating drug discoveries.
Unlocking Productivity: Leveraging the Potential of Copilot in Microsoft 365, a presentation by Christoforos Vlachos, Senior Solutions Manager – Modern Workplace, Uni Systems
Removing Uninteresting Bytes in Software FuzzingAftab Hussain
Imagine a world where software fuzzing, the process of mutating bytes in test seeds to uncover hidden and erroneous program behaviors, becomes faster and more effective. A lot depends on the initial seeds, which can significantly dictate the trajectory of a fuzzing campaign, particularly in terms of how long it takes to uncover interesting behaviour in your code. We introduce DIAR, a technique designed to speedup fuzzing campaigns by pinpointing and eliminating those uninteresting bytes in the seeds. Picture this: instead of wasting valuable resources on meaningless mutations in large, bloated seeds, DIAR removes the unnecessary bytes, streamlining the entire process.
In this work, we equipped AFL, a popular fuzzer, with DIAR and examined two critical Linux libraries -- Libxml's xmllint, a tool for parsing xml documents, and Binutil's readelf, an essential debugging and security analysis command-line tool used to display detailed information about ELF (Executable and Linkable Format). Our preliminary results show that AFL+DIAR does not only discover new paths more quickly but also achieves higher coverage overall. This work thus showcases how starting with lean and optimized seeds can lead to faster, more comprehensive fuzzing campaigns -- and DIAR helps you find such seeds.
- These are slides of the talk given at IEEE International Conference on Software Testing Verification and Validation Workshop, ICSTW 2022.
Monitoring Java Application Security with JDK Tools and JFR Events
Guide to structuring a PES project
1. Guide to Structuring a PES Project Michael Richards and Tommie HerbertTraining Workshop on Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) 8 August 2011
58. Implementation issues:6 month/annual operating plans Accounts tracking systems Governance of finance & benefit sharing mechanisms Train community members in admin & technical tasks Conflict resolution procedures Monitoring delivery of ES 16 16 16 16 16 16
59.
60. Sample monitoring sites
61. Local people can measure carbon – training
62. Social & biodiversity benefits – impact assessment monitoring plans required by CCB Standards (SBIA Manual)
63. Ex-ante impact assessment is key to project design (e.g. Using ‘Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation’ (Conservation Measures Partnership, 2007)
64. Helps identify risks and potential negative impacts – early detection of problems will save costs
65.
Editor's Notes
The first step can be broken down into 3 sub-components, all of which require a work and technical skill. Costs span the gamut depending on the level of precision in measurement that a buyer expects (or desires) as well as the amount of research needed to determine value (which is less in a regulated market than in a voluntary market, usually) as well as to identify prospective buyers. Depending on the nature of land ownership and buyer interest, there also may be issues to resolve around whether to sell as individuals or a group.By answering the following key questions, you will spell out what ecosystem service is for sale, who the potential buyers are, and how the ecosystem service can be restored and maintained. A successful sale begins with answering the question, “What are you offering a buyer?” The major types of ecosystem services that have been sold to date include: Biodiversity protection Wetlands and watershed conservationClimate regulation and carbon sequestrationMarine conservation Any or all of these services could be the focus of PES deals, and bundling several types of ecosystem services together in one project can maximize income and diversify risk.
BUYERS CAN BE: Government Private buyers in regulated markets Voluntary private buyers Philanthropic buyersBuyers of eco-certified productsIllustrative Potential BuyersOil & GasUtilities -- Energy such as damsUtilities -- Wastewater Treatment/Water FacilitiesMiningFood & Agriculture TransportationForestry/Pulp & PaperRetailersMunicipalities and governmentsExtended notes Determining the most promising type of buyer is a prominent issue. A preliminary assessment should be based on the level of activities and engagement of the various players — including private companies, private intermediaries, government agencies, donor agencies, NGOs, and individuals — in a particular area. At this point, potential sellers of ecosystem services should begin to ‘brainstorm’ or generate lists of prospective buyers. To begin the process, you can ask questions such as: Who are the largest employers in the province, country, or even the region? Who relies on ecosystem services from a prospective PES deal site in a significant way through:Using significant resources (e.g., downstream water users)?Owning large landholdings and affecting habitat / biodiversity on these lands?Emitting greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide? Once ecosystem services on site are identified and assessed at least roughly (such as for potential of carbon that can be sequestered through a specific set of resource / land management practices), then – if a buyer has not already been identified – it is ideal to identify prospective buyers. The challenge is that buyers may wish to see a complete technical report on the potential land management practices with justification as to why these practices would lead to specific ecosystem services benefits (such as carbon sequestered or water flow improved). The challenge is that detailed technical reports are, not surprisingly, time and cost intensive and can result in significant financial outlays prior to any assurance that revenue from a sale will be realized. Simply put, preparing for a potential PES sale can be costly without any clarity that it will ‘pay off’. This risk is significant and has been mitigated in the past by NGOs and philanthropists assisting with underwriting these costs, particularly so that the poor can access PES deals related to forest carbon in the climate finance domain. In some cases, the underwriters of costs may be the ultimate buyers which can eliminate these challenges.
There are various methods of measuring the benefits of ecosystem services that would be the focus of a PES deal, and it may be in the best interest of all parties to engage scientists and other experts, if only on a short-term contractual basis, to undertake measurements. How certain are ecologists or experts that a particular set of natural resource management practices will result in a specific set of ecosystem service-related outcomes, such as planting trees on a certain hillside and avoiding erosion, or improving water quality, etc.?How certain is it that the desired ecosystem service outcomes will be achieved, given the potential for other unanticipated dynamics (natural or otherwise, such as climate change factors – including varying rainfall patterns, wildfires, insect infestations in forests, demographic trends, and land pressures, etc.)?Habitat / BiodiversityCritical breeding areas?Continuous corridors?Adequate territory for species?Water and food for wildlife available year-round?These questions include identification of ecosystem services in a prospective PES transaction ‘site’ / areaWatershedKey sources of pollution controlled?Water flow managed across the watershed?Major tributaries includedKey wetlands included?
Characterizing agents and drivers is important for: developing projections of location of future deforestation(baseline) identifying leakage risks and mitigation strategiesand effective project design (project measures)
What is the value?What should the price be? Are there comparable deals?A key part of the ‘ask’ to buyers is of course the price. It is essential to note that value and price are not always equal. Price ultimately depends on what a buyer is willing to pay and/or what is negotiated between buyer and seller.As sellers begins to think about negotiating a price for a PES deal, they must make sure that the following are factored into the offering price: costs for complying with the agreed-upon land management practices over timeimpact on the seller’s earnings, in present value terms, in terms of changing land management practices to comply with agreement termsadministrative costs under the expected PES transaction over time. Extended NotesIn negotiating, sellers must never forget that payment is contingent on delivery – and delivery is contingent on structuring a realistic deal. If the market price offered does not cover the costs of the land management that will be provided, the deal is not realistic. Therefore, it is essential to ensure clarity and agreement on measurable indicators of compliance with the PES deal as well as agreement on how risks of unavoidable non-compliance with the deal —such as through insect infestations, shifts in rainfall patterns, wildfires, etc.—will be shared between buyers and sellers. Be able to answer:What is the ecosystem services objective?How will this objective be achieved? Why do we believe that these practices will lead to specified ecological outcomes? How will measurement be made of the ecosystem services both at a baseline state and over time?
Once there is clarity that a site has ecosystem services that are valued by beneficiaries who have the means to pay for their maintenance, then the exploration of a potential PES agreement can shift to the next phase of assessing institutional and technical capacity to undertake such an agreement (and implement it, without leading to unintended consequences or risks for sellers). Assess legal, policy, and land ownership contextTake careful stock of the context in which it will take placeMake sure that laws, practices and institutions in a potential PES deal site support, or at least do not obstruct, the development of these payment schemes.If government policies or even agencies are engaged in ecosystem service issues (most likely related to greenhouse gases or water), these may serve as important sources of information and expertise as you develop a PES deal. If people in rural communities do not have legal and practical access to an ecosystem service, a buyer will likely find the risks of forging a PES deal too great. If clarity on tenure or use rights does exist, however, then so does a critical element of the context in which PES can develop.It is also essential to consider who owns the legal rights to ecosystem services and profit derived from their sale. In some cases, it may be the state and not the local landowner who is looking to sell the service. After assessing the legal and policy context at national, regional, and municipal levels of government, it is time to assess local land tenure and use rights.
In assessing these questions, it is likely that there will be a need for a range of specialists to advise on, or assist with, putting together the nuts and bolts associated with the PES deal. First, scientists are needed to document and measure the ecosystem services in question. Scientists will also need to identify the natural resource management practices that will sequester carbon, enhance water flows, improve water quality – or achieve the ecological objective desired. Second, once the technical details are addressed, then the legal issues associated with coming to agreement will need legal counsel to ensure that the contract is clear and fair. Finally, technical expertise may be needed during implementation as well as verifiers and certifiers.Scientific and technical knowledge for measuring and documenting existence and current status of ecosystem services that sellers wish to provide, and also for comprehensive land management plans Negotiation skills and contractual experience (including financial planning) that ensure that buyer and seller can with full knowledge agree on all terms of the contractImplementation, monitoring and verification expertise which may need to involve third party verifiers, depending on the buyer’s needs Extended Notes These services may add transaction costs, but without them, there may be no deal. At their best, these groups not only provide the validation demanded by many buyers, but also move the process along. Some intermediary groups with expertise in community organization, for example, may be selected to take responsibility for local project management, as well as mediation between investors and local people. Local institutions that have the business skills to negotiate private deals and the capacity to handle complex organizational arrangements can facilitate market development and maximize participation by local groups, including the rural poor and indigenous groups. Where highly specialized expertise is needed for limited time periods—such as designing ecosystem monitoring methods, or developing service contracts—specialized companies, public agencies or experienced NGOs can provide business and technical support services. When selecting support institutions, it is essential to compare the costs of “hiring in” expertise with the risks of going it alone or without adequate support. It is also wise to check references and the track record of the organization with which a partnership is being explored. Also, keep in mind the variety of arrangements that offer partners a stake in the success of the project. Note, also, that some organizations work on a pro-bono / free basis. Ultimately, all legal and technical responsibilities will remain with the community or seller of the ecosystem service. Therefore, it is critical that any support institutions which sellers and communities engage also transfer the required expertise to the community members.
The PIN should be considered as a valuable tool for project proponents and others to review basic assumptions about the project. It should reflect all the elements highlighted above (project objectives, activities, and participants), as well as: (SEE SLIDE) Characterization of the BaselineWhat are the driving forces of land use and land-use change? Is the process degradation, deforestation, or a sequence of degradation leading to deforestation? What would happen without the project? Who are actors? Estimate of Forest Carbon Stocks or Sequestration Potential What are carbon stocks of any existing forest on project lands? What are carbon accumulation rates of planted trees and regenerated forests?Social and Environmental Impacts Impacts on local populations and ecosystem services?How will adverse impacts be managed and mitigated? How will economic benefits be allocated? Additionality Arguments that carbon benefits would not have occurred? Are carbon revenues vital for implementation of activities? Preliminary Estimate of Carbon BenefitsImpact of project activities in reducing emissions? On what time scale? When can activities be launched? EXTENDED NOTES Characterization of the baseline: To the extent possible, describe and substantiate this scenario with data on historical degradation or deforestation trends in the project area or its vicinity. Note any recent changes in land-use trends, e.g., deforestation trends in the last ten versus five years. Be careful to critically re-examine common perceptions of land-use and environmental degradation trends and try to find objective evidence for such developments. Estimate of forest carbon stocks or sequestration potential: This information should ideally be based on available data from the project site or similar forests or plantations. In the absence of local data, use IPCC default values and, for AR projects, potentially consult existing carbon calculators. Social and Environmental Impacts: These questions can be important arguments for convincing certain types of stakeholders and investors to become engaged in the project; be brief and objective in laying out these aspects.Preliminary estimate of carbon benefits: This refers to the differential between baseline (without-project) and project scenario, i.e., net carbon losses or gains. Try to be conservative and realistic in your assumptions – overly optimistic calculations and inflated objectives are unlikely to convince investors or other stakeholders; a cautious and well-documented argument is more likely to impress.Additionality The elaboration of a PIN should not lead project proponents to believe that project feasibility is assured. A critical and rigorous feasibility assessment needs to be carried out (see next step) before significant resources are committed or any firm engagements made with other parties. A PIN should only be shared with potential investors and government authorities once a feasibility assessment has been concluded with a positive outcome, and in many cases a PIN should only be drawn up at this stage. On the other hand, many of the preliminary assessments carried out while developing a PIN can later be used in a more thorough feasibility analysis.
What are the key elements of PES contracts / agreements? PES agreements should clearly lay out: Who is responsible for each action? What ecosystem service results are expected? How results will be demonstrated? Who will be responsible for monitoring, evaluating, verifying, and certifying results?Who will receive what amount of money in what time frame? Which criteria will evaluate the fairness of the PES deal?What costs may be incurred during implementation of the deal? Are these costs built into the agreement and/or the financial benefits that sellers will accrue? What projected revenues for sellers? When and how will these revenues be delivered?What, if any, intangible benefits will sellers realize (such as training, technical assistance, etc.)? Are these benefits sufficiently important to allow for a lower monetary reward? What are potential risks to sellers and pathways for mitigating risks?Terms and type of payment specifying when, how much, how often, to whom, and other details, such as: cash to one person, to a community group, to a vendor of a community service (e.g., builders of a school) as well as whether the payment is in the form of cash, in-kind technical assistance, in-kind materials for building a community building, etc.Timing of payments in terms of when the ecosystem service activities are carried out by the seller, when the buyer ensures that monitoring of the action occurs, or a combination of both.Requirements that need to be met for payment, such as periodic monitoring, reporting and verification needs.Managing risks, particularly those beyond a seller’s control (such as unexpected natural events) through specific clauses in agreements detailing how certain risks are shared between sellers and buyers, or even insurance (provided it is available, cost-effective and feasibleSignatories to the contract should be directly affiliated with the buyer (or group of buyers) and the seller, though it may be useful to have provisions for specific roles of support institutions, as well as details on the exact payment that will be made for services rendered by the intermediary.
The agreement type can vary, it is only essential that all details be clearly laid out and understood by both partiesIt is possible to enter into both verbal and written contracts, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages. Written contracts can be costly and more time-consuming, but they leave little room for misunderstanding and they create a record which can be referenced at any time. Verbal contracts, however, can be misinterpreted by either party which damages the trust between buyer and seller. A simple contract written in the local language with the help of a local lawyer can be a low cost solution which allows both buyer and seller complete understanding of the transaction. It is critical to keep the agreements realistic; potential limitations must be well-understood. Long-term contracts should specify dates when the contract will be reviewed and potentially amended Contracts can include verification procedures to assess performance. Contracts can include a rating system that is the basis for increasing payments for outstanding performance and decreasing payments for underperformance.
Once the agreement is complete, then implementation begins with details such as (see list on slide)During this stage, the project must not only be managed effectively, but also consistently monitored and evaluated for service delivery and adequate distribution of benefits in accordance with the parameters laid out in the agreement. Third-party verification (and in some cases certification, depending on the buyers’ preferences) may also be required to ensure that the project is meeting its objectives. Attention now shifts to implementing the agreement, monitoring progress, reporting results, and making changes if the desired results are not being realized. Remember, ecological systems are complex, and the best-laid plans of buyers, sellers, scientists and lawyers can go awry in the early stages. This reality is why we have continually stressed the importance of ‘adaptive management’. By planning from the outset to adapt to the results of monitoring and periodic verification, you will help ensure that a successful agreement can continue to be carried out over the duration of the agreement.