Adaptation
Core principles for successfully implementing and upscaling Nature-based SolutionsBACKGROUNDThe degradation of the natural environment continues to impact on biodiversity, human health and well-being notwithstanding various initiatives to restore ecosystems and conserve the diversity of life within it. Increasing the interface between conservation and sustainable development goals through the Nature-based Solution (NbS) framework show promising results. However, there is a need to address the gaps to effectively implement, assess and upscale NbS programs in different parts of the world Open access copy available |
Mountains and Climate Change: A Global ConcernBACKGROUNDMountains play a significant role as global biodiversity hotspots and sources of fresh water. However, climate change implications may have negative effects on the services they provide such as water availability, irrigation, urbanization, industrialization, and hydropower generation. Negative climate change impacts may also expose the mountains to more intense and frequent hazards. Open access copy available |
INTEGRATING GREEN AND GRAY: Creating Next Generation InfrastructureBACKGROUNDAs a joint undertaking of the World Bank and World Resources Institute, this report highlights how the next generation infrastructure can integrate natural systems (green infrastructure) with traditional, built projects (gray infrastructure). By advocating the “putting nature to work” thinking, the report provides a guide to developing countries on how to incorporate natural capital to projects in order to increase the quality of the services and reduce the total costs. It also features case studies of successful projects on how natural systems contribute to infrastructure services ranging from water purification and storage to flood management. Open access copy available |
Nature-Based Transformative Adaptation: a practical handbookBACKGROUNDThis handbook, designed for project managers and policy makers, focuses on transformative adaptation. It can act as a guide during policy decision-making processes and in designing adaptation initiatives and plans. The handbook provides concrete examples of nature-based transformative approaches done on the ground. With the current shifts in social and ecological conditions brought about by Climate Change, this handbook considers transformative adaptation as the most suitable solution. Open access copy available |
Building Community Capacity in Fragile Environments: Case Study of the Mara Serengeti EcosystemBACKGROUNDPeople living in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) bear the brunt of climate change impacts. As traditional pastoralists, the main challenge for the people of the Mara Serengeti Ecosystem is to cope with an increasingly frequent and recurrent drought pushing them further to competition for resources and livestock loss from starvation. Thus, there is a need to create opportunities in building up community capacity and resilience in these fragile environments. Available with subscription or purchase |
Climate Change and Variability in the Mixed Crop/Livestock Production Systems of Central Ethiopian HighlandBACKGROUNDUsing a 60-year weather data, this chapter establishes the realities of climate change impacts in the Central Ethiopian Highland. It also explores the adaptive responses of teff and wheat, the two major food crops in the said locality. With a population of 100 million (as of 2018), Ethiopia faces increased levels of food insecurity. The study measured farmers’ perception of climate change and more importantly, their adaptation measures, and proposes four mitigation options for Ethiopia to cope with climate change related shocks exacerbated by population pressure. Available with subscription or purchase |
Addressing Slow Onset Disasters: Lessons from the 2015-2016 El Niño in the PhilippinesBACKGROUNDThe Philippines as an archipelagic country is prone to climate-induced extreme weather events. However, it is also one of the countries in Asia and in the tropical Pacific Ocean that experiences the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a slow onset event. The current disaster risk reduction (DRR) system is focused on rapid onset events such as typhoons and storm surges. This chapter discusses the impacts of ENSO on farmers and fisher folks and how the gaps in disaster risk reduction governance for slow onset events has exposed the need to develop new protocols to address these slow onset disasters. Available with subscription or purchase |
Building Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Community Resilience Against Drought in the Context of the Paris Agreement: The Case of Isiolo County, KenyaBACKGROUNDUnder the Paris Agreement, countries that are party to the negotiations are obliged to meet its National Determined Contributions (NDC). Kenya, a member state of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or UNFCCC, has made strides in the climate change arena, keeping up with its NDCs and establishing climate change legislation and policy measures. This chapter provides insights on how resilience building amidst the climate-change induced droughts is possible through multi-stakeholder collaboration between pastoral and agro-pastoral communities, county and the national government. Available with subscription or purchase |
Ecosystem-based adaptation for smallholder farmers: Definitions, opportunities and constraintsbackgroundEcosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) or the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services has been gaining recognition as being a vital part of the overall strategy to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. This study recognizes the importance of EbA in helping smallholder farmers adapt to climate change while providing co-benefits such as livelihood, continued provision of a variety of ecosystem services, and conservation of existing resources. Open access copy available |
Microhabitats reduce animal’s exposure to climate extremesBackgroundThe Scheffers et al. (2014) paper discusses the effect of microhabitats and their corresponding microclimates on ectotherm species in a warming macroclimate. Available with subscription or purchase |
