Governance
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 |
Mainstreaming Native Species-Based Forest RestorationBackgroundThis publication summarizes the proceedings of a 2010 conference held in the Phillipines titled "Mainstreaming Native Species-Based Forest Restoration", which aimed to provide technical expertise and experience with restoration and reforestation practices for tropical forests in order to address the country's forest cover decline. The report summarizes the events of the two days, including two opening remarks, six presentations, and five panels. Open access copy available |
Experiences with capacity building for ecological restoration in Latin AmericaBackgroundLandscape scale restoration initiatives are experiencing an increasing popularity, specifically in Latin America. Yet, these initiatives not only require an ecological understanding but also a holistic focus on the socio-economic. To do so, it is critical to promote capacity building in conjunction with these initiatives. Capacity building both improves the technical skills of stakeholders while also increasing the institutional capacity and leadership of all parties. This paper highlights six organizations who are successfully strengthening capacity for ecological restoration in Latin America. Open access copy available |
Policy Options for the World's Primary Forests in Multilateral Environmental AgreementsBackgroundAround the world, primary forest continue to decline. The authors of this article recognize that international forest policies is one means to slow or turn around these trends and thus they identify four new actions that can provide a policy foundation for key international negotiations. Open access copy available |
Industrial Resource Extraction and Infrastructure Development in Tropical ForestsBackgroundThis publication summarizes the proceedings of a 2012 conference held in Panama City, Panama titled "Industrial Resource Extraction and Infrastructure Development in Tropical Forests" The conference sought to explore how the continued increase in economic interest in natural resource extraction can be beneficial connected to the protection of tropical forests. The conference gathered scientists, decision makers, academics, government officials, representatives from NGOs and the private sector, and community and indigenous leaders and involved opening and closing remarks along with four panels. Open access copy available |
Drug Policy as Conservation Policy: Narco-DeforestationBackgroundCentral America exploded into prominence as a drug trafficking corridor in the last decade. The authors documented that an unprecedented flow of cocaine into Central America “coincided with a period of extensive forest loss”. The authors discuss the evidence that supports the idea that "trafficking of drugs (principally cocaine) has become a crucial—and overlooked—accelerant of forest loss” in Central America. Open access copy available |
Ecosystem Services Approach to Landscape Restoration and Sustainable LivelihoodsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Protocol for Monitoring Tropical Forest Restoration: Perspectives from the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact in BrazilBackgroundThis article highlights the need for standardized monitoring protocols in forest landscape restoration projects and uses the example of the protocol developed by the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact in Brazil. Open access copy available |
An Operational Framework for Defining and Monitoring Forest DegradationBackgroundThe article discusses how the current definitions of forest degradation do not account for certain factors that should be included, and further presents that the monitoring of forests is a much more holistic means of determining the state and the process (as a continuum of space and/or time) of degradation, which in turn can allow for much better restoration treatment options. Open access copy available |