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| UNFCCC COP 15 | THU 2 Sep 2010 |  |
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Copenhagen Climate Conference:Highlights on Land Degradation and Sustainable Land Management
Choose a date below Note: The UNCCD Secretariat will provide you daily, with highlights of the discussions on desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) as well as sustainable land management (SLM) that take place at the UNFCCC COP 15.
Friday, 18 December 2009The Economics of Climate Change and potential to addressing costs and benefits to DLDD and SLMCopenhagen, 18 December 2009. A Stern-type study conducted in the Latin American and Caribbean sub-regions shows that the climate-related impacts of drought and land degradation impose severe economic costs to sustainable development. Water availability, agro-forestry development and energy sources too are becoming more scarce and costly, especially for the most vulnerable populations. As a result, there is growing inequality, and higher costs to sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium development Goals.A high-level panel of speakers at a side event titled ‘A regional perspective of the economic impacts of climate change in LAC’ presented the results on Wednesday, 16 December. The panel was made up of the ministers of the environment of Chile, Guatemala, and Uruguay, a representative of the minister for Environment Mexico, the President of the Inter-American Development Bank and the Deputy Director of UN Economic Commission for the Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC. This is the first Stern-type study focusing on the economic impacts of climate change to be carried out at the sub-regional and regional levels. The study focused examines the social, economic and environmental conditions of each country and sub-region. Report by Sergio Zelaya, UNCCD Secretariat. Here is the link to the study. For more information, contact:
The “Budget Approach” May Address Climate Change Emissions ReductionsCopenhagen, 18 December 2009. While Stern’s evaluation of Climate Change persuaded policy-makers of the need for action in light of the cost of inaction, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) have put forward the “global budget approach” for up to 2050 as a pragmatic way to attract investments to climate change, offering better signals for developing countries. At their joint side event held Thursday, 17 December titled ‘Economics for climate change or a change of climate for economics?’, SEI and WBGU elaborated the relevance of the “budget approach.” The approach is based on the assumption that current and future emissions must lead to a global warming by 2050 of up to or below 2 degrees Celsius. On this basis, the study proposes the concrete emissions amounts for each country in order not to destabilize the planet’s climate system. The study states that it takes into account equity, and inter-regional and inter-temporal flexibilities to ensure fair and feasible strategies for future budgeting for green house gas emissions, energy scenarios, and financing adaptation to climate change. The exchange among participants centered on the need for information on fair and feasible strategies for budgeting future emissions, energy scenarios and adaptation financing. They also drew attention to the need for inter-temporal flexibility and national carbon dioxide budgets for use in national policy development, for example, in the creation of new national carbon sinks. Issues of international trade, ecosystem functions, Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries and afforestation (REDD/afforestation) were also highlighted. These are issues of interest to the UNCCD to the extent that sustainable land management practices support the transition to low carbon societies and offer opportunities for technological transfer, and are linked to international trade and cooperation, governance and local action. Report by Sergio Zelaya, UNCCD Secretariat. For more information, contact:
Critical Themes Dropped from Negotiating Text at the last MinuteAs the countdown to the end of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen proceeded, the number of pages of the negotiating text dwindled with a progressive loss of references to themes such as water, land and gender considerations visualized early on in the negotiations. Negotiators, activists and bureaucrats worried about this trend observing the risk that critical language for the implementation of climate change action at the local level might be lost. Thus, a day before the Conference ended, on Thursday, 17 December, the Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA), comprised of 13 United Nations and 25 civil society organizations, held a side event, in coordination with governments and UN agencies, to highlight the importance of keeping the references to gender consideration in the COP 15 negotiation text and outcome. The UNCCD secretariat Focal Point on Gender, Sergio Zelaya, participated at the event, and facilitated an intervention on disasters made by Ana Lucy Bengochea, Director of El Comite from Honduras. She highlighted grassroots elements that must be taken into consideration when international cooperation is envisioned as a means to address the impacts of natural disasters. These, she said, include taking ground-level action on disaster risk reduction, including droughts, floods and biodiversity loss, and fostering local governance arrangements that pass through women in efforts to combat climate change. GCCA reminded participants that governments from all regions such as Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, South Africa, Grenada, among others, have supported the gender text all along. The United States was also vocal about the importance of including gender equality references in the text at COP-15. The event attracted participants such as Rebecca Pearl, GGCA Coordinator, Tarja Halonen, President of Finland, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Ulla Tørnæs, Minister for Development Cooperation, Denmark, Christopher Neyor, from Liberia, UNDP’s Winnie Byanyima and Katherine Sierra from the World Bank. Report by Sergio Zelaya, UNCCD secretariat. For more information, contact:
Wednesday, 16 December 2009Operational Questions Dominate Dialogue with the Adaptation Fund BoardOperational questions on the newly established Adaptation Fund of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) dominated the event planned for dialogue with GEF Adaptation Fund Board about past achievements and future steps, and to launch new publications concerning the Adaptation Fund under the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Participants sought clarification on the approach and eligibility criteria that will be used by the Fund, which they learned would be based on national strategies. Presenters at the event titled ‘The Adaptation Fund Handbook and dialogue with the Adaptation Fund Board’ that took place Friday, 12 December, highlighted the challenges of desertification, and made five observations. First, climate change is undermining vulnerable populations through weather-related catastrophes, desertification, rising sea levels and such-like events. Second, vulnerable countries face challenging situations but have contributed the least to global warming. Third, adaptation to climate change requires substantial resources beyond those agreed for the Millennium Development Goals. Fourth, the purpose of the Adaptation Fund is to assist vulnerable, developing countries, mainly the least developed countries and small island developing states, to meet the costs of adaptation to climate change through financing concrete adaptation projects. And fifth, there is no prescription on adaptation measures for countries. The guiding criteria are those agreed by parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The GEF Adaptation Fund was established at the Bali Conference in 2007. It supports vulnerable countries in their adaptation measures. Adaptation measures are based on national strategies and supported by national implementing as well as multilateral implementing entities, in conformity with the laid out modalities of accessing the Fund’s resources. Sustainable land management practices are among the national strategies used by many countries to address the twin problems of desertification, land degradation and drought, and climate change. Report by Sergio Zelaya, Coordinator of the Policy Advocacy and Global Initiatives, UNCCD. For more information, contact:
Community Knowledge Needs and Internet Access Moving in Divergent DirectionsUnderstanding the impacts of and vulnerability to climate change, and the ability to make informed decisions on adaptation measures is crucial for local communities and national (national ‘what’?). Yet the growing demand for knowledge management on natural resource management (NRM) at the local level is taking place where access to the Internet is limited, making the transmission of information to local communities a daily challenge. This underlines the critical need for information dissemination with targeted management to realize the Nairobi Work Programme on Adaptation (NWPoA), which can be addressed, in part, through workshops, knowledge and expertise sharing, community radio, web-based solutions, reports /technical papers, creation of new networks and strengthening existing ones. This was the conclusion of participants focusing on knowledge sharing to support implementation of the NWPoA at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen on Friday, 10 December. Organized by the Institute for Development Studies, in collaboration with a number of grassroots institutions, the event also examined broader issues on NRM. It showcased innovative platforms, portals and networks that exist at the local community level and, which facilitate knowledge sharing on vulnerability, impacts and adaptation to climate change. Innovative solutions of this kind are emerging globally and are transferable to equivalent levels and processes in the implementation of the UN CCD, especially on matters that intersect with climate change adaptation and mitigation, according to Sergio Zelaya of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. The workshop sought to explore ways to enhance the implementation of the NWPoA that benefits from information sharing in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, and from developed countries. Reported by Sergio Zelaya with input from Thomas Tanner, IDS. For more information, contact:
Thursday, 10 December 2009Survival is not negotiable, young people lament
Copenhagen, 10 December 2009. Young people participating in the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen called for immediate action to reach a deal because their survival is at stake, and “survival is not negotiable.” Recounting that the recent floods in Mumbai influenced her involvement in awareness raising, a young representative from India highlighted that recent droughts in India have forced of farmers in despair to commit suicide.
Young people were sharing their sentiments at a side event that brought together Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, negotiators that included Mohamed Haslam, Minister of Housing, Transport and Environment of Maldives, to engage on climate issues of interest to future generations. The event was titled ‘Intergenerational Inquiry on Climate Solutions calls Yvo de Boer, Youth, Negotiators to testify’. It also marked the Young and Future Generations Day (YUFUGE), set for Thursday, 10 December 2009, and involved various activities involving young people from all over the world around the theme of intergenerational equity. The United Nations Joint Framework Initiative on Children and Climate Change launched the book, Growing Together in a Changing Climate, which includes initiatives by various United Nations agencies, development institutions and young people regarding climate change. It includes UNCCD initiatives such as the Lupo Alberto comic strip and the UNCCD-UNESCO Teachers Kit. The publication is available at the youth arcade.
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WMO-UNESCO and GCOS an Innovative Partnership
Copenhagen, 10 December 2009. Young people participating in the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen called for immediate action to reach a deal because their survival is at stake, and “survival is not negotiable.” Recounting that the recent floods in Mumbai influenced her involvement in awareness raising, a young representative from India highlighted that recent droughts in India have forced of farmers in despair to commit suicide.
“The Global Climate Observation System (GCOS) is comprised of the oceans, climate and the terrestrial sub-observation systems, and land and land degradation are part and parcel of it. Therefore, climate observations, research and climate coordination are source of essential information needed for the implementation of the objectives of the UNCCD’s 10-year Strategic Plan and the envisaged outcome relating to land at COP 15.” This was the conclusion of UNCCD’s Sergio Zelaya, following his participating at the side event titled, ‘Observation, Monitoring and Prediction: Essential Elements for Climate Knowledge’, jointly organized by World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday, 9 December. Mr. Zelaya noted that land degradation is a threat that will likely be exacerbated by climate change, therefore early and timely action based on scientific, social and economic information on land interactions with climate change are crucial. “The land issue is important in climate monitoring and predictions, among aspects. Therefore, managing knowledge and information on land degradation/drylands for efficient climate adaptation requires a consideration of the relevance of these ecosystems,” he said. “Therefore, strengthening the partnership between the UNCCD, United Nation’s partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNESCO and WMO and non-UN partners such as the terrestrial sub-observation system (GTOS) is essential,” Mr Zelaya said. This move is consistent with the call for partnerships in the UNCCD's 10-year strategic plan and framework to enhance the implementation of the Convention (2008-2018), he added. According to Mr. Zelaya, presenters highlighted the outcome of the Third World Climate Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, earlier this year, at which the Global Climate Observation System (GCOS) was further strengthened. The event showcased the WMO/UNESCO joint efforts towards the UN’s “Delivering as One” on climate change in conformity with the UN strategy on climate change. For more information, contact:
Wednesday, 9 December 2009Synergy in land and climate change initiatives emphasized at COP 15 UNCCD EventBy Sergio Zelaya, UNCCD
Synergy between land and climate change related initiatives that maximizes the benefit of the UN delivering as one was echoed at the side event of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, held Wednesday evening, 9 December, at the UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Copenhagen. The title of the event was, ‘The role of land under the new climate change policy framework and UN-Land as one delivery tool’. Attended by more than 150 participants, the discussion on land as a potential carbon sink drew attention to the new value of drylands in three respects. First, its capability to sequester carbon dioxide. Second, its adaptation potential through sustainable land management (soils, water and forests) practices. And third, the potential to foster partnerships that can strengthen, empower and support local governance targeting local farmers. In this regard, a call was made for terrestrial carbon to be included in the COP 15 outcome and for the realization of the overall objectives of the UNCCD to prevent and reverse land degradation, desertification and drought mitigation. The role of traditional and innovative knowledge and technologies, such as social and economic innovation, spatial technologies for land degradation and drought mitigation was highlighted. Emphasis was placed on the need for a focused approach for actions at the local level on adaptation and mitigation to climate change by forging partnership approaches, such as UN-Land involving all UN agencies that have a mandate on land. And the contribution of sustainable land management in the long-term shared vision for cooperation and sustainable investments in drylands especially for small scale farmers were emphasized.
Participants and presenters also examined in depth the commonality of the sustainable development challenges that the three sister Rio Conventions – on climate change, desertification and biological diversity – seek to address, and underlined the need for synergy. Agriculture, as a common denominator for the Conventions was examined. It supports the livelihoods of 75% of the poorest populations in the world, contributes to 14% of the total global GHG emissions and depends on various land resources - soil, water and vegetation. Each Convention is also concerned with issues of food security, water availability, droughts, flood risks, land degradation, biodiversity loss, poverty, social conflict, global warming and the lack of empowerment of local populations. Therefore, a successful implementation of the COP 15 outcome calls for options addressing these in a coordinated and synergistic manner. Drawing on lessons learned and practical experience, participants also highlighted the importance of sustainable investments in drylands through market and non-market approaches.
Discussion was preceded by presentations of three kinds. Thematic presentations focused on land degradation in drylands, the role of water and small farmers in addressing the emerging issues under negotiation of the UNFCCC. Experts sharing practical ways to implement land-related issues within the framework of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. And third, institutional mechanisms. Specifically, the UNCCD 10-year strategic plan and framework of implementation of the Convention (2008-2018) – the UNCCD 10-year Strategy – and UN-Land, an initiative that brings together all United Nations agencies to provide a system-wide guidance, partnership and contribution to reverse and/or prevent desertification/land degradation and to mitigate the effects of drought in affected areas. UN-Land also seeks to provide a coherent response to opportunities within the mandate of the UNCCD 10-year Strategy. The event was organized by the UNCCD secretariat, with speakers drawn from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP), the UNCCD secretariat, the UNCCD National Focal Point for Uganda, the UNCCD’s Global Mechanism and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs. See presentations below: » Partnership building in drylands under the climate change policy framework, Sergio Zelaya, UNCCD » Climate change, land and water in smallholder farming systems, IFAD » Agriculture: a positive approach to multiple crises: Farmers provide solutions, IFAD Coverage of the event by the IISD’s Earth Negotiations Bulletin is available here. For more information, contact:
Coordination of Research and Policy Indispensable for Climate Adaptation
The coordination of scientific research and policy development for economic and humanitarian assistance during extreme events such as drought is indispensable. This was the conclusion of the participants at the COP15 side event titled, ‘Adaptation to Climate Change and Disaster Risk reduction’ held on Wednesday, 10 December 2009. It was organized by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and DKKV, Germany’s national platform for disaster risk management. Concern centered around drought risk management, a topic that was also discussed in May at the seventeenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, in New York. Drought risk management is considered a fundamental part of the climate variability phenomena that has to be researched, monitored and addressed at the local, national sub-regional and regional levels. According to UNCCD’s Sergio Zelaya who participated in the event, “drought risk management is part and parcel of disaster risk reduction. The UNCCD 10-year strategic plan and framework for the implementation of the Convention (2008-2018) offers opportunities to establish concrete measures to foster research and develop policy guidelines for managing droughts, that could be strengthened through partnership with ISDR and DKKV.” The purpose of the event was to highlight the need to integrate disaster risk reduction in the adaptation tools that can effectively deliver on the climate change goals coming out of COP15.
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Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Land Use and Water Availability Part of the Focus of the 2015 Fifth Assessment ReportLand use and water availability are among the primary issues that will be the focus of the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (AR5), expected to be completed by 2015. Presenting the outline, IPCC scientists Thomas Stocker and Gian-Kasper Plattner highlighted the latest findings on the physical science basis of climate change that will be assessed in the Report. Underlining the findings of the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), Chris Field and Youba Sokona reiterated that the number of people living under water stress will increase from 1.1 billion to 3.2 billion by around 2050 in the event of a global mean temperature increase of between 3 to 4 degrees C relative to the 1980-1999 levels. Thus, the link between water and climate, in particular challenges of water availability and increasing drought in the mid-latitudes and semi-arid low latitudes would constitute an important area of study for the Report. A special report on extreme events, which will contain drought as one of the issues, will also be prepared. The main focus of the side event were the highlights from AR4 and outlines of the content for AR5. Summaries of the presentations can be accessed here.
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IPCC Chairman Highlights Future Scenario Without Mitigation PoliciesCopenhagen, 7 December 2009. Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has said there will be heightened water stress in many semi-arid areas such as the Mediterranean Basin, western United States, Southern Africa and north-eastern Brazil, in the absence of climate change mitigation policies. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – dubbed the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen – Dr Pachauri said water scarcity is one of the seven scenarios that is likely to unfold. In Africa, by 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to water stress due to climate change, he said, adding that in some countries, the yields from rainfed agriculture could be fall by up to 50 per cent.
For more the full statement of Dr Pachauri, click here
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Biochar Application to SoilsCopenhagen, 7 December 2009. The value of biochar in the mitigation of climate change, energy production, waste management and soil improvement was considered at a side event organized by the European Commission entitled, ‘Biochar application to soils - carbon sequestration and soil improvement potential’. The speakers and participants highlighted that improvement of poor soils will need to take into account sustainable land management, an issue of interest to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in the context of its 10-year strategic plan and framework for the implementation of the Convention (2008-2018). Among the points raised at the session was the potential of biochar to improve drylands. Participants also highlighted the need for continued research and policies relating to sustainable land management under the climate change negotiations. Biochar lacks an agreed definition due to the variety of type and methods used in its production. However, it is of interest to actors focusing on degraded lands because it contributes to soil organic matter that some claim may improve different soil functions. For more information, contact:
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