3 reasons why climate change mitigation should be gender-sensitive

SOURCE: Asian Development Blog

By: Dagmar Zwebe

Two years into an ADB technical assistance project funded by the Nordic Development Fund for women to benefit from climate change mitigation efforts in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam, the importance of gender sensitization becomes clearer by the day. Below are three reasons why.

1. There’s a big knowledge gap

While climate change specialists are experts at quantifying impacts, identifying adaptation and mitigation opportunities, and championing strategies to address mitigation challenges, they are not fully aware of how to reach men and women equally with those strategies. Their exposure to the importance of gender equality has unfortunately been limited, so it is often not a matter of unwillingness, but of not fully understanding the opportunity of including half of the population so economic growth and poverty reduction can move ahead as fast as it can.

In some cases there is fear of change. During a recent high-level climate change meeting, the chairman expressed his fear that if women were “too empowered” family life would go out of balance and local culture would be disrupted, a situation he did not wish upon his country. On the other hand, women’s agencies can tell you all about the current situation of women in their country, women’s livelihoods and their roles in households and society. These agencies can detail gender imbalances, the impacts on communities, and how they have developed gender strategies and action plans to make a difference and try to lift women out of poverty. However when analyzing these strategies, it’s clear that climate change is not yet high on the agenda for women’s agencies, even if women possess extraordinary potential to contribute to climate change mitigation and natural resources management.

We are aiming to not only bring climate and gender specialists together, but also facilitate real interaction to close the gap. Just sitting at each other’s tables talking about our own interests is not going to make a difference; the goal is to understand each other’s language and goals, and create a common vision. Without showing both sides we fail to notice the difference gender-responsive mitigation initiatives can make for each of their causes. An example of this is the value chain for improved cook stoves that involves women and men as suppliers, producers, sellers and end-users so policy-makers can clearly see the social and economic benefits of gender inclusiveness.

2. Timing is everything

When working with governments on a policy/strategy/planning level, it’s important to understand the review and renewal cycles that determine the schedule for decision-making and possible intervention. Since these cycles are typically quite long (5-10 years) we must identify possible entry points that fit with project timeframes to get traction and have real opportunities to propose the integration of new approaches. Examples of this are Cambodia’s 2016-2020 Gender Mainstreaming Policy and Strategic Framework, which did not initially address climate change but now includes a range of climate-related issues and indicators.

3. Money talks

Partners countries continue to be strapped for cash and need to make difficult choices on how to spend available funds, so raising gender equality coupled with climate change higher on the agenda remains challenging. During the project, policy-makers confirmed that having available funds would make a difference. This is a task not only for national governments, but also for the whole development community. Gender inclusion should be a prerequisite to obtain climate financing in all forms and shapes, and the organizations such as the Green Climate Fund, the Climate Investment Funds or the Global Environment Facility have all taken this step. If not, half of the world’s population will benefit less—or not at all—from climate change mitigation initiatives that inadvertently widen the inequality gap.

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A Climate Disaster in Mongolia

SOURCE: ADB

Photo Essay | 14 April 2016

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Mongolia is being hit by a serious livelihood and food crisis arising from a slow-burning but deadly climate disaster unique to the country known as a “dzud.” The dzud consists of a summer drought followed by a heavy winter snow and especially cold temperatures during winter and spring.

According to the National Emergency Management Authority, snow this winter covered 90% of the country, while temperatures plummeted to -50°C. This created devastating grazing conditions for herders and their livestock, already reeling from a summer drought in 2015 that resulted in a 40% reduction in wheat harvests and grazing pasture in some areas.

See the photo story

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ADB Approves $2 Million for Herders Hit By Mongolian Climate Disaster

SOURCE: ADB

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  Cattle struggle to graze amid the dzud-like conditions of rural Mongolia

MANILA, PHILIPPINES  – Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Robert Schoellhammer and the Minister of Finance of Mongolia Bolor Bayarbaatar today signed a $2 million grant agreement as part of a United Nations-led emergency response for herders and their families afflicted by a protracted climate disaster in Mongolia, known as a “dzud.”“A livelihood and food crisis has been evolving in many parts of the country due to the dzud, under which an unusually dry summer is followed by a heavy winter snow and plummeting temperatures,” said Robert Schoellhammer, ADB Country Director in Mongolia. “Millions of animals that are unable to graze properly face starvation, jeopardizing the livelihoods and even lives of the herders who depend on them for income and food.”

According to the National Emergency Management Authority, snow this winter covered 90% of Mongolia’s total territory. The government said that at the end of March, about one third of Mongolia’s 339 districts were still in severe dzud or near-dzud conditions.

The number of animals that died as a result of the heavy snow and cold weather reached 669,000 by the end of March, the government said. The UN feared the number of dead animals could reach 1.2 million during the spring, when—on past experience—weak and starved animals could die in large numbers. From 1999, Mongolia was hit by dzuds for 3 years in a row, resulting in a reported loss of 11 million animals. This year, herders are culling their livestock, rather than letting them die of starvation, leading to an oversupply of meat and skins on the market and sending prices plummeting.

The UN estimates that more than 225,000 people or 41% of the total herder population are now feeling the impact of adverse weather conditions, including more than 28,000 children under the age of 5. It has indicated that $14.3 million is required for immediate assistance for the most vulnerable herder households.

Under these circumstances, the government requested the grant assistance from ADB’s Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, which was established in 2009 to provide resources to developing member countries for the restoration of life-preserving services to communities affected by a natural disaster.

ADB’s grant complements some $2.4 million being provided by the UN and will help address the most urgent needs of the vulnerable and affected populations, including food, hay, forage, medical supplies, and fuel.

In Mongolia, ADB approvals amounted to $297.5 million in 2015, including 4 sovereign loans for $275 million, 2 project grants for 6 million, and 17 technical assistance grants for $16.5 million.

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Indigenous peoples are on the frontlines of climate change and food insecurity

SOURCE: IFAD

A participant speaks during the opening session of the Indigenous Peoples’ Forum held in February at IFAD. Some of the main outcomes from the forum will be presented by IFAD at the Indigenous Terra Madre event in India. ©IFAD/Giulio Napolitano

Rome, 3 November – Representatives of over 600 indigenous communities from around the world will come together in India to discuss how indigenous knowledge and food systems can help solve some of the world’s toughest challenges.

From 3 to 7 November, IFAD will be participating in Indigenous Terra Madre in Shillong, India, an event aimed at bringing together various stakeholders to discuss how traditional knowledge and the sustainable use of natural resources can contribute to building better food systems.

The timing of the event is critical, as world leaders recently agreed on the landmark  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and look to reach a new international climate agreement in Paris in December.

“Indigenous peoples have an important role to play, particularly when it comes to sustainability and when it comes to the relationship between food, nature and humanity, ” said Antonella Cordone, IFAD’s Senior Technical Specialist on Indigenous Peoples.

“This holistic approach is now becoming universal with the SDGs. However, indigenous peoples were the first to take this approach,” said Cordone.
Indigenous tribes and communities from Brazil, Central Asia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Tanzania, Uganda and the United States will take part in the week-long global knowledge sharing event.

Examples of tribal communities who will be in attendance include the Sateré-Mawé tribe from the remote Brazilian Amazon and the Kalenjin community from Kenya’s Rift Valley.

The IFAD-funded project North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project for Upland Areas (NERCORMP) in India will also be actively participating in the event and sponsoring participants from different communities. Eight tribal groups will be showcasing tradition food.

The event is the result of collaboration between Slow Food, theIndigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty and the North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS).

IFAD is a key sponsor of the event and a longtime supporter. In 2011, IFAD also sponsored the very first Terra Madre Indigenous at Jokkmokk in Sweden.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said there is “much to be learnt from indigenous peoples as we seek to find solutions to the challenges of combatting climate change” while speaking at a conference in Cochabamba, Bolivia. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

Indigenous food systems under pressure

Indigenous peoples have a long history of living off the land and developing food systems that depend on the traditional knowledge of their local ecosystems.

However, indigenous peoples’ food systems are under pressure, due to factors such as lack of recognition of land tenure systems, climate change challenges and the transitional processes towards mono-cropping production.

Cordone says the key issue for indigenous peoples is secure land tenure.
“Land is not a commodity to indigenous peoples, it is intrinsic to their identity,”  said Cordone.

“It is based on their worldview of Mother Earth (Terra Madre), which encompasses everything including human beings and plants. What is on the surface and below the surface.”

The second plenary session of the event will delve into the wellbeing of indigenous communities, and how indigenous peoples in North East India, Kenya, Nicaragua and Peru perceive their wellbeing.

Cordone says that session will be an opportunity for IFAD to highlight key learnings and outcomes from the second Global Meeting of the Indigenous Peoples’ Forum held in February which concentrated on indigenous food systems and how it impacts overall wellbeing.

Much to be learnt from indigenous peoples

With global temperatures rising and food security becoming increasingly unstable, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently announced that it has never been more important to listen to indigenous communities.

“Indigenous peoples globally are among the world’s most vulnerable and marginalized people,” said Ki-moon, in a speech he gave in Bolivia at thePeoples World Conference on Climate Change and the Defence of Life.

“Yet their history, traditions, languages and knowledge are part of the very bedrock of human heritage,” he continued. “There is much to be learnt from indigenous peoples as we seek to find solutions to the challenges of combatting climate change and managing Mother Earth’s resources in a sustainable way.”

Ki-moon added that, in many nations, “the poverty gap between indigenous and non-indigenous groups is increasing,” and that was unacceptable.“As we implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we must do so in culturally appropriate ways that meet the needs of indigenous peoples and their conceptions of well-being.”

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Blog poll: Disasters seen as Asia’s top climate change threat

SOURCE: Asian Development Blog

In our October blog poll, we asked readers what they believed was the biggest climate change threat to people in Asia and the Pacific, the world’s most vulnerable region to the effects of climate change.

Just a few weeks before the crucial COP21 climate talks are scheduled to begin in Paris, much of the global attention is focused on Asia, home to the world’s top polluter (People’s Republic of China); the disaster-prone archipelagos of Indonesia and the Philippines; low-lying nations threatened by sea-level rise such as Bangladesh, the Maldives, and several Pacific island nations; and arid states suffering periodic droughts like parts of India and the former Soviet republics in Central Asia.

The GermanWatch Global Climate Risk Index 2015 notes that 6 of the 10 most vulnerable countries to climate change—Cambodia, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam—are in Asia, which by 2030 will also account for 20 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or 46% of the world’s total.

Devastation caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana (Ondoy) in Manila, Philippines. Photo by Jundio Salvador for ADB’s #Click4Climate contest.

To mitigate the effects of climate change warming and help developing Asia adapt to the effects of climate change, ADB recently announced that it would double its annual climate financing to $6 billion by 2020. Needs remain huge, though, with adaptation costs alone estimated at $40 billion per year. On top of that, natural hazards inflict heavy losses on Asian countries, averaging $63.1 billion each year, according to the OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database.

It is therefore no surprise that 44% of our readers see natural hazards as the top climate-induced threat in the region. In the past decade alone, the region has suffered calamities of biblical proportions like Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest typhoon ever to hit land, which killed over 6,000 people in the Philippines in late 2013.

The death toll, though, is just the tip of the iceberg of the impact of climate extreme events on developing Asia. Between 1975 and 2014, calamities cost Asia and the Pacific over $1.5 trillion in economic losses, 44% of the world’s total and far higher than the region’s share in global gross domestic product. These costs make it harder for government to finance preparation against the impacts of future natural hazards, which are expected to become even more frequent and intense as weather becomes more unpredictable.

Indeed, 33% of respondents to the poll said changing weather patterns were the biggest threat climate change poses to Asia and the Pacific. This year is already the hottest on record thanks to the current El Niño event, which has sparked deadly heat waves in India and Pakistan, widespread drought in several countries in Southeast Asia, and could lead to a food security crisis in Papua New Guinea and Pacific island nations if warming ocean temperatures don’t start subsiding by next year.

During the last El Niño in 2010, prices of staple foodstuffs like rice rose by as much as 45%. And today, many poor people continue to suffer food and water shortages – even in upper middle-income economies such as Thailand. With over 60% of the region’s population working in agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, unpredictable weather patterns are a very serious concern.

For 12% of our readers, sea level rise is the most serious climate concern, and this is certainly the major preoccupation in low-lying islands like the Maldives and Tuvalu, or in the low-lying areas of countries like Bangladesh and Viet Nam. Rapidly increasing water salinity is destroying crops in coastal areas and increasingly encroaching farther inland. A further 6% of respondents said higher temperatures were the main threat, while another 5% pointed to acidic oceans, which damage corals and precious fish stocks that depend on them.

Clearly the impacts of climate change are both widespread and vary country by country and community by community. We need urgent action in Paris on a legally binding agreement to reduce carbon emissions but also adequate financing to ensure developing countries in Asia and beyond can adapt in the way that best suits them.

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Indigenous Peoples’ National Preparatory Meeting for COP21 and National Workshop on Climate Change and Dialogue with the Government of Bangladesh held in Dhaka

SOURCE: Kapaeeng Foundation

As a part of preparation for the 21st session of Conference of Parties (COP21), a national workshop on climate change and dialogue with the government was held on 9 September 2015 at YWCA conference hall of Asad Avenue in Dhaka. The event was organised by Indigenous Peoples National Coordination Committee (NCC) for Climate Change.

The main objectives of the preparatory meeting are to discuss major impacts of climate change on indigenous peoples’ life and livelihood, and accordingly prepare a country report on the situation of indigenous peoples and climate change to be shared in the forthcoming regional workshop in Chiang Mai. Further, having a dialogue with the government representatives and sharing outcomes of the workshop aimed at to pursue the government to include identified specific recommendations in national report for COP21.

The meeting was attended by indigenous representatives from different regions of Bangladesh, including members of NCC, representatives of youths and women and experts of environment, parliamentarian, teacher and government representatives from Ministry of Forest and Environment.

The morning session was started with the welcome speech by Mr. Sanjeeb Drong General Secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum while Pallab Chakma Executive Director of Kapaeeng Foundation conducted the session. In his speech Sanjeeb Drong said climate change is the new issue for indigenous peoples in Bangladesh. To address the issues regarding the climate effect at national and international level, indigenous youth should come forward and build expertise on them on climate change related issues. Professor Gonesh Saren of BIPNet, Mangal Kuumar Chakma, advisor of Kapaeeng Foundation, Janalal Chakma, executive director of CIPD, Helena Talang of KUBORAJ, Uchacha A Chak, from Maleya Foundation were also present among others.

Alexius Chicham, National Coordinator, Indigenous Peoples Program of ILO presented the draft country report of indigenous peoples of Bangladesh on climate change for COP21. In his report he stated with the current situation and impacts of climate change in indigenous peoples’ area and how they facing the impacts of climate change and what are the actions could be taken on combating climate change impacts. He also mentioned the need and priorities of indigenous peoples to cope up with climate change. Beside that he also discussed the policies, measures and programmes of government in relation with climate change. Finally, he has shared some recommendations for government on climate change and for COP21 particular to address indigenous peoples issues.

After the presentation on draft country report the indigenous peoples from different regions have taken part in an open discussion to address their problems which is not added in the paper. They have also given some substantive suggestions on the draft report.

Mr. Alamgir Hossain, Program Analyst (Environment) of UNDP, gave a presentation on development of climate change negotiation and Bangladesh government’s position.
The afternoon session was the interactive dialogue with honorable guest and government representatives. In this session Mr. Ushantan Talukdar, Member of Parliament (MP) and member of parliamentary standing committee on Ministry of CHT Affairs & member of Parliamentary Caucus on Indigenous Peoples Issues; Professor Dr. Sadeka Halim, former information commissioner; Government representatives of Bangladesh – Mr. QSI Hasmi, Additional Director General, Department of Environment, and Mr. Rezaul Shikdar, Conservator of Forest (administration and finance) forest department of Ministry of Environment and Forest were present and delivered their speeches. The whole session was conducted by Sanjeeb Drong, General Secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum.

This session was interactive dialogue where indigenous peoples and honorable guest discussed the issues of climate change and its impacts of indigenous peoples area. Indigenous peoples raised their problems and issues regarding climate change impacts. Beside that they raised many issues related to environment pollution and deforestation in their area. Honorable guests have also taken part in the session and assured to provide all necessary cooperation from the Ministry of Forest and Environment to address the raised issues.

Finally, indigenous people urged to government to follow free prior informed consent before adopting any policy that influence the life of indigenous peoples in Bangladesh. They also requested to the government representatives to consider indigenous peoples’ issues in formulating country report for COP21. Government representatives promised to incorporate the raised points including mitigation and adaptation measures, technology development and transfer, finance and capacity building for addressing climate change impacts of indigenous peoples in the country report for COP21 which will be presented in Paris.

The country report on climate change stated that Bangladesh government has established the “Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) with national revenue budget and “Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund” (BCCRF) and is also getting fund from the Climate Investment Fund (CIF).

The BCCTF has 236 projects as of 2014 out of which several projects have direct impact on the indigenous peoples of Modhupur, Northern districts and CHT. For instance; “Re-vegetation of Modhupur Forest through Rehabilitation of Forest Dependent Local and Ethnic Communities” phase-1 and phase-2 projects directly violated the human rights of indigenous peoples in Modhupur. As the project has been implemented as part of climate change mitigation measures under the BCCTF, there was no proper consultation with indigenous peoples and did not follow the principles of Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC). Rather the projects acquired indigenous peoples’ communal lands.

Similarly indigenous peoples of the Northern districts (known as Barind Tract) especially Noagoan and Rajshahi district, who are the victims of drought and low erratic rainfall, have no equal access to the projects implemented under the BCCTF for creating water reservoirs and extracting ground water for irrigation and environment development. Thus indigenous communities are not able to seize the benefits of such government adaptation programmes.

The adverse impacts of climate change in CHT will only increase further political migration, forcible land grabbing and discrimination in employment and occupations, including shifting cultivation in CHT. The mind-set of the mainstream population and the policy makers who blame jum cultivation for loss of biodiversity and forest degradation has not changed. Natural resource management policies are also not in favour of the jumias and as such, natural resources are rapidly deteriorating leading to soil erosion and the loss of biodiversity. Thus the traditional jum cultivation on the traditional lands are under threat of transferring into commercial cash crops and other development purposes.

Moreover indigenous peoples in CHT and Plains region face forced evictions or displacement from their ancestral lands as a result of mitigation measures such as reserved forest, national park, eco-park and armed forces base. Such development initiatives weaken or impair the capacity to deal with climate induced hazards and vulnerabilities. Climate induced vulnerabilities are not equally distributed between and even within communities and often indigenous women (CHT and Plains) are disproportionally affected by climate change impacts. Water shortage forces women to search for water sources in long distances from their homes. In case of emergency, they are often left behind as they face prohibitions to leave the house unaccompanied, or because they have to care for the children and the elderly.

There are some more projects which are implemented under the BCCTF for instance, “Community Based-Adaptation in the Ecologically Critical Areas through Biodiversity Conservation and Social Protection project and Solar Energy Development in the Climate Vulnerable Areas of Bangladesh project” including CHT hardly covered indigenous peoples as beneficiaries or consulted the impact of such projects in their traditional livelihood.

The indigenous peoples in the southern parts are also vulnerable to impacts of climate change. The severity and intensity of tidal surges, cyclones, salinity intrusion and water logging jeopardized the livelihood of indigenous peoples. Although government has plenty of climate change adaptation programmes in these districts but indigenous peoples could hardly identify them as beneficiaries nor represented any of the project related meetings. After SIDR 2007 and AILA 2009 cyclones, Bagdi and Munda indigenous communities who are dependent on honey and crab collection from the Sundarban have squeezed or altered their livelihood pattern for instance some of them migrated to cities for better future. In the same way, Rakhaine indigenous community lost their arable lands due to salinity intrusion and lost their traditional natural foods due to impacts of climate change.

The climate change impacts are endangering the resilient capacity of indigenous communities including their social cohesion, adaptation capacity and overall wellbeing. But there is no comprehensive and inclusive indigenous people’s actions and plans towards combating climate change impacts in Bangladesh. The issue of the indigenous peoples’ Actions and Plans has been mixed up with the Bangladesh government’ “Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2009” which does not explicitly reflect the indigenous peoples’ issues, rights and vulnerabilities to face the brunt of climate change induced disasters. Thus their plans and actions are not visible in the national context as well as in the global level.

However indigenous peoples of Bangladesh with support of AIPP and National Coordination Committee in June 2014, organized a national consultation on REDD+ Dhaka. The Declaration of 2014 on the proposed REDD+ initiative in Bangladesh and related matters, is one of the consensus recommendations for combating climate change impacts at local, national and global level. There are few supports from different development organizations which helped indigenous peoples to exercise their community based adaptation actions and plans. The small actions and plans might reduce residual risks and hazards but lasting and sustainable adaptation actions and plans required support from the government. This can be subsidized from the BCCTF, BCCRF and CIF.

The recognition of communal land rights/traditional lands rights (including right to traditional jum cultivation) is the first and foremost need to face the brunt of climate change induced disasters. Indigenous peoples’ key needs and priority compounded to protect, conserve and sustainably use community-managed and other forest lands. Still indigenous peoples have insufficient information and understanding about the scale of impact of climate change induced disaster, out of social safety net coverage, communication & transportation, quality education, market linkage, human development capitals, so such projects and interventions need to be implemented to make more resilience capacity of indigenous peoples in Bangladesh. Overall, implementation of CHT Accord of 1997, integration and amendment of existing policies and laws related to indigenous peoples will be the cornerstone to create a pathway of building resilient indigenous communities in Bangladesh.

The following key recommendations, among others, can be an adding value to the government’s key strategies to develop their position paper before COP21-

• For CHT, mitigation option is to limit the climate change-induced increase in frequency and intensity of landslides by stopping the ongoing deforestation, of which some is legal and some illegal and recognition the jum cultivation (shifting cultivation)
• Mobilize carbon credits from the UNFCC Considering the geographic remoteness (CHT, some parts of plains) the renewable energy particularly solar homes and biogas plants which will contribute to low-carbon future
• Respect the Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) principles in designing, implementing, monitoring the development projects related to climate change mitigation program (social forestry) on government and indigenous community land.
• Recognition of communal land rights of indigenous peoples (CHT and Plains) will be the entry point for applying traditional knowledge, crop diversifications in their Jum and lands by the local experts in changing climate
• Altering land use pattern (CHT and Plains) in changing climate through intensive and semi-intensive integrated crops and livestock and re-settlements of political migrants will develop the resilient capacity of ecology and indigenous peoples in CHT and Plains
• Full implementation of CHT Accord of 1997 with transfer of 33 subjects including Forest and Environment to three Hill District Councils will be the cornerstone for taking adaptation measures to face the brunt of climate change in the CHT
• Recognition of the roles and contributions of indigenous women in forest resource management in changing climate, thereby requiring their full and effective participation in all decision-making bodies and processes relating to forests including Non-Carbon Benefits and natural resources
• Create water reservoirs for agro-based dependent indigenous peoples in the drought prone areas (Northern districts) through excavation and re-excavation of ponds and canals to harvest rain water with special allocations from government’s Trust and Resilient Funds
• Traditional management of streams (locally known as sora) protection by the indigenous communities for maintaining water flow and managing watersheds in the CHT should also be financed from the available funds
• Regional action plan considering 30 agro ecological zones to adapt with climate change
• Immediate Review, amend state policies and laws related to the practice of shifting cultivation in changing climate, implement CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act 2013 and new laws and commission for plain indigenous peoples.
• Identify the appropriate methodologies to assess residual losses and damages of indigenous peoples due to climate change and related loss of income, biodiversity and ecosystem (economic) and damage of property and assets, cultural, social and mental impacts (non-economic) of climate change and appropriate measures to integrate into the national climate change adaptation plan and include as negotiation agenda in the climate change conference (COP21).
• Recognize and measures for indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge linked with nature and behaviors of animals as well as the conditions of nature elements using as the early warning system.
• Allocating and increasing fund allocation in indigenous-inhabited areas: increase grants for Plains IPs; provide CC-related funding to IP-led institutions, organizations and networks.
• Ensure inclusion of indigenous peoples rights, issues, participation and coordination in the upcoming climate conference in Paris (COP21).
• Organizational, logistical and other support to indigenous peoples-led institutions, organizations and networks.
• Sensitize GOB institutions (MOEF, MOCHTA, PMO, other Line Ministries on IP-Vulnerability and Development Issues.

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INFOGRAPHIC: How climate change harms the ASEAN food basket

SOURCE: RAPPLER

Southeast Asia’s rice, fruits, and seafood are threatened by global warming. What can the ASEAN community do to avert a food security disaster?

 Pia Ranada, Nico Villarete, and Raffy de Guzman

Updated 11:17 AM, June 12, 2015

MANILA, Philippines – Did you know that unabated global warming can harm humanity’s supply of food?

Southeast Asia, a region that produces much of the world’s most important crops, is in particular danger.

It’s located near the equator, meaning temperature increases will be most felt in the region. ASEAN countries lie near the Pacific Ocean, a major generator of strong typhoons. Several parts of Southeast Asia are also low-lying, making them vulnerable to sea level rise.

International development group Oxfam recently published a report on how climate change will affect food security and economy in ASEAN.

Here are some key findings and recommendations of the report:

Sources:

“Harmless Harvest” report by Oxfam, Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC, International Rice Research Institute, Asia Development Bank, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security

– Rappler.com

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On International Day of Forests, Asia and the Pacific needs to stop for a breath of fresh air

SOURCE: FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

20/03/2015 Bangkok, Thailand

With pollution levels off the charts in some Asian cities and haze from forest fires blanketing much of Southeast Asia, this year’s International Day of Forests on 21^st March reminds us what’s at stake if countries don’t get more serious in dealing with deforestation and climate change, an official at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

“The present efforts to address climate change clearly need to be stepped up to include more effective forest management and expansion of forest cover,”  said Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, adding that “more than 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions result from deforestation and forest degradation.”

Forests are crucial in allowing our planet to adapt to climate change as they help ensure water availability, protect against landslides, prevent desertification and provide livelihoods for people. Forests cover 31 percent of global land area and almost as much carbon is stored in forests (650 billion tons) as in the atmosphere (760 billion tons).

Some improvements in Asia – but more is needed

While the Asian region as a whole has achieved a small increase in forest cover in the last decade, due to massive reforestation programmes in a few countries such as China and Viet Nam, continuing loss of natural forests, forest degradation and declining forest health continue to be a concern in most countries of the region.

“Protecting the remaining forests of our region conserves the biodiversity that is vital for plants, humans and other animals to adapt to climate change,” Konuma said. “If we stop the damage now, we will not only avoid massive release of forest carbon into the atmosphere, but our forests will also potentially be able to absorb more than one-tenth of global carbon emissions and store them long-term in the form of forest biomass, in the soil and in wood products.”

Forests, women and climate change

A new report, just released by FAO and RECOFTC – The Center for People and Forests, highlights that women could be a major force in countries’ strategies to improve forest management. Studies confirmed the key roles of women in managing and protecting forests in the Asian region.  Their contributions are therefore seen as critical in dealing with the challenges associated with climate change.

“It is time to acknowledge the major role that women have in managing forests,” said Konuma. “Women have to be given more opportunity to play leading roles and given far greater say when decisions are made about trees and forests; it is very clear that no initiative aimed at addressing climate change or forest management will be successful without the full involvement of women.”

Raising awareness of policy makers, practitioners and the general public

International Day of Forests, held annually on 21 March, helps raise awareness of the importance of forests to people.  More than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods, medicine, fuel and food.

In Asia and the Pacific, FAO is working with all levels of society to raise awareness of the importance of forests, through debate involving high-school and university students at FAO in Bangkok this week, and a high-level executive forest policy course on people, land use and forests in the ASEAN region next week.

“Raising awareness is important, as is successful conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive international climate change agreement,” said Konuma.  “But what really matters is how we address these challenges on the ground.  In this aspect, we need the support of everyone, including the critical contributions of women in ensuring sound forest management.”

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Agriculture bears major brunt of disaster impacts, new report says

SOURCE: FAO

FAO launches facility aimed at channeling technical expertise, financial resources towards resilience building

Flooding in Sindh Province Pakistan in 2010 destroyed 2 million acres of standing crops.

17 March 2015, Sendai, Japan – Nearly a quarter of damages wrought by natural disasters on the developing world are borne by the agricultural sector according to initial results from a newFAO study released here today at the UN World Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The Organization also announced the launch of a special facility aimed at helping countries better equip their food production sectors to reduce risk exposure, limit impacts, and be better prepared to cope with disasters.

Twenty-two percent of all damages inflicted by natural hazards such as drought, floods storms or tsunamis are registered within the agriculture sector, FAO’s analysis of 78 post-disaster needs assessments in 48 developing countries spanning the 2003-2013 period shows.

These damages and losses are often incurred by poor rural and semi-rural communities without insurance and lacking the financial resources needed to regain lost livelihoods. Yet only 4.5 percent of post-disaster humanitarian aid in the 2003-2013 period targeted agriculture.

FAO’s 22 percent figure represents only damages reported via post-disaster risk assessments, so while indicative of scale, the actual impact is likely even higher. To arrive at a closer estimate of the true financial cost of disasters to developing world agriculture FAO compared decreases in yields during and after disasters with yield trends in 67 countries affected by (at least one) medium- to larger-scale events between 2003 and 2013.

The final tally: $70 billion in damages to crops and livestock over that 10 year period.

Asia was the most affected region, with estimated losses adding up to $28 billion, followed by Africa at $26 billion.

“Agriculture and all that it encompasses is not only critical for our food supply, it also remains a main source of livelihoods across the planet. While it is a sector at risk, agriculture also can be the foundation upon which we build societies that are more resilient and better equipped to deal with disasters,” said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.

“This is why building resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises is one of FAO’s top priorities,” he added.

New facility for disaster risk reduction in agriculture

To help countries better prepare for and respond to disasters affecting agriculture, FAO today launched a new facility aimed at channeling technical support to where it is most needed. The facility will work to mainstream disaster risk reduction in agriculture at all levels through diverse activities.

“With this new effort, we are aiming to limit peoples’ exposure to risks, avoid or reduce impacts where possible, and enhance preparedness to respond quickly when disasters occur,” said Graziano da Silva.

Studies have shown that for every one dollar spent on disaster risk reduction, as much as four dollars are returned in terms of avoided or diminished impacts, he noted.

The work of the new facility will be guided by FAO’s Framework Programme on Disaster Risk Reduction for Food and Nutrition Security.

Agriculture remains a key sector

Worldwide, the livelihoods of 2.5 billion people depend on agriculture. These small-scale farmers, herders, fishers and forest-dependent communities generate more than half of global agricultural production and are particularly at risk from disasters that destroy or damage harvests, equipment, supplies, livestock, seeds, crops and stored food.

Beyond the obvious consequences on peoples’ food security, the economies and development trajectories of entire regions and nations can be altered when disasters hit agriculture. The sector accounts for as much as 30 percent of national GDP in countries like Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, the Niger, among others.

There are also spill-over losses in agriculture-dependent subsectors, and significant consequences for trade flows. Countries surveyed experienced an increase in agriculture imports to the tune of $18.9 billion and a decrease in agriculture exports of $14.9 billion following natural disasters, between 2003 and 2013.

Key facts

From FAO’s analysis of damages reported via needs assessments

• Based only on damages reported in 78 post-disaster risk assessments in 48 countries covering the 2003-2013 period, losses of $140 billion were registered by all economic sectors – $30 billion of these were to agriculture (crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries).
• When droughts occur, agriculture absorbs up to 84 percent of all economic impacts.
• Within the agricultural sector, 42 percent of assessed losses were to crops ($13 billion) – with floods the main culprit responsible for 60 percent of crop damages followed by storms (23 percent of crop damages).
• Livestock is the second most affected subsector after crops, accounting for 36 percent of all damage and losses, for a total of $11 billion during the 2003-2013 period.
• Out of the 78 disasters assessed, 45 involved impacts to the fisheries subsector ($1.7 billion, or 6 percent all damages born by the agricultural sector). The lion’s share – 70 percent – was caused by tsunamis, typically infrequent events. Storms such as hurricanes and typhoons account for roughly 16 percent of the economic impact on fisheries, followed by floods (10 percent).
• The forestry sector incurred $737 million in damages and losses, representing 2.4 percent of the total for the agricultural sector.

From FAO’s expanded analysis

• FAO also compared decreases in yields during and after disasters with typical yield trends in 67 different countries affected by at least one medium- to larger-scale event between 2003 and 2013, in an expanded analysis, in order to arrive at a closer estimate of financial costs.
• Based on this expanded analysis, losses and damages to crops and livestock over that period are estimated to total $70 billion. Data gaps mean the total is likely higher still.
• 82% of production losses were caused by drought (44 percent) and floods (39 percent).
• Asia was the most affected region, with estimated losses adding up to $28 billion, followed by Africa at $26 billion.
• In Africa, between 2003 and 2013 there were 61 drought years in Sub-Saharan Africa affecting 27 countries and 150 million people. FAO estimates that 77 percent of all agricultural production losses suffered worldwide due to drought occurred in those 27 Sub-Saharan countries, with losses adding up to $23.5 billion.

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Agriculture must change

SOURCE: FAO

FAO Director-General speaks at International Forum on Agriculture and Climate Change

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva speaks at the International Forum on Agriculture and Climate Change.

20 February 2015, Paris – The model of agricultural production that predominates today is not suitable for the new food security challenges of the 21^st century, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.

While the numbers of the chronically hungry have been reduced by 100 million over the past decade, 805 million still go without enough to eat on a regular basis, he noted in remarks to ministers, scientists, farmers, and representatives of civil society gathered in the French capital for a government-organizedInternational Forum on Agriculture and Climate Change.

Increasing production has long seen as the natural pathway to ending hunger – but today, even though the world produces enough food to feed everyone, hunger remains a problem, he pointed out.

“Since food production is not a sufficient condition for food security, it means that the way we are producing is no longer acceptable,” said Graziano da Silva.

“What we are still mostly seeing is a model of production that cannot prevent the degradation of soils and the loss of biodiversity – both of which are essential goods, especially for future generations. This model must be reviewed. We need a paradigm shift. Food systems need to be more sustainable, inclusive and resilient,” he added.

Climate change a clear and present danger

Agriculture has a potentially large role to play not only in guaranteeing food security but also in building resilience to the effects of climate change and in reducing humankind’s emissions of global warming gases, according to the FAO Director-General.

“The impacts of climate change are no longer an anticipated threat. They are now a crystal-clear reality right before our eyes,” he warned, adding: “Climate change will not only affect food production but also the availability of food and the stability of supplies. And in a global, interdependent economy, climate change makes the global market for agricultural products less predictable and more volatile.”

In his remarks, the FAO Director-General underscored the important role played by healthy soils. “Soils host at least one quarter of the world’s biodiversity and are key in the carbon cycle. They help us to mitigate and adapt to climate change,” he said.

2015 has been designated by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Soils, and FAO is the lead agency for coordinating the year’s activities.

New approaches

One promising new approach, said Graziano da Silva, is what is known as “climate-smart agriculture” – adjusting farming practices to make them more adaptive and resilient to environmental pressures, while at the same time decreasing farming’s own impacts on the environment.

FAO is home to the Global Alliance on Climate-Smart Agriculture, a broad coalition of stakeholders, including governments; farmers and food producers, processors and sellers; scientific and educational organizations; civil society actors; multilateral and international agencies and the private sector established last September by the UN General Assembly.

The alliance is working to promote sustainable and equitable increases in agricultural productivity and incomes; build greater resilience of food systems and farming livelihoods; and achieve reductions or removals of greenhouse gas emissions by agriculture.

The FAO Director-General also highlighted “agro-ecology” as a promising way to move food production onto a more sustainable path. The approach uses ecological theory to study and manage agricultural systems in order to make them both more productive and better at conserving natural resources.

Today’s forum was the first in a series of events leading up the December 2015 climate summit.

During his visit to France, Graziano da Silva also met President François Hollande and held bilateral meetings with Laurent Fabius, France’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development and Stéphane Le Foll, the country’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

Tomorrow he is slated to participate at the opening of the Paris International Agricultural Show.

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