The symbiotic relationship between land and water management Wim Cofino, Jochen Froebrich, Bart Snellen Wageningen University and Research Centre

Contents Value of ecosystems Case studies illustrating the symbiotic relationship between land and water management Aral sea Swiss water management Adaptation to climate change in Rhine Conceptual approach Conclusions

The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity EU study led by Pavan Sukhdev Nature has high value for mankind but defies valuation. The lack of valuation underlies the degradation of ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity. The poor are the immediate beneficiaries of many of the services of ecosystems and biodiversity Annual natural capital losses are typically estimated at a few percentage points of GDP Natural capital losses disadvantage the poor disproportionally TEEB interim report 2008

Case study: Aral Sea

The degradation of the Aral Sea Volume of the Aral Sea 1961 to 2006 Salinity increase from ca 14 to 100 g/l

ARAL SEA – 2008 … the environmental costs are so high that they go beyond the economic capacity of the newly independent republics in Central Asia. - The World Bank

Ecological and socio-economic impacts Loss of biodiversity Disruption of ecosystem services Fisheries Climate regulation Drinking water Desertification Unemployment Impacts on human health 75% of people in basin suffer from illnesses 70% of fisherman are pre-cancerous

Case studies: Hydrological benefits of land-use and ecosystems Land-use changes may result in lower run-off and more storage of water in soils Reduction of peak heights during floodings Release of water during droughts

Switzerland: Active use of Ecosystem approach Forests provide range of ecosystem services Protection against landslides, avalanches Provision of high quality drinking water Flood mitigation 1991 Flood policy Flood protection and ecological concerns complimentary Spatial planning and maintenance water courses high priority measures Structural measures only if former cannot meet required level of protection

Netherlands: adapting to climate change in Rhine River One way to fight floods………

Adaptation measures in the river bed Dike relocation Floodplain lowering Deepening riverbed Flood bypass or ‘green rivers’ Removal obstacles in floodplains Enlargment of groynes

The third way: benefit from (anticipated) changes in land-use!? Substantial decrease in agriculture foreseen in scenario’s A1, B1 and B2 (up to 10%, surface area equivalent to Denmark + Germany) Shift to forest/nature, urbanisation second Eururalis scenario study on development rural area’s

Same principle, different objectives… Dutch Three Step Strategy to as measure to 1) control flooding and 2) combat drought Retain water Store water Discharge excess water Half moons for water harvesting - Illela, Niger Image:

Comprehensive Assessment (IWMI) Comprehensive assessment IWMI: change the way we think about water

Land-cover may also affect precipitation Obvious max in 30-yr avg Cause: topography or land cover?

Scenario study Meso-scale model RAMS (2 km x 2 km grid cells) RAMS runs Control No forest No topography

Differences in precipitation (spatial) – May 2005 No Topology scenario No Forest scenario Location of maximum, blue indicates less precipitation than control run No topology and no-forest scenario result both in about 10% reduction of precipitation

Conceptual model for ecosystems in relation to water Functioning ecosystem/regulation water Ecological services Flow excess water Water stock Landscape Rain Inputs “GDP of the poor” (TEEB, 2008)

Conclusions (I) We have to step out of water box as stated in the 1992 Dublin principles GWP IWRM definition already refers to coordination land and water management: …..the co-ordinated development and management of water, land and related resources….. Pro-active joint management of water- and land resources is essential From IWRM to Integrated natural resource management

Conclusions (II) Terrestrial ecosystems represent water stocks and determine water flows Sustainable management demands regeneration of stocks in space and time Managing ecosystems implies managing water resources Ecosystem services have high values which are not accounted for in GDP Ecosystem degradation affects poor directly and has an insufficiently recognized significance for all basins world wide

Thank you for your attention