Directorate for Climate Change, Desertification and Water Resources Ministry of the Environment - PERU ADAPTATION KNOWLEDGE DAY IV Session 3: Lessons Learned from Climate Change Adaptation Case Studies

The Ministry of the Environment in Peru is overviewing and participating in a number of projects that have an EbA aproach in Peru. Some initiatives: 1.Ecosystem based Adaptation in Mountain Ecosystems (EbA Mountain Program, implemented by UNEP-UNDP-IUCN) 2.EbA Amazonia (UNDP) 3.Impact of Climate Variability and Climate Change on the Mangrove Ecosystem in Tumbes From all these projects we are gathering information and some valuable lessons on the relevance of incluiding EbA measures to the national climate change adaptation strategy, some of these are:

- For the VIA* design and implementation it is imperative to preselect the proper and most adequate spatial scale for any of the mapping to be prepared - There is no easy way to do VIA for EbA (no recipe…yet!) It is not easy to do VIA for EbA, there really is no recipe for doing it, and no specialized institutions devoted to it. So most probably you will have to gather a group of specialists in different fields, that most probably work in their very own way. VIA: Vulnerability and Impact Assessment

- Special focus in the VIA should be on ecosystem services. There is quite a bit of experience on disaster risk reduction, on sustainable land management and on the effects of climate change to peoples livelihoods; but there is not much experience on ecosystem services and biodiversity.

Evaluate EbA options and potential sites for implementation all the time. It will help in the entire process of the VIA study. The final selection of EbA options has to rely on many factors; among those are the following: Status and trends of provision of ecosystem services (information comes basically from VIA study) Current and traditional liveIihood practices What local people are willing to do (or not to do anymore) Sustainable land management practices ¡The combination of all these would be optimal!

The development of an adaptation strategy should not be seen as a linear process. It is possible to shorten the time required for the study, working in parallel from different entry points, using background information and feeding back preliminary results. The pilot implementation measures may also provide relevant information to guide the progress of the different steps in the analysis.

Climate Change Projections Vulnerability Analysis Selection and plannning of measures Entry Points used for the Project: VIA Study Includes projections and modeling on climate, hydrology, species distribution Robust Measures Study Based on bibliography and consultations with the population about present activities and preferences Academic Analysis Based in consultation to experts and literature on the present socio-economic and ecological situations, and criteria for the selection of EbA measures.

Categorías de criterios de para la identificación de medidas Criteria to define what is (or is not) EbA There is a set of criteria used to define the type of interventions EbA against other interventions to adapt to climate change, and are directly deducted from the definition of the CBD EbA (2009) Criteria to select and prioritize EbA measures There is a set of criteria used to select and prioritize selected measures that are derived from the definition of EbA of the CBD (2009), which seek to capture the optimal conditions for the implementation of a measure.

The measure reduces the vulnerability of populations to climate change. The measure increases the resilience of biodiversity and ecosystems directly or indirectly. The measure uses biodiversity and ecosystem services in a sustainable manner, without affecting them and, as far as possible, improving them. Criteria to define what is (or is not) EbA (deducted from the definition of the CBD EbA (2009) There is a set of criteria used to select and prioritize measures. All criteria must be met in order to be considered as EbA: “the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of a broader strategy to adapt, to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change”

Interest of the population in participating in the construction of the measure of EbA Support productive activities and local culture and habits Compatibility of proposed measures with existing land use plans (ANPs Master Plans, Ecological Economic Zoning, etc.) Number of affected population. Measument of the capacity to reduce vulnerability of the population (efficacy). Importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services for the population (prioritize ecosystem services that support the main productive activities, and biodiversity that is used by the population). Vulnerability of biodiversity and ecosystems to climate change (prioritize measures that support biodiversity and ecosystems affected by climate change). Durability of the measure (the time the measure produces the desired effect). Immediacy of the Measure (how quickly takes the measure desired effects). Repeatability of the measurement. Criteria for the selection and prioritization of EbA measures

Thanks for your kind attention! Eduardo Durand