Download Addressing climate change in Latin America and the

Addressing climate change in
Latin America and
the Caribbean
Major challenges for agriculture
and rural development
Projections of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC) indicate that,
in the future, warming in Latin America
could range from 1-4 degrees Celsius to
2-6 degrees Celsius, depending on the
various climate scenarios. As land-use
changes in Latin America have intensified
the use of natural resources, land
degradation and desertification have
accelerated. The IPCC predicts that, by
the 2050s, about 50 per cent of
agricultural land in the region will be
subject to desertification, and in some
areas salinization.
From the Amazon rainforest and the
high mountains of the Andes to the coral
reefs of the Caribbean and the coastal
waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Latin
America and the Caribbean is host to
unique ecosystems and biodiversity of
global importance. Despite the region’s
relatively small contribution to global
warming, its natural environments and
resource-dependent economies are
threatened by the impact of climate
change, and poor and marginalized rural
communities are at greatest risk.
Rising temperatures and declining
precipitation levels in the region have
already been documented, and are
influencing agriculture. Experts predict an
intensification of storms and hurricanes in
the Caribbean that will bring damaging
shocks to crop and livestock activities.
It is also foreseen that many of the
lower-altitude glaciers in the Cordillera
could completely disappear in the next
10-20 years, reducing water for both
agriculture and consumption in
downstream communities. Moreover,
rising sea levels will increase the salinity in
coastal lagoons. In the Amazon, massive
die-back and ‘savannization’ of the
rainforest are a potentially disastrous
impact of climate change,
which could have repercussions
on weather patterns as far away
as North America and also affect the
water cycle in the region.
IFAD’s response
IFAD-supported projects in the region
are assessing and combating the
negative impacts of climate change on
the rural economy, particularly the
smallholder agricultural subsector. IFAD’s
work in the region supports sustainable
resource management; helps
communities protect the ecosystems
they depend on; diversifies livelihoods;
and builds resilience to climatic changes.
In most countries in the region,
IFAD-funded projects are helping restore
forest cover, conserve water and soils,
and heal destabilized ecosystems. In the
process, they are also contributing
substantially to carbon sequestration
and climate change mitigation.
The main objectives of IFAD’s Latin
America and the Caribbean Division are
to: (i) build the capacity of country
programmes to respond more
systematically to increasing demands for
assistance and innovations in climate
change and sustainable natural resources
management; (ii) systematically integrate
climate and natural resource issues into
the loan and grant portfolio; (iii) promote
knowledge, advocacy and partnerships
References: IPCC, Fourth Assessment Report, 2007; United Nations Environment Programme/GRID-Arendal, Vital
Climate Graphic, Latin America and the Caribbean, 2010
for knowledge related to the environment
and natural resources management
(ENRM) and climate change; and
(iv) strategically use grants and mobilize
additional supplementary funding for
mainstreaming ENRM and climate risks
and opportunities into the overall
investment portfolio. A key partner in
these endeavours, the Tropical
Agricultural Research and Higher
Education Center (CATIE), a research
centre of excellence based in
Costa Rica, is providing specialized
technical assistance.
Examples of climate change
activities in IFAD loans and grants
IFAD loans
Reforestation and resilience with indigenous communities in Mexico
©IFAD/Franco Mattioli
The Pew Center on Global Climate Change estimates that deforestation and degradation
have led to the loss of 45 per cent of Mexico’s original forest cover since 1950.
From 1990 to 2000 alone, an average of 348,000 hectares was lost each year.
If deforestation continues at this rate, approximately 70 per cent of Mexico’s forests are
in danger of disappearing over the next 20 years. An IFAD-supported forestry
development project in three southern states will strengthen the capacity of indigenous
peoples, who represent 76 per cent of the target population, and other local foresters to
improve the management of their natural resources by enhancing conservation practices
and providing sustainable income options for the most disadvantaged groups. The
project is based on ejidos and comunidades, two communal forms of land ownership, and
will help consolidate the organizational and planning capacities of the beneficiary
population for participatory management of their common natural resources. With
support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the project will also pilot ways for
the government and communities to contribute to climate change mitigation through
better land and forest use, and to access carbon finance as part of the new “reducing
emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries” (REDD+)
strategy. The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon
sequestration through improved forest management and production techniques, while
generating subsistence alternatives and other benefits. Sustainable forest management
pilot activities are expected to generate a reduction of nearly 18 tons of carbon dioxide
emissions (e.g. through sequestration of avoided emissions). The project will also assist
the government in testing communal measurement, reporting and verification activities,
contributing in this way to strengthening national capacities on climate change at
the local level.
Project name: Community-based Forestry Development Project in Southern States
(Campeche, Chiapas and Oaxaca)
IFAD loan contact information: Enrique Murguia, Country Programme Manager,
[email protected]
Partner: Global Environmental Facility
Integrated GEF grant (Trust Fund): Mitigating Climate Change through Sustainable Forest
Management and Capacity-Building in the Southern States of Mexico
GEF grant contact information: Jesús Quintana, Regional Climate and Environment
Specialist, [email protected]
Project duration: 2011-2016
Resource management in the Peruvian Andes
The indigenous peoples of the high Andean plateau of Peru have always had to contend
with an inhospitable environment. High winds, sparse vegetation, frozen water and
extreme temperature variations are all common constraints that they face. Climate
change has made these temperature variations even more pronounced, and has also
increased water scarcity. IFAD is supporting a project in the Southern Highlands that is
helping more than 20,000 households over a wide area become more resilient to the
impact of climate change by improving their management of natural resources. The
project has introduced techniques for trapping rainwater and melting ice in pits for
irrigation, and has promoted crop diversification. Farmers are now cultivating maize,
beans, cereals, potatoes and oregano in terraces built into the mountain slopes and
separated by stone walls.
©IFAD/Giuseppe Bizzarri
Project name: Market Strengthening and Livelihood Diversification in the Southern
Highlands Project
Contact information: Roberto Haudry, Country Programme Manager, [email protected]
Project duration: 2005-2013
©IFAD/Pablo Corral Vega
Drought-proofing in Brazil
The climate of the Sertão Region or Brazil is semi-arid dry tropical, with local variations.
The region is constantly at the mercy of climatic variations; precipitation occurs only
during a three-month period and varies from 250 to 800 millimetres per year. Severe
cyclical droughts are common in the region, although the risk of drought differs within
states and municipalities because of the presence of microclimates, river courses and
topographical variations.
An IFAD-financed project in the semi-arid north-east adopts a cross-sectoral approach
to rural development, integrating the social, cultural and economic dimensions of
poverty issues with effective participation of stakeholders at all stages, including women
and Afro-Brazilian minorities. The project is promoting sustainable development,
poverty alleviation and income-generation though access to markets. It places special
emphasis on improving access to water for household consumption, primarily through
the construction of water tanks, but also by introducing small underground dams for
water management and storage. This technology allows rainwater to be captured and
stored under the soil. It increases the availability of water for cultivation, making it
possible to irrigate with little expenditure of energy, and guaranteeing the production of
grain and forage, even in years of drought.
The Government of Brazil requested IFAD’s assistance in preparing a project to be
financed by the GEF in support of interventions addressing social and environmental
issues contributing to land degradation and their underlying causes. The core of the
GEF project is to overcome rural poverty though sustainable agriculture and natural
resources management. The GEF grant activities expand the scope of the IFAD-funded
project by financing incremental costs that help minimize the causes of land
degradation and the negative impacts on the structure and integrity of globally
important Caatinga ecosystems through sustainable land management practices, and by
contributing to the sustainable improvement of the livelihoods and economic welfare of
poor family farmers. Services include training, demonstrations and access to credit.
This combination ensures that farmers can adopt technologies that are appropriate to
local weather conditions and natural resources availability.
Project name: Sustainable Development Project for Agrarian Reform Settlements in the
Semi-Arid North-East (Dom Hélder Câmara Project)
Contact information: Iván Cossio, Country Programme Manager, [email protected]
Partner: Global Environment Facility
Integrated GEF grant (Trust Fund): Sustainable Land Management in the Semi-Arid Sertao
GEF grant contact information: Jesús Quintana, Regional Climate and Environment
Specialist, [email protected]
Project duration: 2000-2014
Managing land for carbon dioxide sequestration in Panama
Panama has a hot, humid tropical climate, with a long rainy season from May to
January followed by a short dry season from January to May. The Darien area in eastern
Panama is subject to occasional severe storms and forest fires. The interior of Panama is
mostly made up of steep, rugged mountains and upland plains. Land degradation and
soil erosion is already causing siltation problems in the Panama Canal, and Panama’s
water resources are also being polluted by agricultural run-off, which in turn is
threatening fishery resources. A project, financed jointly by IFAD and GEF, provides
funding to reduce Panama’s greenhouse gas emissions through a programme of
reforestation, agroforestry and community-based eco-enterprises, and through
monitoring and reporting on carbon stock changes and sequestration. The project will
help address land degradation and soil erosion problems simultaneously.
Project name: Participative Development and Rural Modernization Project
Contact information: Jaana Keitaanranta, Country Programme Manager,
[email protected]
Partners: Global Environment Facility; OPEC Fund for International Development
Integrated GEF grant (Trust Fund): Sustainable and Climate-friendly Development in
Veraguas Province
Project duration: 2011-2016
Managing land for greenhouse gas emission reduction and other benefits
in Ecuador
Despite its wealth of species and ecosystems, Ecuador has one of Latin America’s highest
rates of deforestation and habitat destruction. The primary tropical forest now occupies
only an estimated 20 per cent or less of the country’s surface area. Among the major
causes of deforestation are uncontrolled forestry operations, hydrocarbons operations
and unsustainable farming practices. Although the National System of Protected Areas
includes 36 natural areas covering 18.7 per cent of the country’s surface area (among the
highest rates in the region), this is not enough to prevent the increasing degradation of
Ecuador’s natural resources.
An IFAD-financed project is contributing to reducing poverty and improving the
living conditions of Afro-Ecuadorian, indigenous and campesino communities within
the area of influence of the Ibarra-San Lorenzo economic corridor in northern Ecuador.
The GEF component promotes the sustainable management of forests, avoiding forest
fragmentation and reducing pressure on valuable forests of the project area. It also
identifies and implements initiatives to reduce deforestation and land degradation,
and improve conservation of critical areas in the Chota Valley, Lita-Alto Tambo and
*The activities described represent a component or a specific feature of the project presented.
the Awacachi Biological Corridor and Awa Reserve, through communal reforestation
and sustainable forest management techniques. In addition, it promotes the
restoration and sustainable management of key forests in the coastal area (focusing
especially on mangroves).
Project name: Ibarra-San Lorenzo Development Project
Contact information: Francisco Pichón, Country Programme Manager, [email protected]
Partner: Global Environment Facility
Integrated GEF grant (Trust Fund): Sustainable Management of Biodiversity and Water
Resources in the Ibarra-San Lorenzo Corridor (Ecuador)
GEF grant contact information: Jesús Quintana, Regional Climate and Environment
Specialist, [email protected]
Project duration: 2011-2017
IFAD grants
Communities manage ecosystem health in Guatemala, Mexico
and Panama
©IFAD/Franco Mattioli
Deforestation in Mexico has accelerated in recent years. In some regions, the rate of loss
is alarmingly high, especially in the central, south and south-eastern parts of the
country. But deforestation is not the only environmental concern. Forest degradation is
a less visible, but equally pernicious phenomenon, resulting from poorly planned
production practices, a lack of woodland management, fires and other natural causes.
It has adversely affected the health and productive capacity of ecosystems, making them
more vulnerable to climate change. A programme funded by an IFAD grant tests and
adapts new techniques for the reduction of emissions by deforestation and degradation
(REDD), creating a package of technical options that can be tried and adapted according
to differing environmental and cultural conditions. These practices also improve the
availability of drinking water for households, preventing the health problems that arose
in the past associated with unsafe water sources, and reducing the need to travel long
distances to fetch water. The water from wells and dams can also be used in small-scale
irrigation, thus minimizing vulnerability to climatic risks associated with seasonal dry
periods and cyclical drought.
Grant name: Programme to Strengthen Community-based Management in Support of the
REDD+ Strategy in Mesoamerica (PROFORCO)
Contact information: Enrique Murguia, Country Programme Manager, [email protected]
Partner: National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO)
Programme duration: 2011-2013
Local knowledge for climate change response in Bolivia
Scientists predict that in coming years the lack of water in the Bolivian highlands will
be one of the major problems faced by local populations, especially in regions where
this basic resource is supplied by glaciers fed by large mountain snowfields. As
temperatures rise, the snowfields are melting and are not being fully replaced by
subsequent snowfalls. An IFAD-funded initiative explored the ways in which local
indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants who inhabit the Bolivian highlands are
responding to this phenomenon, and investigated how their local knowledge could
inform future coping mechanisms.
Grant name: Learning Ways of Adaptation, Mitigation and How to Modify Attitudes
in Response to Climate Change from Highland Indigenous Peoples in the Plurinational
State of Bolivia
Contact information: Francisco Pichón, Country Programme Manager, [email protected]
Partner: Regional Programme in Support of the Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon Basin
(PRAIA) Foundation
Project duration: 2009-2011
©IFAD/Franco Mattioli
*The activities described represent a component or a specific feature of the project presented.
C O N TA C T S
IFAD-IDLO joint initiative to face climate change in Mexico
Elwyn Grainger-Jones
Director
Environment and Climate Division
IFAD
Tel: +39 06 54592459
[email protected]
In the context of a changing climate, Mexico faces significant challenges to promote
sustainable development. The International Development Law Organization (IDLO)
and IFAD have joined together to provide a comprehensive review of Mexico’s
emerging legal frameworks to address climate change. The resulting legal
preparedness assessment report documents Mexico’s efforts and the lessons learned
at national, subnational and rural levels. The report is the first phase in a larger
IDLO initiative on legal preparedness for climate change in Latin America, which
will lend capacity-building support for further planning and implementation of
legal and institutional reforms in the coming years. A second phase has already
started to look more deeply into the challenges and opportunities in several key
Mexican states.
LINKS
IFAD and climate change
www.ifad.org/climate/
United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change
www.unfccc.int
Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change
www.ipcc.ch
Contact information: Jesús Quintana, Regional Climate and Environment Specialist,
[email protected]
COP 17
www.cop17durban.com
World Bank 2010 World Development
Report: Development and Climate Change
www.worldbank.org/wdr2010
*The activities described represent a component or a specific feature of the project presented.
International Fund for Agricultural Development
Via Paolo di Dono 44, 00142 Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 54591
Fax: +39 06 5043463
E-mail: [email protected]
www.ifad.org, www.ruralpovertyportal.org
November 2011
©IFAD/Giuseppe Bizzarri
IFAD is an international financial institution and
a specialized United Nations agency dedicated
to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas
of developing countries.