Download Climate Change News 24 December 11

Climate change in the news Issue 24 – 20th December, 2011
Recent Agriculture & Forestry Articles/ Publications
1. On the Forest Cover - Water Yield Debate: From Demand- to Supply-Side Thinking
2. “Forests cannot be sustained if people are hungry”: future climate change negotiations
likely to include agriculture
3. FAO Raises Alarms on Consequences of Mountain Forests Loss
4. FAO World Livestock Report Projects Drastic Increase in Meat Consumption
5. FAO Releases Briefs on Climate-Smart Agriculture
6. CCAFS, FAO Release Paper on Gender and Climate Change Research in Agriculture
7. Agricultural Organizations Appeal to COP 17 Negotiators to Address Agriculture
8. At the COP? Come to stand 18 to play "Agriculture In!"
9. Summary Outcomes from Agriculture and Rural Development Day (Saturday, 3 December)
10. ICRAF Releases Book on People, Forests and Climate
11. Adapting Agriculture with Traditional Knowledge
REDD+
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7.
UN Secretary General Calls for Support for REDD+
UN-REDD Launches Lessons Learned Series
ICRAF, ABS Launch Policy Briefs on Agroforestry, Climate and REDD+
RECOFTC at COP 17, Durban
CIFOR News Update - November 2011
Publication Assesses Capacity Building Services for REDD+ in the Asia-Pacific Region
UN-REDD Programme Guidelines on Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) – Open for
Consultation
General
1. Biodiversity going from bad to worse
2. Climate Action Tracker update: Durban a step towards a global agreement, but risk of
exceeding 3°C-warming remains - briefing paper
3. Impacts of Climate on Wildlife
4. New Climate Change Science report for the Pacific
5. At the crossroads: climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in Asia and the
Pacific
6. Does EbA Work? A review of the evidence on the effectiveness of ecosystem-based
approaches to adaptation
Opportunities and Events
1. UNFCCC Launches Database on Private Sector Adaptation
2. The Center for Sustainable Development
3. Call for Abstracts – PhD Conference “Knowledge Gaps in Climate Change Research – How
are you tackling it?”
4. UNCCD Invites Nominations for “Land Life” Award
5. Community-based Climate Change Action Grants
6. RECRUITMENT NOTICE AVIS DE RECRUTEMENT: PROJECT MANAGER – ENHANCED
CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE OF FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS - USAID PROJECT
On the Forest Cover - Water Yield Debate: From Demand- to
Supply-Side Thinking
We would like to draw your attention to a recently published article, "On the Forest Cover - Water
Yield Debate: From Demand to Supply-Side Thinking", published in Global Change Biology. The
article has been published Open Access.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02589.x/pdf
On the Forest Cover - Water Yield Debate: From Demand- to Supply-Side Thinking
Abstract
Several major articles from the past decade and beyond conclude the impact of reforestation or
afforestation on water yield is negative: additional forest cover will reduce and removing forests will
raise downstream water availability. A second group of authors argue the opposite: planting
additional forests should raise downstream water availability and intensify the hydrologic cycle.
Obtaining supporting evidence for this second group of authors has been more difficult due to the
larger scales at which the positive effects of forests on the water cycle may be seen. We argue that
forest cover is inextricably linked to precipitation. Forest-driven evapotranspiration removed from a
particular catchment contributes to the availability of atmospheric moisture vapour and its crosscontinental transport, raising the likelihood of precipitation events and increasing water yield, in
particular in continental interiors more distant from oceans. Seasonal relationships heighten the
importance of this phenomenon. We review the arguments from different scales and perspectives.
This clarifies the generally beneficial relationship between forest cover and the intensity of the
hydrologic cycle. While evidence supports both sides of the argument – trees can reduce runoff at
the small catchment scale – at larger scales, trees are more clearly linked to increased precipitation
and water availability. Progressive deforestation, land conversion from forest to agriculture and
urbanization has potentially negative consequences for global precipitation, prompting us to think of
forest ecosystems as global public goods. Policy-making attempts to measure product water
footprints, estimate the value of ecosystem services, promote afforestation, develop drought
mitigation strategies and otherwise manage land use must consider the linkage of forests to the
supply of precipitation.
“Forests cannot be sustained if people are hungry”: future
climate change negotiations likely to include agriculture
December 6, 2011 Written by: Michelle Kovacevic
Until recently, most of these hills in the
Burundian countryside were completely
forested. Photo courtesy of Jane Boles/flickr.
DURBAN, South Africa (6 December,
2011)_Agriculture will most likely be included in
future negotiations on global warming, experts
said at the U.N. climate change talks in Durban,
which may help address one of the top drivers
of deforestation amid a spike in demand for
farmland.
South Africa’s Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries Minister, Tina Joemat-Pettersson “will be delivering
a letter to COP17 negotiators”, said Rachel Kyte, Vice President of Sustainable Development at the
World Bank at Forest Day 5, a side-event to the UN climate summit in its final week in Durban.
She requested that negotiators approve “at a minimum, a decision to set up a work program on
agriculture under SBSTA, without which, there should not be a deal”. SBSTA is the scientific subcommittee of the UNFCCC.
The SBSTA draft text does mention the drivers of deforestation, said La Viña at Forest Day 5. The
sub-committee has agreed to hold a broad agenda-setting discussion on agriculture at next year’s
COP in Qatar, he said.
Forests around the world are under increasing pressure as the burgeoning global population, on
track to hit 9 billion by 2050, demands more land for food production. Forests act as crucial safety
nets for people struggling to avert famine in times of economic and climactic stress but this ability is
being threatened by intense crop cultivation, high energy demand, soil erosion and nutrient
depletion from agricultural practices.
Unsustainable land management practices have also contributed to creeping desertification in SubSaharan Africa, playing a major role in the famine now plaguing the horn of Africa and threatening
the region’s remaining dry forests.
“Forests cannot be sustained if people are hungry,” said Kyte. “Hunger places a direct burden on
forests when people are forced to push deeper into forested areas to grow crops. And when hunger
and poverty take their toll, people resort to making and selling charcoal faster than the natural rate
of forest regeneration in order to buy food.”
A recent FAO report identified the big challenges to balancing the competing pressures on global
food system and called for an integrated approach to food security with a focus on “climate-smart
agriculture”. But this cannot be achieved without forests, suggested Frances Seymour, Director
General at the Center of International Forestry Research.
“The big thing that is wildly underappreciated is the role of forests in providing ecosystem services
that sustain mainstream agriculture – the hydrological services, the pollination services, which
forests provide for free. As greater international attention is placed on agriculture and food security,
forests are going to be part of the picture,” she said.
With the resilience of people and wildlife to adapt to changes in climate declining as vast areas of
forest are wiped out, the world’s largest consortium of agricultural researchers this week launched a
global research program devoted to forests and Agroforestry. The $233 million CGIAR research
program on Forests, Trees, and Agroforestry aims to help countries expand their focus from dense
canopy tropical forests to mixed agricultural forest landscapes where people and trees come into
greater contact.
“We call it the triple win: mitigating climate change by building resilience in farming and forest
systems while increasing yields and income. Farmers already understand that growing trees on
farms can help fatten their livestock, break the impact of parchment, and improve soil conditions,”
said Kyte.
“Then in a few years those trees will provide wood fuel for domestic use or for sale. Our job is to
support policies nationally and internationally that encourage those kinds of practices, based on
good science and common sense.”
Mitigation and adaptation initiatives, particularly in forests and agriculture, will only succeed if they
are pro-poor, said Kyte.
“We can try to ring-fence forests or try to ban charcoal but unless and until access to land, crop
productivity, energy affordability and extreme poverty are addressed, our best efforts will be in
vain.”
The global climate communities have to propose viable and integrated solutions that work for
people on the ground, she said. Unless they benefit from the protection of watersheds, or increased
crop yields, have higher income, or can live with greater climate resilience, the best laid carbon plans
will fail.
“We need to act now, and if we act decisively, we can reverse the vicious cycles and start investing in
landscape restoration and poverty reduction programs that deliver that triple win.”
Rachel Kyte, Vice President of Sustainable Development at the World Bank, speaking to CIFOR at
Forest Day 5. More videos from Forest Day 5
FAO Raises Alarms on Consequences of Mountain Forests
Loss
9 December 2011: The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with the Swiss
Agency for Development and Cooperation, has published a report titled "Mountain
Forests in a Changing World" that brings attention to the threats to mountain forests including
increasing temperatures and wildfires, population growth and food and fuel insecurity.
The report notes that expansion of intensive agriculture has pushed smallholder farmers higher up
slopes to marginal areas, and that climate change is likely to facilitate more rapid expansion of
damaging pests. The report also highlights the important role mountain forests play as sources of
fresh water for cities. It calls on national policymakers to take the protection of mountain forests
into account and integrate these concerns into climate change mitigation and adaptation policies.
The report was released prior to International Mountain Day, observed on 11 December. The UN
Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the World Mountain Forum, will launch a
new public-private partnership initiative to support global sustainable mountain development
efforts. [UN News Centre Media Release][FAO Media Release][Publication: Mountain Forests in a
Changing World]
FAO World Livestock Report Projects Drastic Increase in
Meat Consumption
14 December 2011: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released
the 2011 World Livestock Report, which underscores the strains that a growing world
population and increased consumption of animal protein will place on natural resources.
The FAO projects a 73% increase in meat consumption by 2050 and that much of the future demand
for livestock will be met by large-scale/intensive operations, which may pose significant
environmental impacts through groundwater pollution and increased emissions.
The report highlights approaches to mitigate these effects through increasing efficiency and
reducing pollution, reducing the input of water and grain per unit of output, and recycling byproducts. It underscores the need to focus on increasing the efficiency of livestock systems in
converting natural resources into food and reducing waste. It stresses the need to refocus efforts on
improving livestock systems.
The report also notes the important contribution of livestock and livestock products to the nutrition
of low-income households in developing countries and discussing particular issues facing livestock
dependant pastoral societies, which are highly vulnerable to climate change. [Publication: World
Livestock 2011] [FAO Press Release]
FAO Releases Briefs on Climate-Smart Agriculture
30 November 2011: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) have released
two briefs that address the role of agriculture in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
In “Increasing Agriculture’s Climate Smartness,” the FAO describes the goals of climate-smart
agriculture to increase productivity and incomes, increase the resilience of ecosystems contribute to
mitigation and enhance food, nutrition and energy security. The brief notes that traditional barriers
remain that impinge on agricultural development, but that there is an opportunity to integrate
adaptation and mitigation approaches. It stresses the importance of functioning institutional
arrangements and multi-sectoral coordination and a link to national processes.
In “The Mitigation of Climate Change in Agriculture (MICCA) Programme,” the FAO describes
monitoring and assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation potentials in
agriculture. It describes the FAO’s approach to developing a database of data and analysis that will
facilitate financing through the Green Climate Fund via the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions
(NAMAs). The database will be linked to an online portal that will include information on life cycle
analysis of agricultural production systems to allow countries to determine where they can reduce
emissions most effectively. It will also identify areas where climate change mitigation initiatives can
be used to boost food production and make agricultural ecosystems more resilient. The portal plans
to go online in 2013. MICCA includes collaboration with UN-REDD Programme. [Publication: The
Mitigation of Climate Change in Agriculture Programme (MICCA): Monitoring and Assessment of
GHG Emissions and Mitigation Potentials in Agriculture] [Publication: Increasing Agriculture’s Climate
Smartness]
CCAFS, FAO Release Paper on Gender and Climate Change
Research in Agriculture
30 November 2011: The Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Program (CCAFS)
of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) have released a joint paper titled “Gender
and Climate Change Research in Agriculture and Food Security for Rural Development.”
The paper notes the need for gender-specific responses to climate change in agriculture, and
assurance that women are included in mitigation and adaptation strategies. It stresses the presence
of synergies between mitigation and adaptation responses in agriculture and presents a framework
and joint initiative by the FAO and CCAFS for examining gender differences in climate and agriculture
work. Training materials from this initiative will focus on facilitating farmer exchanges, assessing the
use of daily and seasonal forecasts, and catalysing gender-sensitive climate smart agricultural
practices. Products from the work will be available in early 2012. [Publication: Gender and Climate
Change Research in Agriculture and Food Security for Rural Development]
Agricultural Organizations Appeal to COP 17 Negotiators to
Address Agriculture
5 December 2011: Calling on climate negotiators to include agriculture in the text of the
climate agreement, 16 leading agriculture organizations made an appeal through a jointly
endorsed letter to the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) during the Durban Climate
Change Conference. The appeal to COP 17 was discussed at Agriculture and Rural Development Day,
held on 3 December 2011, during which more than 500 participants addressed priorities for meeting
food security challenges while supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Participants noted that a Work Programme on Agriculture has been stalled for too long in the Ad hoc
Working Group on Long Term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) negotiating text. The text on the Work
Programme on Agriculture calls for action by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological
Advice (SBSTA).
The appeal to COP 17 highlights the untapped potential for mitigation in agricultural lands, as well as
opportunities to help vulnerable populations adapt. Some speakers called for collaboration between
business, government, research, and development organizations.
The letter was endorsed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), World Food
Programme (WFP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Bank, CGIAR
Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Southern African
Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI),
Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Policy
Analysis Network (FANRPAN), World Farmers’ Organization (WFO), Global Donor Platform for Rural
Development, ACP/EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), Farming First,
Danish Agriculture and Food Council, and Agriculture for Impact. [CGIAR Press Release] [Full Text of
Letter to COP 17]
At the COP? Come to stand 18 to play "Agriculture In!"
"Agriculture In!" is an interactive advocacy game designed by IFAD and SACAU. Over 700 COP
attendees have shown support for getting Agriculture In! by playing the game, located at stand 18 in
the ICC/DEC. Add your support for the inclusion of agriculture, and spread the word about the
multiple benefits for poor rural women and men - and to wider national and global communities.
http://ifad-un.blogspot.com/2011/12/agriculture-in-721-and-counting.html
Summary Outcomes from Agriculture and Rural
Development Day (Saturday, 3 December)
On Saturday, 3 December, a group of 17 leading agricultural organizations hosted an all-day event
called Agriculture and Rural Development Day held in parallel with the COP17 negotiations in
Durban. At the event, more than 500 agricultural experts – including policymakers and negotiators,
journalists, farmers, and scientists – discussed priorities to boost agricultural production while
supporting mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
At the end of the event, a group of 16 of the world’s leading agricultural organizations jointly
endorsed a letter calling on COP17 climate negotiators to take concrete action to include agriculture
in the text of the climate agreement. These groups include three United Nations agencies, the World
Bank, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS),
FANRPAN, the Global Forum on Agricultural Research, Southern African Confederation of
Agricultural Unions (SACAU) and the World Farmers' Organization.
Dr. Bruce Campbell, Director of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and
Food Security (CCAFS) said, “It is astonishing that agriculture remains excluded from a global
agreement on climate change. This year’s conference offers a unique opportunity for this omission
to be addressed.”
Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Chief Executive of the South Africa-based Food, Agriculture and Natural
Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), added, “With a united voice, African farmers have
joined their counterparts around the world to put agriculture on the climate agenda. They are
calling on negotiators to unlock the continent’s agricultural potential to increase food productivity
while helping them builds resilience against the impacts of climate change.”
Specifically, these organizations called for a Work Programme on agriculture, which would result in a
more coordinated and rigorous plan of action for the sector as a whole. The Work Programme
would be overseen by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), an official
body within the broader UNFCCC negotiations framework.
At the event, many discussions took place highlighting how agriculture possesses huge untapped
potential to both mitigate future greenhouse gas emissions while helping those most vulnerable
adapt to its impacts and reduce pressure on natural resources. To realize this goal, long-term
investment in “climate-smart” agricultural approaches must be supported, such as conservation
agriculture, Agroforestry, sustainable land and water management, and soil carbon management.
Rachel Kyte, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank & Chair, CGIAR Fund Council,
welcomed the efforts made by the organizers of Agriculture and Rural Development Day, noting,
“No single government or organization can meet this challenge alone. The new norm must be strong
collaboration between business, government, research, and development organizations and
between environmental, food security, and other agricultural specialists.”
Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) added,
“Smallholder farmers currently manage up to 80 percent of farmland in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia,
as well as providing up to 80 percent of the food in developing countries. We must scale up research
and investments in sustainable agriculture approaches that have already succeeded in raising
smallholders’ productivity while reducing their carbon emissions.”
Other high-level speakers at the event included Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Minister of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of South Africa, Dr. Mary Robinson, Chair, The Mary Robinson
Foundation – Climate Justice & Former President, Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Prof. Sir John Beddington, Chair, Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate
Change and Caroline Spelman, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom & Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, United Kingdom.
Currently, 97 percent of agricultural workers live in developing countries, and agriculture typically
accounts for 50 percent of total GDP in the least developing countries. It is estimated that the world
will require a 70 percent increase in food production by 2050, with climate change already
threatening current yields of staple crops, especially in South Asia. Global food prices are expected
to increase on average by 10-20 percent over the next ten years with higher temperatures and more
extreme weather seriously undermining farmers’ ability to feed their families and provide food for
national and global markets.
Already in its third year, Agriculture and Rural Development Day (ARDD) aimed to inspire both highlevel commitment and grassroots action to address the links between agriculture and climate
change. The event itself features keynote speakers, a high-level panel discussion, and a dozen
participatory “learning events” dealing with specific cases of climate-smart agriculture. Photos from
the event can be seen here.
ICRAF Releases Book on People, Forests and Climate
1 December 2011: The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) has launched a book titled “How trees and
people can co-adapt to climate change: Reducing vulnerability in multifunctional
landscapes.”
The book, which was released on the sidelines of the Durban Climate Change Conference, focuses on
the relationship between rural development and climate change mitigation and adaptation in the
context of trees and Agroforestry. It discusses the role of rewards for ecosystem services in
improving livelihoods while enhancing carbon stocks.
ICRAF is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
(CGIAR). [Publication: How Trees and People Can Co-adapt to Climate Change]
Adapting Agriculture with Traditional Knowledge
Krystyna Swiderska
Download
Over the coming decades, climate change is likely to pose a major challenge to
agriculture; temperatures are rising, rainfall is becoming more variable and
extreme weather is becoming a more common event. Researchers and
policymakers agree that adapting agriculture to these impacts is a priority for
ensuring future food security. Strategies to achieve that in practice tend to
focus on modern science. But evidence, both old and new, suggests that the
traditional knowledge and crop varieties of indigenous peoples and local
communities could prove even more important in adapting agriculture to
climate change.
More information on IIED site
More information here:
http://www.iied.org/natural-resources/key-issues/biodiversity-and-conservation/protecting-
community-rights-over-traditio
Download complete text in PDF format (370k) from http://pubs.iied.org/17111IIED.html
UN Secretary General Calls for Support for REDD+
7 December 2011: Speaking at a side-event held during the UN Climate Change
Conference in Durban, South Africa, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for support
to REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of
conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon
stocks in developing countries).
Ban underscored that public-private partnerships are essential for implementing REDD+, including by
bolstering local communities and smallholder farmers, respecting the rights of indigenous people,
empowering women and reducing poverty. He urged countries to increase financing for REDD+.
Ban identified three areas for action: making the Cancun Agreements operational, including those on
REDD+; increasing financing for the shift to low-carbon climate-resilient economies and coming to a
decision on financing for REDD+ during the Durban Conference; and supporting a climate-friendly
forest sector. [UN Secretary-General Statement] [UN Press Release]
UN-REDD Launches Lessons Learned Series
30 November 2011: The UN-REDD Programme has launched a new
publication series titled "UN-REDD Lessons Learned." The first edition
focuses on the Asia-Pacific region.
The booklet identifies challenges and best practices in national strategies for REDD+ (reducing
emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, as well as
conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks) that have
emerged from UN-REDD's 12 partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Examples and case studies
on measuring, reporting and verification (MRV), benefit distribution systems and safeguards are
included.
In 2012, the Programme will launch publications on lessons learned in Africa and Latin America and
the Caribbean. The publication series was launched on the sidelines of the Durban Climate Change
Conference. [Publication: UN-REDD Lessons Learned: Asia-Pacific][English | French | Spanish]
ICRAF, ABS Launch Policy Briefs on Agroforestry, Climate and
REDD+
1 December 2011: The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Alternatives to Slash and Burn
Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins (ASB)
programme have released a series of policy briefs that
focus on topics including agroforestry, carbon markets,
climate-smart agriculture and REDD+ (reducing emissions
from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, as well as conservation,
sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks).
The policy briefs were launched on the sidelines of the Durban Climate Change Conference. The
guidebook on “Improving carbon initiatives aimed at smallholders: Addressing opportunities and
challenges through better communication” focuses on communicating carbon project messages to
different audiences and providing information on complex concepts around climate change, carbon
sequestration and carbon markets to farmers.
The brief on “Making climate-smart agriculture work for the poor” offers recommendations to
overcome constraints related to the limited time that farmers have to invest when they are fully
occupied, the slow return on investment and limited access to markets and capital.
In “On-farm timber production for emission reduction with sustainable benefits at the tropical forest
margins,” ASB provides highlights, based on research in Cameroon and Ghana, opportunities for
enhancing livelihoods and biodiversity and contributing to REDD+.
The policy brief on “Why smallholders plant native timber trees away from the forest margin:
Lessons from the Leyte, the Philippines” focuses on understanding why farmers have chosen to grow
high-value, slower growing native timber on their farms as opposed to low quality, fast growing
timber.
The ASB policy brief titled “Drivers and consequences of tropical forest transitions: options to bypass
degradation” stresses the lack of evidence of linear extrapolation of forest recovery into the future
and that an increase in forest area does not guarantee recovery of ecosystem services, particularly
related to hydrological impacts of fast-growing trees.
The policy brief titled “Agroforestry in REDD+: Opportunities and Challenges” describes the
contribution of Agroforestry and tree-based systems: as part of REDD+ under some definitions, or as
part of strategies to achieve REDD+ in landscapes, for example by alleviating pressure on forests. It
calls for enabling market infrastructure, policies on tree rights and ownership and safeguards may
allow contribution to the goals of REDD+ and nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs).
ICRAF and ASB are members of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
(CGIAR). [Publication: Improving Carbon Initiatives Aimed at Smallholders: Addressing Opportunities
and Challenges Through Better Communication] [Publication: Making Climate-Smart Agriculture
Work for the Poor] [Publication: On-farm Timber Production for Emission Reduction with Sustainable
Benefits at the Tropical Forest Margins] [Publication: Drivers and Consequences of Tropical Forest
Transitions: Options to Bypass Land Degradation?] [Publication: Agroforestry in REDD+:
Opportunities and Challenges]
RECOFTC at COP 17, Durban
The growing prominence of forestry both in mitigation actions such as REDD+ and in increasing
efforts to relate it to climate change adaptation, is reflected in RECOFTC’s substantive presence at
COP17.
Activities this year include a presentation of our upcoming REDD+ capacity building needs analysis in
Asia Pacific for UNEP/UN-REDD, our official side event on Gender and REDD+, a REDD-net official
side event examining the synergies and tradeoffs we can anticipate between forest-based climate
mitigation and adaptation, and a Forests Day booth. In addition to this, we are supporting the
participation of a number of civil society representatives to highlight indigenous peoples, women’s
and other civil society perspectives.
Here’s a “Starter for 10” on the relationship between forests and climate change.
Selected Commentary
“Will Durban Deliver?” (The World Bank)
“Kyoto protocol 'will be on life support' after Durban summit” (The Guardian)
Divergent views on emissions cuts at opening signal tough negotiations on climate change (The
Washington Post)
CIFOR News Update - November 2011
For further information please visit the Link:
file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/miriamak/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Fil
es/Content.Outlook/KTV5FU28/cifornewsletternovember.html
Publication Assesses Capacity Building Services for REDD+ in
the Asia-Pacific Region
1 December, 2011: The Center for People and Forests
(RECOFTC), with support from the UN-REDD Programme
through the UN Environment Programme, has launched an
interim policy brief on a project on the strengths and gaps in capacity building services for REDD+
readiness in a sample of Asia-Pacific countries. The study, conducted in Cambodia, Indonesia, the
Philippines and Viet Nam, provides an overview of capacity building service providers, outlines
strengths and gaps, and makes recommendations to address these gaps. The Brief highlights the
increased awareness of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+),
while outlining the gaps that remain to be addressed in order to meet national REDD+ planning
objectives in the region. These gaps include, inter alia, inadequate training in REDD+ fund
management and benefit sharing, few capacity building service providers engaging in developing
national REDD+ baselines or in calculating the costs versus benefits of REDD+, and not enough
awareness raising services being provided in local and tribal languages. The Brief states that REDD+
readiness programs in the region are often dictated by the competencies and networks of the
organizations leading capacity building, rather than by the most pressing needs of each country.
[Publication: REDD+ in Asia-Pacific: Are capacity building services meeting countries' needs?]
UN-REDD Programme Guidelines on Free, Prior and
Informed Consent (FPIC) – Open for Consultation
We are happy to announce that the draft UN-REDD Programme Guidelines on Free, Prior and
Informed Consent (FPIC) are now ready and open for public review. We welcome your comments
until 15 January 2012. You may download the Guidelines in English, Spanish or French at the
following link:
http://www.unredd.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=1333&Itemid=53
The aim of the Guidelines is to outline a normative, policy and operational framework for UN-REDD
Programme partner countries to seek FPIC, as and when appropriate, as determined by the
Programme partner country in consultation with relevant rights-holders. The Guidelines also provide
definitions of the underlying elements of FPIC and information on grievance and accountability.
The Guidelines were developed through a consultative process with indigenous peoples and civil
society representatives via a series of regional consultations held between June 2010 and January
2011 in the 3 regions where the UN-REDD Programme is active: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin
America and the Caribbean. During these consultations, participants developed definitions and
processes to operationalize FPIC for the UN-REDD Programme. You may access the reports for these
consultations at the following link:
http://www.unredd.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=1334&Itemid=53
Please also visit the UN-REDD Programme’s updated Stakeholder Engagement page for additional
background information:
http://www.un-redd.org/Stakeholder_Engagement/Guidelines_on_FPIC/tabid/55718/Default.aspx
We value your comments and feedback on the Guidelines in order to strengthen them further. We
also kindly ask you to disseminate them widely through your networks.
Please direct all comments to [email protected] and [email protected]
by 15 January 2012.
PAC – BIODIVERSITY: SCIENCE ALERT
PACNEWS 1: Wed 14 Dec 2011
Biodiversity going from bad to worse
14 DECEMBER 2011 AUCKLAND (SCIENCE ALERT) ------- A major new scientific review, involving more
than 30 scientists from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands sets out our current
knowledge of the impacts of climate change on biodiversity in the latest special edition of the
scientific journal Pacific Conservation Biology.
The special issue, launched at the International Conference for Conservation Biologists in Auckland,
also presents options for governments managing complex ecosystems in the face of the threat from
climate change.
One of the two main editors, Professor Richard Kingsford, Director of Australian Wetlands and Rivers
Centre at the University of New South Wales says: “Biodiversity in our region is already severely
impacted by habitat loss, pollution, feral animals and weeds and overharvesting. Climate change
impacts just make these problems much worse”.
Eight scientific reviews focus on current scientific understanding of climate change in Australia, New
Zealand and the Pacific Islands and also how this varies on land, sea and freshwater environments.
Not unsurprisingly, all papers identify temperature rise and sea level rise as having considerable
impacts on biodiversity.
“People and their environments on Pacific Islands have been in the vanguard of global impacts of
climate change and this is predicted to worsen as sea levels rise. Beach nesting turtles and seabirds
and freshwater wetlands are particularly vulnerable,” says Kingsford.
The other editor, Dr James Watson of the Wildlife Conservation Society and President of the Oceania
Board of the Society for Conservation Biology, warns that climate change impacts affect land, marine
and freshwater environments in many different ways.
“Temperature rises on terrestrial environments are going to change where animals and plants can
live in the future, with some species particularly vulnerable to extreme temperatures,” Dr Watson
says. “In marine systems, sea level rise and the impacts of temperature and acidification on coral
reef systems are of particular concern. Our freshwater rivers and wetlands are also extremely
vulnerable to rising temperatures and changes to rainfall beyond the tolerances of many different
organisms.”
The consequences of climate change are inevitable, given the lack of effective global initiatives to
limit greenhouse gases and so all the papers also canvas adaptation options for environments and
governments, according to Kingsford.
“There are some obvious things we can do,” he says. “If we stopped unsustainable practices - such
as developing rivers, clearing vegetation and destroying marine habitats - we would make for much
more resilient environments.”
Dr Watson says there are many ways of effectively planning for the future: “We should be increasing
our national park areas, connecting fragmented parts of the landscape and restoring degraded
habitats. For some iconic plants and animals, we may even have to translocate them from places
where their tolerances are exceeded.”
The special issue of the journal provides a clear signal to Oceania region governments and
communities about the pressing impacts of climate change on biodiversity and the challenges it
presents, says Kingsford.
“There are opportunities to mitigate some of these impacts but it requires planning now, not when
future generations inherit the problem.....PACNEWS (PINA)
Climate Action Tracker update: Durban a step towards a
global agreement, but risk of exceeding 3°C-warming
remains - briefing paper
The Climate Action Tracker (www.climateactiontracker.org) provides an update after the close of the
UNFCCC talks in Durban.
A new briefing paper (http://climateactiontracker.org/news/116/Durban-Agreements-a-steptowards-a-global-agreement-but-risk-of-exceeding-3C-warming-remains-scientists.html) includes
- implications of Durban for meeting 2°C
- expected impacts in a 2°C vs. a 3-4°C world
As the climate talks in Durban concluded tonight with a groundbreaking establishment of the Durban
Platform to negotiate a new global agreement by 2015, the world continues on a pathway of over
3°C warming with likely extremely severe impacts.
The agreement in Durban to establish a new body to negotiate a global agreement (Ad Hoc Working
Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action) by 2015 represents a major step forward.
However, the agreement will not immediately affect the emissions outlook for 2020 and has
postponed decisions on further emission reductions. Catching up on this postponed action will be
increasingly costly.
The Climate Action Tracker estimates that global mean warming would reach about 3.5°C by 2100
with the current reduction proposals on the table. They are definitely insufficient to limit
temperature increase to 2°C.
A warming over 3°C could bring the world close to several potential global-scale tipping points, such
as:
 Possible dieback of the Amazon rainforest
 Corals reefs being irreversibly replaced by algae and sea grass
 Irreversible loss of the Greenland ice sheets of many centuries to thousands of years
 Risk of release of methane hydrates in ocean floor sediments further adding to the warming
 Permafrost thawing due to fast rising arctic temperatures
A depiction of the types of impacts likely from 1.5°C of warming, through 2°C and 3-4°C is attached.
The costs for adaptation and the residual damages from climate change will increase rapidly with
warming. Approximate estimates indicate that the most extreme costs will be felt in West Africa and
South Asia, with residual damage of 3.5% of regional GDP for 2°C warming and 5-6% for 3°C
warming. With a 2°C warming, adaptation costs would be half those associated with a 3°C
temperature rise.
The Climate Action Tracker is an independent science-based assessment, which tracks the emission
commitments and actions of countries. The website provides an up-to-date assessment of individual
national pledges to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Impacts of Climate on Wildlife
5 December 2011: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) published
a report, titled “Wildlife in a Changing Climate," describing consequences of climate
change on wildlife, as well as potential measures to adapt to climate change,
including restoring and adopting landscape approaches.
Focusing on tropical terrestrial wildlife and habitats, the report notes that
the biodiversity extinction crisis is likely to be made worse by climate change. The
report explores issues related to: ecosystem change; species interactions; humanwildlife conflicts; wild land fires; health and diseases. As potential mitigating factors,
it highlights goals related to: maintaining current ecosystems; adaptive management; restoring
ecosystems; and landscape approaches.
The paper also calls for developing and communicating information on the value of species and
ecosystems to humanity, describes the role of protected areas, and discusses mainstreaming
biodiversity needs. [Publication: Wildlife in a Changing Climate]
New Climate Change Science report for the Pacific
New research providing critical information about how climate change is affecting 14 Pacific island
countries and East Timor has been released today by the Australian Government’s Pacific Climate
Change Science Program (PCCSP).
The two volume peer-reviewed report: Climate Change in the Pacific: Scientific Assessment and New
Research is now available from www.pacificclimatechangescience.org
The report has involved three years of research by Australian scientists working in collaboration with
national meteorological services across the Pacific.
The findings will be presented at COP 17 in Durban at a side-event that will be jointly hosted by the
Australian Government and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme on
Tuesday 6 December 2011 from 1pm to 3pm in the ‘Island Pavilion’.
The first volume of the report provides a regional overview the second volume provides individual
reports for each of the 15 countries. This includes climate projections for Cook Islands, East Timor,
Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
A new interactive online tool called Pacific Climate Futures (www.pacificclimatefutures.net) has also
be released today. It allows the user to explore future changes in various aspects of the climate
including temperature, rainfall, wind, sunshine and humidity for 20-year averages around 2030,
2055 and 2090 under three greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.
The PCCSP is managed by with the Australian Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency in
collaboration the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). This comprehensive
science program is implemented by the Australian Bureau of Meteoro logy and the Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
For more information or detail about the side-event contact:
Jill Rischbieth
Communications Officer| Pacific Climate Change Science Program
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
Phone: +61 3 9239 4463 | Mobile: 0449 534 731
[email protected] | www.csiro.au
Private Bag 1, Aspendale VIC 3195 Australia
At the crossroads: climate change adaptation and disaster
risk reduction in Asia and the Pacific
Authors: Berse,K.; Tran,P.; Velasquez,J.
Produced by: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR); UNISDR (2011)
The Asia-Pacific is the world's most vulnerable region when it comes to natural disasters, and yet
scant information exists about how regional Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change
Adaptation (CCA) are carried out. This report focuses on DRR and CCA efforts undertaken at the
regional level in the past 20 years, purposely to identify particular trends and gaps that can inform
future regional approaches.
The scarcity of such knowledge makes it difficult to develop an enabling environment and a roadmap
for the practical integration of these two areas of practice. The report sheds light on this lacuna by
providing a snapshot of how DRR and CCA are undertaken and integrated in the region.The report
takes stock of past and ongoing regional initiatives, looks into the role of certain organisations in the
implementation process, and discusses the key political, policy and institutional developments which
are instrumental in facilitating the integration of DRR and CCA agendas in the region.
The publication discusses the prevailing debates and states that it is expected that a synergistic
linking of DRR and CCA could result in:
1. Reduction of climate-related losses through more widespread implementation of DRR
measures linked with adaptation.
2. More efficient use of financial, human and natural resources.
3. Increased effectiveness and sustainability of both adaptation and DRR approaches.
The review presents the following main findings:
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The review confirmed the major progress that the Asia-Pacific has achieved in promoting the
DRR and CCA agenda regionally.
Some subregions have made significant progress in developing regional programmes and
action plans for DRR and CCA, while others are still looking for viable models that would
work in the prevailing political, security and economic situations of the regions.
The performance of the sub-regions has been influenced by the presence of active
institutions operating at the regional level, especially inter-governmental and regional
organisations.
The achievement of the Hyogo Framework for Action's five priority areas for action has also
been varied.
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There are a significant number of programmes that focus on mitigating the impacts of
climate change through climate risk management.
In the Asia-Pacific region, many institutions have been proactive in advancing DRR and CCA
regionally.
There are opportunities for sharing and cross-learning of experiences across regions both
within and outside the Asia-Pacific.
Available online at: http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/?doc=59008
Does EbA Work? A review of the evidence on the
effectiveness of ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation
A new, systematic review of the evidence on the effectiveness of ecosystem-based approaches to
adaptation (EbA) has been carried out to review the effectiveness of EbA and highlight the
knowledge gaps. This research was undertaken as collaboration between BirdLife International,
UNEP-WCMC, IIED and the University of Cambridge.
Please find the summary and link below.
Ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation (EbA) integrate the use of biodiversity and ecosystem
services into an overall strategy for helping people adapt to climate change. To date, however,
insight into these approaches has often been based on anecdotal case studies of local people’s use
of ecosystems. Although they are informative, they can provide rather limited insight in terms of
measuring and evaluating the effectiveness of EbA, especially compared with technical or structural
adaptation measures. A new, systematic review of EbA evidence has been carried out to interrogate
the scientific literature and review studies from around the world, from many different ecosystems
and adopting a wide range of adaptation approaches utilising ecosystems. We conclude that EbA
approaches are effective and deserve greater policy attention and political support to reach their full
potential.
You can download the research findings here.
UNFCCC Launches Database on Private Sector Adaptation
While climate change poses a number of risks to vulnerable communities and businesses around the
world, many opportunities are unfolding for private companies to implement actions towards
reducing risks to their business operations, as well as investing in adaptation action in vulnerable
regions in a sustainable and profitable manner, including:
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New market opportunities and expansions;
Development of climate friendly goods and services;
Potential cost savings;
Risk reduction measures, including physical operations;
Climate proofing the supply chain;
Enhanced corporate social responsibility.
This online database of case studies has been developed under the Private Sector Initiative (PSI) of
the Nairobi work programme, and features good practices and profitable climate change adaptation
activities being undertaken by private companies (sometimes in partnership with NGOs or the public
sector) from a wide range of regions and sectors.
Adaptation activities may relate either to ensuring the resilience of business operations, or the
provision of technologies or services that assist in the adaptation in vulnerable communities.
For any suggestions for additional examples (1216 kB) to be included in this database, please
download the submission form and email it to [email protected] with the subject "PSI case study".
Do you have a community-based adaptation to climate change project that you would like to be
featured in a new Earthscan book from Routledge?
'A Field Guide to Community-Based Adaptation' is being written for development practitioners, and
will include clear, step-by-step descriptions of successful project activities. We are seeking an
international range of innovative and successful activities to include.
We look forward to receiving contributions from actors at all levels—and we especially welcome
contributions from field practitioners themselves.
If you are interested in contributing a CBA project activity, step one is simple: send us a short
abstract of no more than 200 words about your activity.
Please follow this link for submission instructions including an example submission.
http://www.csd-i.org/call-for-cba-earthscan-book/
Abstract deadline: January 30, 2012
Call for Abstracts – PhD Conference “Knowledge Gaps in
Climate Change Research – How are you tackling it?”
The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change is hosting the second annual PhD Conference at the
University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK) from the 11-13th April 2012.
Our theme is “Knowledge Gaps in Climate Change Research – How are you tackling it?”, reflecting
the innovative and interdisciplinary research being carried out by PhD researchers across the UK and
wider world.
The overarching purpose of this conference is to facilitate discussions regarding what gaps exist in
climate change research, and how PhDs, the Postdocs and Professors of the future, aim to address
them.
There will be four paper sessions reflecting the four themes of the Tyndall Centre:
·
Land and Water,
·
Cities and Coasts,
·
Governance and Behavior, and
·
Energy and Emissions.
Abstracts are being accepted for full paper presentations (15 minutes + 5 minutes for discussion),
speed presentations (5 minutes), and posters. Prizes, sponsored by the Journal of Environmental
Innovation and Societal Transitions (Elsevier), will be awarded for the best presentations in all
categories.
In addition to the sessions presenting research, there will be an opening key note speech from
Professor Mike Hulme (UEA) addressing “Climate change: what sort of knowledge for what sort of
politics?” a session concerning career options after your PhD, and a panel debate to close the
conference. The panel session will be themed around the future of climate change research and
confirmed speakers so far include Professor Bob Watson FRS (Chief Scientific Advisor to DEFRA),
Dr. Xianfu Lu (adaptation specialist at the Asian Development Bank), and Richard Gledhill (Head of
Climate Change and Carbon Market Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers).
The conference is free to attend, including meals- all that’s left to pay for is your travel and
accommodation.
Registration is now open for this event via the website http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/knowledge-gapsconference and will remain so until 1st March, although places will be allocated on a first come, first
serve basis. Abstracts must be received by the 23rd January 2012 via the same registration form.
For any other queries please don’t hesitate to get in touch via [email protected].
UNCCD Invites Nominations for “Land Life” Award
December 2011: The Secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification
(UNCCD) has opened the application procedure for the "Land for Life" award.
Nominations are due by 29 February 2012.
The Award was launched during the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the
UNCCD, which took place in Changwon, Republic of Korea. The Award will recognize initiatives
that secure the health and productivity of soil for the well-being of present and future generations,
and will be awarded to efforts that reduce land degradation through sustainable land management,
or are outstanding examples of political leadership, policy, business, advocacy campaigns or
scientific research. Three Awards will be granted in 2012, from a total prize fund of up to
US$100,000. [UNCCD Land for Life Award Webpage]
Community-based Climate Change Action Grants
The following call for proposals from Australian and International NGOs for the Community-Based
Climate Change Action Grants program has been advertised and may be of interest to members.
Applications must be submitted by 10 February 2012.
Please see the AusAID website for further information (www.ausaid.gov.au/climatechangegrants).
RECRUITMENT NOTICE AVIS DE RECRUTEMENT: PROJECT
MANAGER – ENHANCED CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE OF
FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS - USAID PROJECT
1. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community invites applications for the position of Project Manager –
Enhanced Climate Change Resilience of Food Production Systems – USAID Project. The closing date
for applications is 20 January 2011.
2. The attached statement sets out the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, experience and skills
required for the position, as well as the terms and conditions of employment.
3. This is a three-year contract position based in Suva, Fiji, renewable subject to performance and
continued funding availability.
Dr Jimmie Rodgers
Director-General
SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY, BP D5, 98848 NOUMEA CEDEX, NEW CALEDONIA
SECRÉTARIAT GÉNÉRAL DE LA COMMUNAUTÉ DU PACIFIQUE, BP D5, 98848 NOUMÉA CEDEX,
NOUVELLE-CALÉDONIE
Tel +687 26 20 00 - Fax / Télécopieur +687 26 38 18
[email protected] http://www.spc.int
SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITYPOSITION DESCRIPTION: PROJECT MANAGER –
ENHANCED CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE OF FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS – USAID PROJECT
BACKGROUND
The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) is an international organization that provides
technical and policy advice and assistance, training and research services to its Pacific Island
members. SPC works in a wide range of sectors with the aim of achieving three development
outcomes – sustainable economic development, sustainable natural resource management and
development, and sustainable human and social development.
SPC was established in 1947. It has 26 member countries and territories and its working languages
are English and French. SPC’s headquarters are in Noumea, New Caledonia. It has regional offices in
Suva, Fiji, and Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and country offices in Honiara,
Solomon Islands and Port Vila, Vanuatu. Additional information on SPC can be found on its website:
www.spc.int.
SPC is implementing a multi-year project with the support of the United States Aid Agency (USAID)
to deliver services to selected Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) with a focus on
vegetation and land cover mapping and improving food security in order to contribute to building
resilience to a changing climate.
This project will entail inputs from several of SPC’s divisions and programmes, especially the Land
Resources Division (LRD) and the Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC).
LRD’s core business is to improve the food and nutritional security of the Pacific Community through
the sustainable management and development of land, agriculture and forestry resources. This is
accomplished through the delivery of technical support, training and advice to island members in the
areas of plant protection, conservation and use of plant genetic resources, animal health and
production, Agroforestry, sustainable systems for agriculture, forestry and land management, and
Biosecurity and trade facilitation.
SOPAC’s core business is to apply geoscience and technology to realize new opportunities for
improving the livelihoods of Pacific communities. This is accomplished through the delivery of
technical support to assist PICTs to monitor and assess natural resources, systems and processes;
develop, manage and govern their natural resources; and manage vulnerability and risks. SOPAC
hosts the core SPC geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing capability which
utilizes state-of-the-art assessment and monitoring of resources, their status and their use.
GIS/remote sensing services are delivered using modern technologies such as satellite imagery and
global positioning systems, underpinning mapping and modeling of natural resource systems.
Project Goal
The goal of the project is to enhance the climate resilience of food production systems in selected
PICTs (Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu), in particular, to carry out
vegetation and land cover mapping and improve food security to build resilience to a changing
climate.
The project will do this by promoting integrated agricultural production systems based on
assessments of the climate resilience of existing systems at selected sites, and guided by improved
land-system data and analysis tools, such as vegetation and land use mapping and the application of
GIS. It will build the capacity of participating countries to utilize GIS tools and techniques to help
identify key areas of food supply vulnerability, and to monitor vegetation and land cover change
overtime. It has to build the capacity to sustainably monitor changes. These assessments will be
based on the most up-to-date country level climate change projections available. The project
outputs will also be used to help inform the development of national and agriculture sector climate
change adaptation response strategies in the recipient countries and other PICTs.
The project will also work closely with other ongoing climate change projects in the target countries
in the land resources and coastal marine sectors to ensure an integrated approach to climate change
and food security issues.
Project Manager Position
The Project Manager will be responsible for overseeing and managing the implementation and
delivery of project outputs to SPC members; ongoing project planning, budgeting and reporting; and
managing of project staff. He/She will also be required to: work as part of SPC’s broader climate
change programme delivery team across the organization; ensure that project activities are
integrated with ongoing SPC programme activities in member countries and with those of other
regional programmes; and represent SPC at relevant national and regional meetings.
The Project Manager will be responsible to the Director of the Strategic Engagement, Policy and
Planning Facility (SEPPF).
Project Manager Position Key Result Areas
 The Project Manager will oversee and manage the implementation of the project, delivering
the following major functions or Key Result Areas:

Overall project management, including ensuring the delivery of project activities and
ensuring quality control;

Project planning, budgeting and administration and ensuring activities are delivered,
consistent with work plans and budgets;
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Monitoring annual project work plans and budgets, monitoring TORs for short- and mediumterm project technical assistance providers, and monitoring contractor selection;
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Monitoring and reporting according to the terms and conditions contained in the SPC/USAID
grant agreement;
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Ensuring the integration of project activities with related activities elsewhere in SPC,
especially other climate change-related activities, and contribute to ongoing national and
other regional related initiatives;
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Overseeing the production of project communications materials that highlight the
contribution the USAID project is making to build the capacity of selected PICTs to build
resilience to a changing climate.
SELECTION CRITERIA
 Degree in a relevant discipline including but not limited to natural resource management,
resource economics, agriculture science and preferably with a good understanding of
climate change and / or remote sensing.
 At least seven years’ relevant working experience, preferably with direct experience in PICTs.

Experience in managing multi-country development projects/programmes, and working
within a regional or international institutional environment.
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Proven ability to work as part of a broader team delivering technical assistance to
developing countries.
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Excellent interpersonal skills in the multicultural environment of the Pacific region.
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Excellent English communication skills (oral and written).
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Excellent computer skills across necessary applications.
SALARY, TERMS AND CONDITIONS SALARY AND ALLOWANCES
The position is in Band 11 of SPC’s salary scale.
Salaries for staff recruited internationally are set in SDR (special drawing rights) and paid in the local
currency (i.e. the Fiji dollar, FJD, in Fiji). As per SPC’s 2011 salary scale, the salary range for this band
is SDR 2,553–3,830 per month. At prevailing exchange rates, these amounts convert to
approximately FJD 7,498–11,248 per month (USD 4,200–6,300; € 2,900–4,400).
An offer of appointment for an initial contract will be made in the lower half of this range, with due
consideration being given to experience and qualifications.
The organization subsidizes housing. A housing allowance of 75 per cent of the total rental, up to a
limit of FJD 2,625 per month, will be provided. The minimum housing allowance payable is FJD 1,170
per month.
In addition, an establishment grant will be payable to non-residents of Fiji.
Where appropriate, other allowances, such as an education allowance, may be payable.
While SPC emoluments are not subject to income tax in Fiji at the present time, this status is
currently under review by the Government of Fiji. Any change in this status will apply to Fiji
nationals.
PROVIDENT FUND
The appointee will be eligible for membership in SPC’s Staff Provident Fund. Staff members
contribute eight per cent of their base salary, to which SPC adds a matching contribution.
TENURE
The appointment is for a period of three years, with the possibility of renewal for a further period
depending on performance and continued funding availability.
DUTY STATION
Suva, Fiji.
LEAVE
Annual leave will accrue at the rate of 25 working days per annum. For expatriate staff members,
home leave fares are payable after 18 months of service.
Sick leave is 30 working days per annum.
MEDICAL BENEFITS
SPC’s Staff Medical Insurance reimburses doctor fees, cost of prescribed medicines, surgical and
hospital costs, etc. up to certain percentages and limits. Supplementary medical insurance is
available to increase these percentage reimbursements and limits.
FARES AND REMOVAL EXPENSES
For an appointee recruited outside of Fiji, the cost of air fares by the most direct and/or economic
route for the appointee and recognized dependants, and reasonable removal expenses by sea of
personal and household effects, will be met by SPC on appointment and termination.
COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT
SPC has a standardized computing environment based on Microsoft Office running under Microsoft
Windows.
SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT
Smoking is not permitted in the work place.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
SPC is an equal-opportunity employer. Recruitment is based entirely on merit, but in cases where
two shortlisted candidates are ranked equal by the selection committee, preference will be given to
Pacific Island nationals.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
The closing date for applications is 20 January 2011.
Applicants are asked to use SPC’s online recruitment system by following the link
http://www.spc.int/job.html.
Applicants who cannot access the online recruitment system may send their documents to: DirectorGeneral, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, P.O. Box D5, 98848 NOUMEA CEDEX, New Caledonia,
or submit them by fax (+687 26 38 18) or email ([email protected]) preferably as an electronic attachment
in Microsoft Word format.
Applicants should provide their curriculum vitae and specifically address how their qualifications,
knowledge and experience demonstrate their ability to successfully undertake the duties and
responsibilities of the position in their cover letter. They should also provide names and contact
details of three referees.
____________________________