* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download (Box 3). Increased understanding of climate change and biodiversity
Global warming wikipedia , lookup
Fred Singer wikipedia , lookup
Soon and Baliunas controversy wikipedia , lookup
Michael E. Mann wikipedia , lookup
Climatic Research Unit email controversy wikipedia , lookup
General circulation model wikipedia , lookup
Heaven and Earth (book) wikipedia , lookup
Climate change feedback wikipedia , lookup
Climatic Research Unit documents wikipedia , lookup
Politics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
ExxonMobil climate change controversy wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on human health wikipedia , lookup
Climate sensitivity wikipedia , lookup
Climate change denial wikipedia , lookup
Climate resilience wikipedia , lookup
Economics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Climate engineering wikipedia , lookup
Climate governance wikipedia , lookup
Citizens' Climate Lobby wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in Tuvalu wikipedia , lookup
Attribution of recent climate change wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and agriculture wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in the United States wikipedia , lookup
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme wikipedia , lookup
Solar radiation management wikipedia , lookup
Hotspot Ecosystem Research and Man's Impact On European Seas wikipedia , lookup
Climate change adaptation wikipedia , lookup
Media coverage of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Public opinion on global warming wikipedia , lookup
Scientific opinion on climate change wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on Australia wikipedia , lookup
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on humans wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and poverty wikipedia , lookup
Climate change, industry and society wikipedia , lookup
Surveys of scientists' views on climate change wikipedia , lookup
MacArthur Foundation Grant Final Report, July 2012 START International Inc. July 31, 2012 Name and address of Grantee: START International Inc. Registered Office: 1209 Orange Street Wilmington, DE 19801 Operating Arm and Office for Communications: International START Secretariat 2000 Florida Avenue NW, Suite 200 Washington DC 20009 Project Title: Capacity Building for Adaptation: Education and Training Program on Climate Change and Biodiversity for the Albertine Rift Region Grant Number: 09-94858-000-GSS Project Dates: June 1, 2009 – May 31, 2012 Prepared by The International START Secretariat, Washington DC MacArthur Foundation Grant Final Report, July 2012 START International Inc. Background START’s Education and Training program funded by the MacArthur Foundation and implemented in collaboration with the Institute of Resource Assessment (IRA), University of Dar es Salaam represents our continued commitment to the capacity building of individuals and institutions to cope with climate change risks to ecosystems and biodiversity in the Albertine rift region. Phase 1 of this initiative was implemented in 2007-2008 and successfully trained a pool of 20 conservation professionals from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, many of which continue to be actively engaged in addressing key challenges to conservation in the region and beyond. The Phase 2 program offered substantial enhancements over Phase 1, while sharing several common elements with its predecessor. Key components of Phase 2 include: a. Advanced education and training courses for conservation practitioners, researchers, educators and students b. Field based externship research for hands on learning and application of knowledge acquired in the classroom. c. Training of Trainers (TOT) exercise targeted at educators from Albertine Rift universities to enable them to incorporate knowledge about climate change and biodiversity conservation in their own university curricula. d. Online distance learning modules developed from the program curriculum to help expand the program’s reach to a wider audience. e. A Stakeholder Dialogue to brings together scientists, practitioners, educators, NGOs, and policy-makers to share perspectives on the impacts of and adaptation to climate change and other natural and anthropogenic stressors in Albertine Rift region A Program Advisory Committee was set up to guide the implementation of activities under Phase 2. The committee, comprising experts in climate change and biodiversity conservation from Africa and beyond, included: Pius Yanda, Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam Beth Kaplan, Antioch University, USA and National University of Rwanda Guy Picton Phillipps, Wildlife Conservation Society, Tanzania Program Guy Midgley, South African National Biodiversity Institute Robert Scholes, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Zambia Jane Olwoch, University of Pretoria Anne Larigauderie, DIVERSITAS Hal Mooney, Stanford University Department of Biology, USA The primary role of the Advisory Committee was to provide intellectual guidance on high priority issues facing the Albertine Rift region with respect to climate change. Committee members’ inputs guided key program components namely curriculum updates, externship design, distance learning modules and engagement of policy and decision-making communities. Project Objectives: The overall goal of the project was to develop a sustainable capacity building program for conservation professionals and policy-makers in the Albertine Rift region by continuing to 1 engage and strengthen individuals and institutions throughout the region, and in doing so foster a network that can work across borders to address the challenge of biodiversity conservation under a changing climate. This effort intended to: Address the substantial capacity gaps in, and the high demand for, education and training on biodiversity conservation and climate change, as was highlighted in START’s report to the MacArthur foundation for the Phase 1 project. Expand the number of trained professionals who can develop and implement strategies to address climate change risks to biodiversity in the Albertine Rift region, and in doing so develop a ‘critical mass’ of trained professionals able to engage in collaborative efforts across the region. Strengthen local institutions and inform policy making processes that sustain, beyond the lifetime of this project, efforts to integrate climate change considerations into biodiversity conservation Specific objectives include: Improving the quality and content of the curriculum on biodiversity conservation and climate change. Focusing the externships on training participants to assess climate change risks to biodiversity and ecosystems in the region in order to inform management. Expanding the reach of the education and training efforts across the Albertine Rift region by targeting educators and by developing distance learning modules. Conducting a science-policy/stakeholder dialogue based on key issues and findings of the externship assessments to engage Albertine Rift-country policy-makers and other key decision-makers on issues of biodiversity conservation and climate change. Further fostering regional networks of scientists, conservation professionals, and policy makers in the Albertine Rift region capable of conducting assessments of sufficient quality to be included in international assessments, such as the upcoming Millennium Assessment Phase II and related Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and the 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Summary of achievements during the project period: The Phase 2 program further advanced efforts towards addressing the existing capacity gap in understanding challenges to biodiversity conservation from climate change and the critical need for strategic action to preserve key natural resources in the Albertine Rift region. It widened its reach beyond the limited scope of education and training program to potentially inform climate sensitive decision-making in the region. It highlighted the need to account for climate change as one of many natural and anthropogenic drivers that influence biodiversity and impact human well-being as elaborated in the Millennium Assessment Report (MA, 2005). It emphasized the need to prioritize sustainability of critical ecosystem services in any strategic approach to conservation and adopted an integrated approach to capacity building that can potentially respond to meeting conservation goals and key developmental needs in the region. To meet its proposed objectives, the curriculum developed for the Phase 1 effort in 2008 was updated and implemented as advanced Education and Training modules in Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation for 30 participants at the University of Dar es Salaam in 2010. This curriculum is also available as a distance learning resource on the START website. Courses at Dar es Salaam were followed by externships assessments undertaken by participants at various 2 field sites in DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Tanzania. A Stakeholder Dialogue in November 2011 brought together a diverse group of individuals variously engaged in conservation related efforts in the region to share personal perspectives of multiple risks to ecosystems and biodiversity. All individuals and institutions involved in the various components of this capacity building effort are now a part of START’s growing alumni network wherein they continue to be engaged in other capacity building initiatives targeted at sustaining ecosystem goods and services in Africa. A detailed description of these activities in provided under their corresponding objectives below. Objective 1: Improving the quality and content of the curriculum on climate change and biodiversity conservation 1. Curriculum update A review of the Phase 1 training program curriculum was undertaken with IRA to identify areas for improvement and to better address high priority conservation issues in the region. Recommendations from the review included updating course content to account for participant feedback on the Phase 1 curriculum; reflecting recent advances in scientific understanding of climate change and biodiversity conservation challenges; and updating suggested readings. Course modules and their content were also reorganized for more effective and efficient presentation of information. The goal was to ensure that course modules remain responsive to the needs of participating practitioners, researchers, students, and educators and can offer decision support for addressing biodiversity conservation and climate change related challenges in the region. A key improvement to the curriculum was the strong emphasis on linking biodiversity conservation to sustaining ecosystem goods and services that form the basis of human livelihoods and survival. This aspect is particularly important for many developing regions where achieving key Milliennium Development Goals (MDG) is often closely tied to the sustained availability of basic ecosystem goods and services. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) framework, which identifies multiple direct and indirect drivers of ecosystem change and emphasizes conservation of key supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services was therefore adopted as the underlying basis of curriculum modules. This was intended to underscore the importance of situating biodiversity conservation within the larger context of human wellbeing at multiple spatial and temporal scales and the need to recognize climate change as one of many drivers of change. A new module focusing on the co-benefits of mitigation and adaptation strategies from the perspective of biodiversity conservation was also added. This module provided information on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) programs of the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which have seen substantial implementation in many developing regions. The REDD program is particularly gaining popularity in the Albertine Rift region due to the significant potential for mitigation and adaptation benefits from the protection of forests and reforestation and afforestation initiatives. Curriculum modifications based on Phase 1 evaluation feedback included better streamlining of module contents to allow for an added emphasis on: a) hands-on interactive learning; b) methods and tools used in scientific and social assessments of climate change impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems; c) case study exercises; and d) research proposal writing. An additional recommendation that came out of the Phase 1 evaluation was access to actual modeling tools (including software). While this was given due consideration, it was not logistically feasible to 3 provide individual participants personal copies of such tools. Instead a demonstration of various tools and techniques was included in the curriculum with the anticipation that participants may subsequently be able to acquire tool(s) relevant to their work through their home institutions. Indeed many participants were able to access and use statistical and GIS software in their externship assessment projects. The Advisory Committee provided valuable guidance in the curriculum development process particularly in areas of design and content, methods and tools that could be used for in-class instruction as well as suggestions for course readings. Every effort was made to incorporate these recommendations into the final curriculum, which was organized into 10 modules (Box 1). A detailed program curriculum is included in Appendix 1. Box 1: Curriculum outline Curriculum: Education and Training program on climate change and biodiversity conservation. 1. 2. Biodiversity in a Changing Climate: An Overview The Climate system: Processes, Variability and Change - The Climate System and Greenhouse Effect - Climate Change in the Recent and Distant Past - Climate Change Projections for the Future 3. Implications of Climate Change for Human Well-being 4. Ecosystems and Biodiversity and their Vulnerability to Climate Change - Ecosystem Concepts and Processes - Ecosystem Goods and Services - Mechanisms by which Climate Change Affects Ecosystems and Observed - Impacts 5. Current Approaches to Biodiversity Conservation 6. Strategies for Adapting Biodiversity Conservation to Climate Change Impacts - Approaches to Designing Landscapes under a Changing Climate - Management of Protected Areas - Protecting Matrix Areas - Community-inclusive Approaches 7. Synergies and Trade-offs between Adaptation of Ecosystems and Biodiversity and Climate Change Mitigation Initiatives in the Region 8. Methods and Tools - Modeling Climate Change Impacts - Socio-economic Assessment of Ecosystem Changes - Designing and Monitoring Adaptive Management Strategies - Examining synergies with Climate Change Mitigation Initiatives (i.e. REDD, CDM, other bio-resource projects etc.) 9. Case studies of climate change threats to the biodiversity of the Albertine Rift and strategies for adaptation 10. Proposal Writing for Externship Research 2. Organization and implementation of the Education and Training Program The Education and Training program was implemented at the University of Dar es Salaam during 19 July – 3 September 2010, with the Training of Trainers (TOT) component on 6 – 9 September, 2010. Participants were selected based on a competitive application process following a program announcement in early February 2010 that was widely disseminated via START and IRA networks, partner institution networks, African Universities, local newspapers, and relevant email listservs. More than 200 applications were received including some from outside the Albertine 4 Rift region. It was noted that male applicants were proportionally higher than females and fewer applications were received from the Francophone countries - Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo. A total of 30 participants were selected based on the relevance of their educational and professional backgrounds to the program. Of these, 20 were early to mid-career conservation practitioners, researchers and one graduate student from the five Albertine Rift countries. In addition10 educators teaching courses related to conservation and natural resources management at universities and colleges in the Albertine rift region were selected to also participate in the Training of Trainers (TOT) program. During the first week of the program, 2 of the selected 30 participants, from Burundi and Rwanda respectively, had to quit due to personal emergencies. Their departure at such a time made it difficult to bring in replacements from the reserve applicant pool from these countries. Instead, only one local substitute from the Tanzania reserve applicant list was able to join the program and the final count of participants was 29 (Table 1). The departure of these participants unfortunately skewed the country-wise distribution. The list of selected participants is included in Appendix 2. Table 1: Distribution of participants by country Country No. of participants Courses + externships Courses + TOT Burundi 3 1 Democratic Republic of Congo 4 2 Rwanda 3 2 Tanzania 5 3 Uganda 4 2 Faculty for the programme was sourced from a wide range of expertise, largely from the University of Dar es Salaam as well as from the Sokoine University of Agriculture (Tanzania), York University (UK), Mbarara University (Uganda), National University of Rwanda and Tanzania Meteorological Agency. A detailed list of program faculty is available in Appendix 3. Courses at the University of the Dar es Salaam campus were organized as interactive seminar sessions over a span of 6 weeks. The initial 3-week session focused on enabling an understanding of climate change, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem goods and services, and strategies for adaptation. The final 3 weeks were dedicated to more practical exercises in applying various methods and tools, case study exercises and proposal writing for externship research. 3. Field visit A 1-week break was organized between the two sessions to provide participants a respite from the intense pace of instruction and to accommodate a field visit to three conservation sites in Tanzania i.e. Udzungwa Mountain National Park, Uluguru Mountains and Mikumi National Park. While it would ideally have been preferable to target Albertine Rift locations for this activity, this was not practically feasible due to the significant distance and travel time involved. The Tanzania sites were nonetheless quite relevant in providing participants a first hand experience of key challenges to biodiversity conservation and enabled them to examine similarities and differences with Albertine Rift protected areas in their own countries. The field visit included tours of the protected areas, information sessions by park authorities, and interactive exchanges on current challenges to conservation and potential impacts of a changing climate. Discussions largely centered around key conservation issues experienced in each park; relevance of each park in the context of ecosystem goods and services; known climatic and non- 5 climatic stresses as well as existing responses and coping strategies; structures of management and governance; and the roles of key stakeholders. Participants’ feedback on similarities / dissimilarities with protected areas in their home countries in the Albertine rift was sought. Some of the major challenges to climate change adaptation identified by participants include: - Existing issues of natural resource degradation, biodiversity loss and rural livelihoods Weak coordination and cooperation among relevant actors with respect to decisionmaking for conservation Need for innovative approaches in addressing multiple challenges under climate change The suite of recommendations that came out of participant assessments include the need for: - - Increased community engagement in ecosystem management Reforms in current laws and regulations to fully account for multiple stressors and enable greater sustainability in ecosystem management Increased research on climate change challenges to conservation in the region to enable appropriate response and adaption measures. Increased coordination between protected area management and the management of matrix areas for more effective response strategies and greater sustainability of resource conservation and development. Effective park monitoring that is strategically focused on key target species and processes 4. Case study exercises For case study exercises participants were divided into country teams to develop a baseline understanding of the current status of a protected area in their home country. Participants used existing scientific literature and other resources to collate information on the status of ecosystems and biodiversity in their selected areas and their roles in the provision of key goods and services. They applied classroom learning and the field trip experience to assess existing climatic and nonclimatic stressors, their implications for conservation and human well-being and emerging risks under a changing climate. They also examined current management strategies and developed recommendations for addressing multiple risks and sustaining ecosystem services. Each team presented their case study in class, which provided an opportunity for significant interaction and sharing of multiple perspectives and experiences. Some of the key challenges to conservation identified in the case study exercises include a noted increase in the occurrence of extreme events primarily droughts and floods, irregularities in the succession of seasons, higher temperature trends and increasing habitat fragmentation. All case study teams identified habitat fragmentation as an important non-climatic stressor that posed a critical challenge to conservation. Other important non-climatic stressors were increasing populations, expanding agricultural encroachment of park areas, poaching, wildfires, charcoal burning and invasive alien species. Poverty in the region was another factor that served to increase dependence on ecosystem resources and often led to their exploitation and degradation. Also emphasized in the presentations was the need for more readily available information and data on current and future trends in climate for the region that could enable more effective decision-making. Objective 2: Focusing the externships on training participants to assess climate change risks to biodiversity and ecosystems in the region in order to inform management The design of externships was given careful consideration under Phase 2 with the objective of generating outputs that can add value to the understanding of conservation related challenges in 6 the region. An additional consideration in externship design was the continued emphasis on assessing risks to ecosystem goods and services critical for ensuring human well-being. 1. Externship research proposal development The case study activity described above laid the groundwork for a more intensive exercise in externship proposal development. Training of Trainer participants did not conduct externship assessments but participated in proposal writing nonetheless to strengthen their teaching skills. Proposal writing was undertaken by participants working in country teams under the guidance of IRA faculty to build upon their case studies and develop one proposals per team to assess risks posed by climate change and other stressors to high priority conservation targets in their selected locations (Table 4). Participant proposals also sought to examine the implications of such risks for the sustainability of key ecosystem goods and services in the region. Final team proposals were presented to the participant group, which resulted in significant critical examination by peers and further refinement to the final products. 2. Execution of externship research Externship research was conducted by the five country teams in their selected locations under the supervision of an expert supervisor associated with a local conservation institution or organization, which served as the team’s host institution (Table 2). The research was conducted during October – December 2010, after the conclusion of the training program at the University of Dar es Salaam. Nineteen participants, excluding the TOT group, executed the on-location externships. Team composition ranged from 2 to 6 individuals depending upon the number of participants per country (Table 1: courses + externships column). The last minute withdrawal of 2 participants from Burundi and Rwanda respectively reduced the team size for these countries. Moreover, one participant from Rwanda joined the Tanzania team for externship research since he was then enrolled in a Masters program at Sokoine University in Tanzania and was unable to obtain an extended leave of absence to perform externship research with this country team. This generated a somewhat larger Tanzanian team with 6 participants. Table 2: Participant externships, host institutions and supervisors Country Externship title Supervisor Burundi DR Congo Rwanda Tanzania Uganda Impact of climate change on water resources and biodiversity conservation in Kibira National Park Impact of climate change on biodiversity and livelihoods in central Virunga National Park Impact of climate change and climate variability on the altitudinal ranging movements of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park Impacts of climate change on biodiversity and community livelihoods in the Katavi Ecosystem Community and park management strategies for addressing climate change in Queen Elizabeth National Park Host Institution Dr. Elias Bizuru# Burundi Nature Action Dr. Arthur Kalonji Tayna Center for Conservation Biology Dr. Elias Bizuru# Department of Biology, National University of Rwanda Dr. Richard Kangalawe Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam Department of Biology, Mbarara University Dr. Julius Lejju # Dr. Elias Bizuru is associated with the NGO, Burundi Nature Action in Burundi and is a professor at the National University of Rwanda. In that capacity he supervised both country teams. Each participant was provided with a stipend of $2500 to facilitate their externship assessment. Formal agreements were drawn with externship host institutions and supervisors prior to the 7 commencement of externships to ensure their commitment towards facilitating the process and providing adequate supervision and institutional support. Most externships were initiated in October 2010. Only the Tanzanian team had to delay their assessment by a few weeks due to general elections in October 2010, which hampered normal institutional functioning and field travel. Nonetheless all teams had completed externship fieldwork by January 2011 and submitted final reports to START and IRA by March 2011. Externship reports have been reviewed by START and are available on our website at: http://start.org/programs/biodiv Externship teams used available climate data, physical observations, community surveys and interviews, and focus group discussions coupled with available secondary data to identify key climatic and non-climatic drivers of change and their influence on ecosystems and biodiversity. The availability and extent of meteorological data varied for the different study sites with no data available for Virunga National Park in DR Congo due to a destruction of all weather monitoring equipment during a recent period of armed conflict. Assessments were not just restricted to national park boundaries but also took into account the role of communities thriving outside the boundaries of the park. Inputs from community members and park management indicate an increasing variability in climate for all the five sites in recent decades in particular, irregularities and seasonal changes in rainfall, warmer temperatures and increasing frequency of extreme events (Table 3). Table 3: Community and park management perceptions of recent changes in climate at the five externship assessment sites Country Climatic drivers Temperature ? DR Congo Burundi Rwanda Uganda Tanzania Precipitation and * and and Extreme events ? Increasing trend Variable trend ? No reported inputs from community members or park management personnel *Deforestation has also contributed to the decline in rainfall in recent decades Table 4: Non-climatic drivers of change in the Albertine rift region identified by local communities and park management * * Irrigation farming is a serious threat in Katavi National Park 8 Industrial / Commercial activities Fire Armed conflict Poaching and hunting Pests and infectious diseases Resource extraction Invasive species Deforestation DR Congo Burundi Rwanda Uganda Tanzania Non-climatic drivers Agriculture and livestock rearing Country Community members and park management personnel expressed greater concern for the day-today challenges from non-climatic stresses, which hamper conservation objectives and impact local livelihoods. Anthropogenic activities represent the majority of non-climatic stresses mainly deforestation, slash and burn agriculture, unsustainable resource extraction from protected areas, livestock grazing, competition with wildlife for water resources, illegal practices such as hunting and poaching, as well as industrial / commercial development (Table 4). The pressures from a rapidly growing population in the region only serve to compound these stresses. Figure 1: Interrelationships between drivers of change and their impacts on ecosystem goods and services and human well-being across spatial and temporal scales (Adapted from: The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005) 9 Habitat loss, habitat modification and degradation were some of the biggest impacts of climatic and non-climatic drivers of change in the externship sites. This has resulted in changes in ecosystem composition; changes in species distribution and loss of species; and changes in plant phenology and animal behavior; and loss of ecological functions. The ecosystem impacts of multiple stresses have affected human livelihoods in terms of reduced crop yields; reduced availability of fodder for livestock; impacts on other natural resources dependent livelihoods such as fisheries; and impacts on tourism and tourism related businesses. Human health is also affected due to malnutrition, increased proliferation of diseases such as malaria and cholera. The externship assessments reveal that the multiples drivers of change and their impacts on ecosystems and human well-being are interconnected by two-way feedback loops thereby influencing and in turn being influenced by their individual components (Figure 1). From a management perspective, the weak understanding of emerging risks from climate change and their myriad interactions with already existing natural and anthropogenic stresses has resulted in the relative absence of any planned adaptation for ecosystems and biodiversity in the Albertine Rift. Park Management initiatives are generally targeted at protecting vegetation and wildlife from degradation by local communities and are usually very symptomatic in nature. Community coping strategies to address these changing risks also generally tend to be reactive and are influenced by the greater urgency of meeting livelihood and food security needs. A framework for adaptation that is cognizant of the dynamic nature of natural systems and facilitates knowledge generation, knowledge communication and networking and informed action across multiple scales and sectors is recommended. A detailed synthesis of the externship assessments is available in Appendix 4 Objective 3: Expanding the reach of the education and training efforts across the Albertine Rift region by targeting educators and by developing distance learning modules. 1. Implementing the Training of Trainers program In the Phase 2 program, an added training component was the Training of Trainers (TOT) module organized during 6 – 9 September, 2010 and implemented exclusively for the 10 participating educators from Albertine Rift region universities (Table 2 and Appendix 2). The TOT module (Box 1), developed in collaboration with the Center for Virtual Learning (CVL), University of Dar es Salaam, was intended to equip regional educators with enhanced teaching and curriculum development skills on climate change challenges to conservation. The objective was to expand training capability beyond the University of Dar es Salaam and thereby develop long-term sustained capacity in the region to inform the next generation of conservation experts. Sessions, led by CVL faculty, included training in methodological aspects of teaching, using distance learning materials as teaching tools and practical applications of the Education and Training program course materials (uploaded online), in curriculum development and teaching. Box 2: Distance learning module 1. Methodological aspects of teaching climate change - Learning process - Important stages of a lesson development - Learning theories and Implications to education 2. Use of online distance learning modules in teaching - Dynamics of teaching and learning at a distance - Online discussion 10 A detailed TOT curriculum is available with this report in Appendix 5. A portion of the TOT session was led by START staff to engage participants in interactive discussions and obtain their perspectives on curriculum needs for teaching about climate change and biodiversity conservation. Participants were introduced to several existing online curriculum tools on climate change and/or conservation available at Conservation Training, Network of Conservation of Conservation Educators and Practioners (NCEP), Windows to the Universe, International Long Term Ecological Research (ILTER), Adaptation Learning Platforms, WeAdapt, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), etc. that could serve as useful teaching resources. Participants were also informed about several sources of peer reviewed and grey literature relevant to biodiversity conservation and/or climate change. Development of online distance learning modules: Using curriculum, readings and presentations from the Education and Training program distance learning modules have been developed to serve as a teaching resource for educators in the Albertine Rift region and beyond. A review of existing distance learning modules on climate change and biodiversity conservation revealed that these learning resources did not adopt the integrated approach of understanding climate change risks to biodiversity from the perspective of conservation planning and sustaining critical ecosystem goods and services. Instead, current online learning tools either separately address the subject of climate change or biodiversity conservation depending upon the mission of their host organization. [For example climate change science is the focus of Windows to the Universe modules by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and NOAA’s education and outreach modules; on the other hand the Conservation Training Modules by the Nature Conservancy and the NCEP modules focus mainly on biodiversity conservation and forestry]. The task of developing the distance learning modules was initially assigned to IRA to be accomplished during 2010. Progress was initially stalled due to staff shortages and uncertain capabilities at IRA. The institution subsequently underwent a change in leadership, which resulted in further delays. In response to these obstacles, START eventually took over this task from IRA in 2011. START staff conducted a review of existing distance learning modules to familiarize themselves with the content, design and organization aspects of this task. They used curriculum, readings and presentations from the Education and Training Program as well as other resources to prepare a set of teaching tools on climate change science; climate change impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity and human well-being; and implications for conservation. START anticipates that these modules can form the basis of a growing e-learning resource housed within the START website and equipped with curriculum, tools and learning resources not just limited to climate change and conservation but encompassing a range of topics relevant to the implications of global environmental change for human and natural systems. The Distance Learning modules are available at: http://start.org/programs/biodiv/learningresources Objective 4: Conducting a science-policy dialogue based on key issues and findings from the externship assessments to engage Albertine Rift-country policy-makers and other key decisionmakers on issues of biodiversity conservation and climate change. A multi-stakeholder Dialogue on Climate Change, Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services was convened by START in collaboration with IRA. Targeted at participants from the Albertine Rift countries of Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, DR Congo and Tanzania, the event was held at the Kunduchi Beach Hotel, Dar es Salaam on 15-16 November 2011. The Dialogue brought together conservation practitioners, experts, academics, policy and decision-makers and 11 NGO representatives to participate in interactive sessions and share individual perspectives on impacts of and adaptation to climate change and other natural and anthropogenic stressors in Albertine Rift region (Table 5). Table 5: Stakeholder Dialogue sessions Opening Session Welcome, introductions and remarks from key dignitaries Conservation and Ecosystem Services in the Albertine Rift – Opportunities Session 1 and Challenges National-Regional Assessments and Relevance for Decision-Making Session 2 Breakout group activities Session 3 Regional universities as key Players in Addressing Climate Change Risks to Session 4 Conservation and Ecosystem Services Enabling Decision-Making for Conservation and Sustaining Ecosystem Session 5 services and Livelihoods under a Changing Climate. The primary emphasis of the dialogue was on challenges from multiple drivers of ecosystem change that pose serious risks to the region’s unique biodiversity and impact ecosystem services. The Dialogue also provided a platform for sharing findings from regional externships research projects conducted by participants from both phases of the Education and Training program. Based on participant presentations and outputs from breakout group activities, non-climatic drivers such as population growth, illegal activities (e.g. poaching), invasive species, deforestation, mining, conflicts, land degradation, wildfires, natural disasters and governance/institutional inadequacies were identified as urgent priorities to be addressed. A weak understanding of changes in climate and their impacts at local and regional scales resulted in a slightly lower prioritization of climatic risks. Participants however recognized that reducing impacts from such non-climatic drivers could build resilience under a changing climate. Climatic risks deemed important due to their impacts on ecosystem services and human livelihoods were extreme events such as floods and droughts, unpredictable rainfall patterns and increased temperature. Lack of awareness; lack of adequate data and monitoring; lack of effective policies and regulation; lack of political commitment; history of regional conflict; and lack of resources were commonly identified barriers to informing and enabling effective action. Dialogue participants acknowledged that targeted responses that are placed based and context specific are urgently needed to address natural and anthropogenic risks to biodiversity and human well-being in the Albertine Rift region. Adequate data and monitoring and enhanced understanding of local changes in climate and its impacts will be necessary to enable such responses. Participants strongly emphasized the need for: a) Capacity building through education, training and awareness building; b) Increased support for research and assessment to better inform adaptation actions; and c) Collaboration and networking among regional institutions and key stakeholders. The following recommendations were made for building capacity, supporting knowledge generation and facilitating collaboration and communication in support of conservation objectives: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Building awareness and enabling knowledge sharing Upgrading formal education Effectively engaging decision-makers Effectively engaging other stakeholder groups Prioritizing and enabling action Examining opportunities in other programs: Sustaining the effort 12 A detailed Dialogue report is available in Appendix 6 Objective 5: Further fostering regional networks of scientists, conservation professionals, and policy makers in the Albertine Rift region capable of conducting assessments of sufficient quality to be included in international assessments, such as the upcoming Millennium Assessment Phase II and related Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and the 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Program alumni from Phases 1 and 2, faculty and staff engaged in the training and externship activities as well as institutions associated with alumni, faculty and externship research projects are a part of START’s regional network that can potentially contribute to furthering conservation related knowledge and influencing decision-making in the Albertine Rift. Several program alumni have successfully leveraged their participation in the Education and Training program to actively engage in advanced research or contribute towards decision-making and action through their positions in government institutions/ministries, in non-governmental organizations, as protected area ecologists and managers, as Masters and PhD students, as educators in universities and through engagement with other relevant national and international programs (Table 6). The Stakeholder Dialogue helped to further grow START’s network and generated an opportunity for participants to also collaborate with the Regional Network of Conservation Educators in the Albertine Rift (RNCEAR). Table 6: Examples of alumni engagement in research, decision-making and action Engagement level Institutional examples Government Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA); Tanzania Wildlife Research institutions / Institute (TAWIRI); Ministry of Agriculture, Tanzania; Geographic ministries Institute of Burundi; Department of Forestry (Burundi); Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Burundi; Ministries of Environment and Agriculture in Uganda; Uganda Wildlife Authority; Rwanda Development Board (Tourism); Rwanda agricultural research institute; National Forest Authority (Rwanda) Non-government Jane Goodall Institute; World Wildlife Fund; Greenwatch; Tayna Center organizations for Conservation Biology, Congo; CARPE/IUCN PACO; OCEAN: Center for Research in Natural Sciences, DRCU; Burundi Nature Action; Association for nature conservation in Rwanda Advanced education Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium (PhD); Master's program in (Masters and PhD Management, Access and Conservation of Species; International programs) University of Andalucia in Spain; International training UNITAR’s climate diplomacy program; SEI-UNISDR-UNU writeshop; programs African Climate Change Fellowship Program; UC Davis Education and University of Dar es Salaam; College of African Wildlife, Tanzania; Research Institutions National University of Rwanda; University of Burundi; DR Congo University; Institut suupérieur pédagogique de popokabaka, DR Congo; Rwandan Agricultural Research Institute; Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles of Lwiro, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo Regular communication is maintained with alumni and participants primarily to apprise them of new knowledge and developments in the field; inform them of new opportunities for research, training and action; and to remain informed about their professional progress. The primary mode of communication is email even though a Facebook page for program alumni has been generated to facilitate to serve as a platform for interaction between alumni, faculty and START/IRA staff. 13 It was anticipated that the Facebook page would enable tharing of information, resources and opportunities related to biodiversity conservation and climate change. Facebook was favored in place of a new web-based platform embedded within the START website because it was assumed that most alumni would be more familiar with this mode of communication. However online communication has not met with much success and postings on Facebook are very infrequent. Participants have pointed to busy work schedules, frequent fieldwork, and limited access to the internet as barriers to active participation in online communication. Other options, besides email, to sustain interactive networking between program alumni in the longer term must be examined. In addition to connecting with alumni START and IRA make every effort to keep other conservation related organizations apprised of their capacity building efforts in the Albertine Rift. Several international organizations such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Diversitas, Nature and Poverty, Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Ecosystems and Livelihoods Adaptation Network (ELAN) have invited contributions from START on experiences and lessons learned from this program. Major constraints, challenges or changes in context: To a large extent constraints and challenges have been discussed in their relevant contexts above. To re-iterate in brief here, some of the major constraints and challenges faced include: Continuing the capacity building effort: Acquiring sustained funding for continuing the effort in the long term, particularly given the significant demand for the program, presents a challenge. Balancing participation by gender, country and language: Fewer applications were received from Francophone countries and from female individuals. Offering the program in French could potentially invite additional applications from Francophone countries although this would require dedicated resources for teaching and translation of publications. Ensuring a gender balance could be harder although greater effort could be made to encourage female applicants. The skewed gender balance could also likely be attributed to fewer females engaged in this area of work. Maintaining the alumni network: Maintaining the alumni network presents a challenge in terms of ensuring regular communication and potentially collaboration. While dedicated efforts by START staff have maintained a level of email communication but alumni must be encouraged to communicate within themselves to share information and knowledge. Perhaps dedicated funding to support physical alumni meetings on a regular basis might present a solution. Institutional challenges: Challenges from a change in leadership, staff shortages and uncertain capabilities at IRA resulted in delays in timely implementation of the distance learning and the Stakeholder Dialogue. This delayed the availability of online teaching resources for TOT module alumni to use in their curriculum development. Summary of major impacts and lessons learned; suggestions for the way forward: The biggest impact of the project comes from the increasing number of alumni who are actively engaged in climate change and conservation related work whether in terms of planning and decision-making for conservation under a changing climate or in the form of advanced research on the subject. The professional successes of these individuals serve as a testimony to the project meeting it’s primary objective of enhancing individual and institutional capacity to assess and address climate change challenges in the Albertine Rift region (Box 3). 14 Box 3: Perceived program benefits by participants in order to significance Increased understanding of climate change and biodiversity issues Professional advancement New career opportunities Expanded network of professional connections Contribution to research relevant to climate change and biodiversity conservation Contribution to planning / decision-making relevant to climate change and biodiversity conservation Higher education opportunities Contribution to publications relevant to climate change and biodiversity conservation Ability to incorporate climate change in teaching curricula Feedback from participants have also indicated institutional benefits from their engagement in the Education and Training program in terms of increased contribution to climate change issues through research, planning and decision-making, and REDD related initiatives. From START’s perspective the externships in Phase 2 were a significant improvement over the Phase 1 projects largely due to the allocation of dedicated advisors for each team and the formal assigned of a host institution for managing local logistics. This has resulted in significantly improved assessments reports that highlight major challenges to biodiversity and ecosystems at individual field sites and potentially pave the way for future in-depth investigation (Appendix 4). Externship participants have indicated a need for added funding to support longer and more detailed research initiatives in future externship programs. Feedback from TOT participants has suggested that a majority of them are making efforts to incorporate learning about climate change in their university curricula. It is anticipated that the online learning resources developed by START will help to further facilitate this process. Future possibilities for continued engagement in the region in terms of capacity building for climate change and biodiversity conservation can potentially include: Additional rounds of the Education and Training program possibly in English and French More active engagement of regional educators potentially in collaboration with RNCEAR A longer externship component to ensure more in-depth research and generation of data Awarding of competitive regional grants to facilitate research on climate change and ecosystem goods and services and livelihoods Engagement of participants in writeshops to facilitate publication of research Regular Stakeholder Dialogues to maintain the network and enable engagement of the decision-making community NOTE: Appendices submitted separately 15