Download Gender Day RCP 3 CBD EBA and Gender

Ecosystem-based adaptation and disaster
risk reduction and gender: findings of the
draft synthesis report
Sakhile Koketso
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
CBD Synthesis Report on
EBA and Eco-DRR
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In decision XII/20, the CBD COP requested the Executive Secretary to
compile experiences with ecosystem-based approaches to climate
change adaptation (EBA) and disaster risk reduction (eco-DRR)
In response to this decision, the SCBD issued a notification requesting
information from countries and organizations on their experiences with EBA
and eco-DRR
The SCBD also commissioned a synthesis report which compiles
experiences with implementation of EBA and eco-DRR, including
analysis of policy relevant issues such as economics of EBA, gender
mainstreaming, inclusion of IPLCs; the synthesis report is based on a wide
variety of information including submissions from countries, national reports,
NBSAPs, GEF projects etc
The preparation of the report is developed with the input and guidance of a
technical reference group, involving experts and practitioners UNDP, UNEP,
UNFCCC, FAO, UNISDR, CMS, WMO, the Ramsar Convention, IUCN,
BirdLife International, Conservation International and WWF.
CBD Synthesis Report –
Key messages
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EBA and EcoDRR overlap in
practice, and both
build upon and
utilize approaches
that already exist
in the practices of
biodiversity and
ecosystem
conservation,
climate change
adaptation and
livelihood
development.
Figure 1: Linkages between EBA and other fields of practice within the overall context of
sustainable development. EBA is shown as a three-way synergy between, biodiversity and,
ecosystem, conservation, climate change adaptation, and societal resilience (figure adapted from
Midgley et al. 2012 and annotated by UNDP)
CBD Synthesis Report –
Key messages
Linkages between EBA
and eco-DRR:
• A recent review of
commonalities and
differences between
EBA and Eco-DRR
found that in practice,
it is difficult to
distinguish between
the two - there are
more commonalities
than differences due to
the basic shared
underlying principle of
utilizing the ecosystem
approach and
increasing the resilience
of people and
communities (Doswald
and Estrella 2015).
Figure 2: Overlap between ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) and
ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) (adapted from a figure
depicting climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction overlaps in
Mitchell and Van Aalst 2008).
CBD Synthesis Report –
Key messages
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A rationale for implementing EBA and Eco-DRR is due to the anticipated
multiple benefits they may bring, including the contribution to sustainable
livelihoods, and preservation of local identities, such as in forest communities
Many countries have integrated EBA and Eco-DRR into National Biodiversity
Strategies and Action Plans, National Adaptation Programmes of Actions,
disaster management plans, development policy, and drought relief policy
Cooperation among ecosystems/biodiversity, adaptation and disaster
reduction communities results in a greater ability to design interventions
that deliver better outcomes
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities have long coped with variability,
uncertainty and change through multi-generational histories of interaction with
the environment.
Indigenous, traditional and local knowledge systems - and forms of analysis
and documentation such as community mapping - can play a significant
role in identifying and monitoring climatic, weather and biodiversity
changes and impending natural hazards, similar to early warning systems
CBD Synthesis Report –
Key messages
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Adaptation and DRR policies and programmes can be strengthened if
contributions from both women and men are incorporated. Therefore,
gender mainstreaming should be a significant aspect of EbA and ecoDRR to ensure success and sustainability of policies, programmes and
projects.
The consideration of trade-offs should be present throughout the risk
assessment, scenario planning, and adaptive management approaches for
EBA and Eco-DRR implementation. In addition to monitoring the short-term
provisions of services, managers should also monitor the long-term evolution
of slowly changing variables.
It is important to recognize the potential limitations of using EbA or ecoDRR. Ecosystems are subject to climate change impacts, and therefore
any intervention utilizing the ecosystem approach can be vulnerable to
change, which should be accounted for when planning activities.
Findings of the study
relating to gender:
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Encouraging progress
on the recognition that
involvement of women,
youth and children is
important, however,
few concrete examples
of action on gender
mainstreaming,
particularly for
adaptation and
disaster risk reduction
planning
Case study – Caicaoan
village, Uganda:
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Flooding and related
problems with food
security
Maladaptation – alternative
sources of livelihoods led
to overharvesting of
firewood and depletion of
resources
Deforestation and lack of
water are two of the many
problems that the local
women’s group in
Caicaoan decided to
address.
Photo: OXFAM
Case study – Caicaoan
village, Uganda:
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They successfully planted
evergreen and mango trees to
replace those cut down for fuel
and charcoal, and this reduced
soil erosion and helped women
earn an income.
They also built a borehole so
that the seven-hour round trip
they used to make to collect
water was reduced to 30
minutes.
The work of the women’s group
has given women an important
leadership role in finding
sustainable livelihoods solutions
for the community.
~ excerpted from ‘Sisters on the
Planet’, Oxfam, 2007.
Photo: OXFAM
Case study – Swaziland:
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(UNFCCC NWP
workshop on
traditional knowledge
and gender, 2014)
In Swaziland, women
were an important,
and at times only,
available source of
information for a food
security vulnerability
assessment.
The information was
collected through
household surveys,
which served as a
useful tool to collect
gender-disaggregated
vulnerability data
Photo: IFAD
Case study – Timor Leste:
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The different roles in society, and
different knowledge of natural
resources, of men and women were
also an important consideration in
mangrove rehabilitation activities in
Timor Leste.
Because women were mainly
responsible for collecting resources
in coral reefs and mangroves while
men were mostly fishing, they
acquired more knowledge about
mangroves.
Women’s involvement during
participatory planning and monitoring
and evaluation benefited the
mangrove rehabilitation programme
(UNFCCC 2014).
Photo: JICA
Challenges and Gaps
Participants at the UNFCCC NWP workshop mentioned above and the
CBD technical workshop provided several insights on challenges and
opportunities:
– The lack of political will for gender-sensitive adaptation policies and
plans;
– Limited resources, including finance, technical and institutional capacities
at all levels;
– Misconception about gender equality and perception that gender is a
women’s issue only, when gender refers to both men and women
– Lack of comprehensive and consistent application throughout the
adaptation cycle
– Lack of understanding of the benefits of gender-sensitive adaptation
actions; and
– Lack of gender-sensitive approaches in monitoring and evaluation
Lessons Learned
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Participants at the CBD Technical Workshop on EBA and Eco-DRR
identified several lessons learned regarding gender mainstreaming in
EBA and Eco-DRR measures:
• Challenges persist in the understanding on what gender is – there
needs to be capacity building on understanding gender issues in
order for EBA and Eco-DRR to be effective
• Even where there gender has been mainstreamed into climate
adaptation policy, implementation is still challenging
• Successful examples of gender mainstreaming can be seen from
grassroots women’s organisations in the Americas where women’s
groups are now training local governments on how to reduce disaster
risk and build partnerships with local governments
Opportunities
• A gender-sensitive approach would allow women’s traditional
knowledge to be used as an effective adaptation tool.
• For example, women in Hawaii used their knowledge of
planting pandanus trees for coastal protection (UNFCCC2013).
The draft synthesis report is available for peer
review until 4 January 2016 at:
https://www.cbd.int/sbstta20/review/
Thank you for your attention!
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