Planning phase | PANORAMA

National Climate change response policy enables local level implementation

National Climate change response policy

Conservation SA has been actively involved in the development of national level vulnerability assessments and policy development related to climate change, this has enabled CSA to share lessons from their participatory processes with communities and from implementation at demonstration sites into national planning. This also guides the support we provide local government around mainstreaming of climate change. Through this national level policy development, we have seen how this policy can be an enabler for action on the ground and supports the Local Government to implement EbA.

National level government willingness to learn from, engage with NGO sector and share lessons National level stakeholder processes for policy development are adequate to allow for significant inputs from the local level to be provided •Relationships between national government and NGO require trust and partnership building over time, where NGO can be seen as a trusted advisor

Lessons from National policy: •It is critical that national and local policy are aligned and that bottom up approaches allow for lessons from local communities and local government to guide the development of national policy which CSA (and other NGOs) are able to support. •Providing platforms where communities and local government and national government can learn and share is critical •National policy provides the mandate in which local government can work which enables us to be able to support implementation of EbA at a Local government level, although this mandate needs to be strengthened and resources provided to support it.

Planning phase

National

Prioritizing EbA measures by combining empirical data with participatory planning

Given the existing general orientation provided by the Plan 4C, one crucial task has been to identify and prioritize key EbA measures. This planning process involved approx. 40 institutions from Cartagena and the national level. During an expert workshop, the following 4-step approach was applied. Step 1: Identification of priority ecosystems and ecosystem services Step 2: Identification of major climate threats Step 3: Assessment of exposure and localization of priority threats Step 4: Prioritization of measures considering social, environmental and econimic criteria The methodology was based on a combination of tested methods for the identification of adaptation needs and options (Adaptive MAnagement of vulnerability and RISk at COnservation sites - MARISCO) and a multi-criteria analysis to identify priority measures (Prioritization tool for selecting adapation measures, Government of Mexico, supported by GIZ). A study on the biotic characteristics of the pilot area helped to underpin the outcome of the participatory planning and provided valuable recommendations for the implementation.

*High interest to participate and contribute to the process on the part of all institutions. *Proven methods and tools that only had to be adapted to the specific needs. *Participatory simple methodology that engages workshop participants.

*The participatory planning process was a success factor in terms of ownership. The Plan 4C was an important and helpful framework that guided the process and committed stakeholders to act. *Different perspectives and expectations need to be dealt with and a participatory methodology was helpful to get different points of view across and reach consensus.

Planning phase

Local

SEMARNAT, GIZ (2015): Metodología para la Priorización de Medidas de Adaptación…

MARISCO methodology

Socio-economic measures to promote sustainable land-use

Farmer field school

Blue Forests 2015

This building block includes development and introduction of sustainable aquaculture and livelihoods diversification (seaweed cultivation, crab & shrimp farming). –10 community groups are supported through farmer field schools and by providing resources to initiate new aquaculture management practices and livelihood diversification. –these improved practices will directly revitalize 300 ha of land for 300 households (based on a conservative estimate of 1 ha per household), increasing average aquaculture productivity with 50%, by adjusting pond lay-out and management, by reducing fertilizer and pesticide inputs, by making optimal use of mangrove services like water purification and by diversifying livelihoods activities. Based on experiences in Indonesia and Vietnam, income derived from the ponds is expected to have risen to 5000 EUR ha by year 5. –community funds will be established that: i) absorb savings from increased pond productivity (5%) in support of long-term coastal belt maintenance and up-scaling of sustainable land-use management measures beyond the project lifetime; ii) can absorb government support to local communities for coastal protection and sustainable land-use.

Communities have full ownership over enhanced aquaculture production systems and the hardware that will be put in place during and after the project. The reclaimed land will be managed as community-based protected areas (as agreed between communities and the local government), with opportunities for sustainable use of natural resources. The reclaimed mangrove belt will be formally owned by the government as per Indonesian law.

to be added later

Fish/shrimp farming Coastal Field School, a new hope for local farmers in coast…

Meet Abdul, a local champion of Building with Nature Indonesia

Vulnerability analysis and identification of EbA measures

Six step approach of the Vulernability Assessment

GIZ Thailand, 2015

Casual chain showing the root causes for fresh water shortage and flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat

GIZ Thailand, 2015

Five EbA-Measures tackling five major concerns in the Huai Sai Bath River Basin

GIZ Thailand, 2015

Floodplain and wetland development for flood retention, sediment trapping and nutrient filtering

GIZ Thailand, 2015

The vulnerability assessment approach allows to find the biggest problems in river basins. For this assessment the approach was based on GIWA (Global International Water Assessment Methodology) & HSAP (Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol) and follows a 6 step approach including the following: 1) geographical scaling (mapping of hot spots) defines the geographic boundaries of the pilot areas to be analysed; sub-regions are identified within each project area and major hydro system features and economic activities are mapped out; 2) scoping by assessing environmental and socio-economic impacts and establishing priorities among the major concerns and issues as well as tracing the root causative factors behind the selected concerns and issues; 3) data collection; 4) modeling for verification and quantification of root-cause relationships with either physically deterministic or conceptual models covering a) hydrologic modeling with TalsimNG software, b) erosion and sedimentation modeling with Modified Uniform Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE), c) water quality modeling with GISMO software; 5) assessment to identify risks and uncertainties and to prioritize vulnerabilities; 6) Identification and ranking of potential EbA measures.

Available datasets (e.g. GIS) on digital elevation models and time series for water discharge, precipitation, temperature, humidity, evapotranspiration. Cooperation of local stakeholders to ensure that they are part of the decisions making processes and that their prioritized problems are tackled.

- Different data, discharge, evaporation, humidity, temperature, etc., is owned by different institutions. Some of them do not share their data as they consider it a loss of power. This needs to be considered as early as possible. The project used drones for collect additional data on the river discharge. - Datasets were partly incomplete. The missing information does not allow to analyze and quantify certain effects, therefore the results of the assessments still include uncertainties.

Planning phase

Subnational

Vulnerability analysis for the river basins of Huai Sai Bat, Tha Di and Trang (…

Pre-Selection of Ecosystem-based Measures (final report)

Selection of no-regret adaptation measures

Infopoint at the water body accompanying cyclepath – displaying that an adaptation measure brings also benefits for recreation and residential environment

Source: Lippeverband

Given the many uncertainties associated with climate change, political and community support for so-called ‘no-regret’ adaptation measures can often be higher than for alternative approaches whose (cost-)effectiveness depends on the degree of future climate change. The no-regret approach focuses on maximizing positive and minimizing negative aspects delivered by EbA, and selecting actions that yield a range of benefits even in the absence of such change. In the case of the Kamen green-blue-corridor, the ecological improvement of the stream in combination with disconnecting the storm water from surrounding properties was determined to have positive impacts regardless of whether rainfall will increase in the long-term or not. Should rainfall intensify and become more frequent, flood risks will be reduced; if temperatures increase in the summer, the stored water will benefit the mircroclimate. Regardless of climate, however, the EbA measures can be considered as ‘no-regret’ as they create amenity and recreational benefits for the community and visitors, increase awareness levels, contribute to the EU Water Framework Directive and biodiversity conservation, and reduce water discharge fees for local inhabitants.

In order to gain political and public support for such measures, it is key to have sound scientific evidence of the potential benefits which can be created regardless of climate change and to compare these to other approaches. The outcomes of such comparative analyses can be disseminated via targeted awareness raising campaigns to highlight the potential environmental, societal and economic benefits and thereby foster greater recognition of the value of EbA, increase public support, and lead to

A range of obstacles can serve as potential barriers to implementing no-regret EbA actions, such as (i) financial and technology constraints; (ii) lack of information and transaction costs at the micro-level; and (iii) institutional and legal constraints (as outlined on the European Union’s Climate-Adapt platform). It is thus important to conduct assessments of the (cost-)effectiveness of the no-regret option as well as of other available measures in order to facilitate informed decision-making and steer appropriate communication campaigns. In Kamen, such comparative data was gathered and presented in group meetings and bilateral discussions to community members who were considering decoupling their rainwater from the sewage system. Given the reliance on private citizen support for a successful implementation, it was of particular importance to highlight the ‘no-regret’ character of the EbA measures alongside the personal benefits which could be expected.

Lippeverband (2013). The Future Cities Guide: Creating Livable and Climate-Proo…

Engaging private citizens to implement adaptation measures

Information evening in March 2011

Source: Lippeverband

Successful implementation of EbA sometimes necessitates the involvement and support of private actors in cases where the measures are to take place on their land. This can create a challenge as the process of convincing individual stakeholders to participate in implementation activities often requires significant time investments, financial resources, and public outreach efforts. In the case of Kamen, it was necessary to determine the value of decoupling private citizens’ rainwater from the sewage system and then to convey this information in a convincing manner to those involved. Two public information meetings were followed by one-on-one planning sessions in which a technician visited individual homes and drafted catered solutions for disconnection that met the needs of each citizen. Furthermore, financial incentives were provided to the residents in the form of expenses per decoupled square meter to motivate participation.

The project’s success can be credited to the participation and engagement of private citizens. Their support for decoupling rainwater from the sewage system emerged from a combination of several factors: outreach and awareness raising activities, public funding, voluntariness, provision of targeted and bilateral on-site expert advice, and a reduction in fees for disconnected households.

Given the high importance of citizen support and participation in the project, significant efforts and resources were invested in motivating participation. The approaches taken underscore the value of investing time in one-on-one sessions, in which information and arguments for participation are tailored to each stakeholder. As a consequence of these efforts, most of the property owners in the area were aware of the project of the need to adapt to climate change, and understood the value of their contribution as single actor. This has led the residents to be highly accepting of the implemented EbA measures and develop a sense of ownership, as well as to be open towards and even encourage the pursuit of further adaptation initiatives in the future in order to reach climate change adaptation goals and produce additional co-benefits for themselves and the environment.

Lippeverband (2013). The Future Cities Guide: Creating Livable and Climate-Proo…

Communication strategy to increase understanding and support on flood prevention

Communication on flood prevention potential of Heerener Mühlback to convince stakeholders

Source: Anke Althoff, Lippeverband

From 2007 to 2010, severe flash floods occurred in different cities in the Emscher- and Lipperegion due to extreme rainfall events. In the public discussion that followed, the question of responsibility came up. Citizens formulated the demand that the public bodies, particularly the municipalities and water boards, had to guarantee a full protection against future flood events. In further developing this demand, it quickly became clear that this would not be possible without paying a high price. Questions arose like: How high should the dikes be, and how big should the waste water sewers be dimensioned to protect people against any extreme event? How much energy and money would that cost? This would speak against all efforts regarding climate protection and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A communication strategy was thus necessary to change citizen perspectives and develop support for a reasonable solution. The goals was to convince the population that there is no solution by public authorities which can offer 100% protection against the impacts of climate change, and that there will always remain a degree of personal responsibility. This was the starting point when people began to ask the question: What can I do?

The fact that people were concerned about their wellbeing supported the communication strategy. Without the extreme rainfall events. It would have been much more difficult to come into a mutual dialogue with people about possible approaches on how to face the impacts of climate change. Talking about climate, there is no “polluter-pays-principle”, but rather open discussions about “who can do what” were needed.

Communication strategies built around stories intended to scare the audience are not successful. Neither policy makers nor people like to act on the assumption that their world will be flooded and damaged. However, informing citizens in an open and factual way, complemented by highlighting the potential positive impacts of adaptation measures can be a strong and successful approach. Here, highlighting the benefits of an enhanced living quality, improved recreation facilities and a sound ecosystem convinced stakeholders and citizens to start taking acting themselves and support the planned EbA measures.

Planning phase

Inception phase

Local

Lippeverband (2013). The Future Cities Guide: Creating Livable and Climate-Proo…

Securing sufficient funds for a multi-purpose EbA solution

As this solution serves various goals and meets several objectives, it was possible to secure sufficient funding from diverse parties, domains and funding bodies to cover the entire implementation of the project. Innovative financing approaches can also act as ‘self-sustaining’ and generate funds during the course of the project to fund some of the foreseen activities.

Given that the solution serves various goals, funding was able to be secured from a range of parties, sectors and sources. In the case of the creation of Lake Phoenix this included funding for water management from the water board; funding for ecology from the ecological funding program by the federal state; funding for urban development from etc. The water board, for instance, provided the amount of money that was already budgeted for the construction of a flood retention basin.

Establishing the diverse benefits provided by a solution is an important step in the planning process, as it highlights the various sectors and stakeholders who can potentially be involved in and benefit from the solution. Drawing attention to the potential benefits, and underlying this with a sound scientific evidence base with which to approach these parties, can facilitate the successful generation of funds from a range of sources.

Synergistically combine various interests and goals for the EbA solution

In order to find an EbA solution for e.g. the development of an area in which multiple actors have an interest in, it is important to synergistically combine various interests, ambitions, challenges and goals.

A crucial factor for the realization of Lake Phoenix was the successful linking of various problems (flood risks; abandoned brownfield site; underprivileged part of the city) and goals (flood retention; river restoration; increase of attractiveness of the city, etc.) to gain support from a range of actors. To this end, the lake was designed to serve as a biodiversity hotspot, flood retention basin, and recreational area. Most significantly, it increased the

Achieving multiple objectives required compromising, for example between ecological objectives (i.e. size of the lake and natural areas) and economic priorities (i.e. land being available for real estate development). As a result of a common will to succeed and a number of group and bilateral meetings between key stakeholders, these compromises could be reached. Interviewees also highlighted that the actors’ good relations and belief in the project helped find solutions, just as it helped to settle discussions concerning upcoming additional costs and risks. The (historical) role and position of the water board as a mediator was important in this respect. The realization of Lake Phoenix was furthermore facilitated by favorable timing, being that the Emscher conversion coincided with the abandonment of the brownfield site.

Planning phase

Implementation

Local

Rouillard, J., Vidaurre, R., Brouwer, S., Damman, S., Ponce, A. A., Gerner, N. …

EU-FP7-project DESSIN: Rouillard, J.J., Vidaurre, R., Brouwer, S., Damman, S., …

EU-FP7-project DESSIN (2015): Policy brief #1: Designing governance and financ…

EU-FP7-project DESSIN (2015): Policy brief #2: Increasing chances of innovatio…

Formative Research

During the planning phase extensive formative research informs the Social Marketing, as well as the Technical Assistance components of a campaign. Research sets the baselines that allow the assessment of social and conservation impacts following a campaign. Qualitative research (e.g. focus groups, observation, in-depth interviews) is geared towards understanding target audience opinions, feelings, concerns and perceived benefits of current as well as desired management practices. Qualitative research is about creating a casual conversation with and between participants to establish a comfortable relationship, and to reveal underlying information unobtainable through quantitative research. Quantitative research surveys capture specific answers to specific questions to describe demography, identify media preferences, and assess the current state of knowledge, attitude, communication and readiness of target audiences regarding a certain behavior change. Both components ultimately inform campaign decisions like objectives, respective activities, materials, and messages for both Social Marketing and Technical Assistance.

• Training on qualitative and quantitative research methods. • Generic qualitative research guide/procedure to support researcher in preparing and during research rounds. • Templates to facilitate qualitative research analyses. • Quantitative research (i.e. survey), following best practices for survey question design to avoid bias in respondent answers. • Committed base of volunteers to support survey implementation. • Software to process and analyze quantitative data.

Qualitative research techniques (e.g., focus group and in-depth interviews) geared towards understanding the target audience opinions, feelings and concerns regarding a certain behavior change are essential to create casual conversations for participants. This enables creating an environment of trust in which fishers feel comfortable expressing what they really think instead of expressing what others want to hear. The latter would make data barely reliable. Surveys that are built on qualitative research results tend to better inform campaign strategies, making them more aligned with campaign goals and objectives. It is essential to avoid setbacks when it comes to survey implementation, and detailed planning based on sample sizes and human resources is necessary. In that sense, building strong relationships with a committed group of campaign volunteers to support this task is essential.

Inception phase

Planning phase

Implementation

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Subnational

Multi-national