Conservation and sustainable use of páramo ecosystems as a response to climate change in Tungurahua, Ecuador
Full Solution
Ready for action: Members of the association "Páramos Andinos de Pilahuín" with their new equipment
Nadia Manasfi
The páramo - the typical moorland of the high Andes – is an important ecosystem as it provides key ecosystem services to local communities, especially regarding water regulation. Nevertheless, this ecosystem is under severe threat mainly due to overuse and climate change. With a projected reduction in annual precipitation in Tungurahua, it is ever more important to conserve the páramo ecosystem. The solution integrated climate change into planning and strengthened local management structures.
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Context
Challenges addressed
Environmental: Man-made activities like livestock breeding and climate change impacts such as changes in precipitation patterns are putting additional pressure on the páramo ecosystems.
Social: The legal and institutional framework for climate change at the national level is well-developed. However, translating this into concrete measures at the subnational level remains a challenge. The time required to implement and evaluate the results of (ecosystem-based) adaptation measures is often incompatible with both political cycle and the lifespan of development projects. Additional efforts are required to increase the leverage of public and private resources for implementing (ecosystem-based) adaptation measures and safeguarding the fragile páramo ecosystem that is so important for ensuring long-term water supply.
Beneficiaries
The beneficiaries include decision-makers and technical personnel from the involved organizations and a population of over 386.000 that depends indirectly on the páramo’s integrity for its water supply.
Location
Province of Tungurahua, Ecuador
South America
Process
Summary of the process
Activities related to organizational arrangements and decision-making (BB2) contribute to a (general) process orientation which is the basis for stakeholder involvement, shared decision-making and long-term success of (ecosystem-based) adaptation planning and implementation. The integration of climate change into development planning (BB1) is a vital step to institutionalize the topic and paves the way for further contributions, especially from the public sector side.
Building Blocks
Integration of climate change into development planning
The institutional integration of climate change related risks and opportunities is a significant step in order to strengthen the legitimacy of any action and allows economic and human resources to be allocated to the subject and related activities. Water availability was addressed as a current (political) issue and connecting element, establishing links to other topics such as agriculture, health, biodiversity and stakeholders engagement. Climate change was introduced in development planning as a cross-cutting issue, rather than a separate topic. A systematic approach for integrating climate change risks and opportunities in combination with capacity development measures helped to minimise the additional challenge for development planners at the practical level.
Enabling factors
*Well-developed legal and institutional framework for climate change at the national level.
*Established development planning processes at the sub-national level
*Long-term partnerships with key stakeholders.
*Multi-level approach (linking local, sub-national and national level).
Lesson learned
*Addressing initially current and tangible problems - such as water provision - helps to introduce the rather abstract topic of climate change into political decision-making.
*The intensive support of the process of integrating climate change into the development plan of one local entity pays off as it serves as an example for others to follow.
Institutional agreements and participatory decision-making based on MARISCO method
Planning and implementing EbA requires a holistic approach and strong inter-institutional coordination and cooperation. The multi-pronged approach adopted in Tungurahua encourages the participation of policy-makers, the private sector, farmers, civil society and universities, among others. The establishment of a cross-institutional platform enables frequent meetings for exchange and follow-up, while addressing concerns of all stakeholders. Tailor-made capacity development contributes to a shared understanding of the main problems and options for action. Participatory assessments (such as the MARISCO methodology) have allowed stakeholders to better understand how climate and non-climate risks can reinforce each other and how to deal with the resulting complexity. Complementary to the participatory assessments, technical assessments, hydrological models and a hydro-meteorological monitoring system provide decision-makers with hard facts on which to base policy. The results are clear and holistic strategies, theories of change and a monitoring system accepted by the majority.
Enabling factors
*Political willingness to enable cross-institutional cooperation.
*Willingness of key stakeholders to cooperate.
*A shared understanding of the problem and its underlying causes.
*Reliable empirical database to underpin participatory decision-making.
Lesson learned
*Potential resistance to climate change actions can be reduced by inviting different stakeholders to participate in capacity development measures.
*Building ownership and empowering communities by involving them in every step of the process (from identifying the problem to proposing solutions and implementing them) is an important success factor for the process.
Impacts
*The institutional integration of climate change has strengthened its legitimacy and has allowed economic and human resources to be allocated to it. *Among other capacity development activities, a programme for environmental leadership at the community level in the páramo area was supported. *Technical assessments, hydrological models and a hydro-meteorological monitoring system provide decision-makers with hard facts on which to base policy. *Participatory assessments have allowed stakeholders to understand how climate and non-climate risks can reinforce each other. The results are clear and holistic strategies, theories of change and a monitoring system. *Priority measures for the conservation and sustainable use of the ecosystems have been identified and are being implemented. These include improved inter-institutional coordination with the aim of developing a common vision and priorities for the region, the restoration of degraded páramo areas and the creation of a local forest management association (“Páramos Andinos de Pilahuín”) that will manage and monitor the mentioned restored areas, among other tasks.
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 1 – No poverty
SDG 6 – Clean water and sanitation
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 15 – Life on land
SDG 16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions
Story
Working on the local development plan
Nadia Manasfi
The appreciation for the páramo ecosystems has always been an essential part of local culture in the high Andes. Livelihoods and well-being of the people in this region highly depends on the water regulation services this unique ecosystem provides to society. Nevertheless, the páramo ecosystem is under severe threat nowadays mainly due to overuse and climate change. Important steps were undertaken over the last years in order to bring climate change on to the province´s political agenda and to also move from policy to practice. Key elements include the systematic integration of climate change risks in the revision of local development plans and the elaboration of adaptive management strategies based on a participative risk and vulnerability assessment of the area. At present, a set of priority EbA measures is being implemented. These include, among others, the restoration of degraded páramo areas and the creation of a local forest management association (“Páramos Andinos de Pilahuín”) that will also manage and monitor the restored areas.
Connect with contributors
Other contributors
Nadia Manasfi (Advisor / author)
GIZ Ecuador
Carlos Sánchez (Director for water resources & conservation / contributor)
Provincial Government of Tungurahua
Alejandro Tamaquisa (President / contributor)
Parish Government of Pilahuín (Gobierno Parroquial de Pilahuín)
