-based Adaptation in the coastal zone: towards a new paradigm

IUCN Ecosystem-based Adaptation Day Paris CoP21, December 2015

Image: NASA

Prof Brendan Mackey, PhD IUCN Council, Regional Councilor for Oceania Director, Climate Change Response Program, Griffith University, Australia www.griffith.edu.au/climate-change-response-program Climate change impacts on oceans

Assuming linear responses only!

A pteropod shell showing dissolved ridges, abrasions and cloudiness. Credit National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Sources: IPCC; NYT; Wikipedia A struggle emerging between hard engineered adaptation vs ecosystem-based approaches

or Nature-based solutions

Ecosystem-based Adaptation – draws upon CBD “Ecosystem-based Approach; origins in conservation science

At its 5th Conference of the Parties in 2000 the CBD adopted the ecosystem approach as the primary framework for actions to help reach a balance of the three objectives of the Convention

“The ecosystem approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way”

“It is based on the application of appropriate scientific methodologies focused on levels of biological organization which encompass the essential processes, functions and interactions among organisms and their environment”

The ecosystem approach is described by 12 principles IENCE approach

“Infrastructure to Enhance the Natural Capacity of the Environment” – an evolving concept whose origins reside in coastal engineering

1970’s

1990’s

2010’s

Source: Stive et al. Coastal Dynamics 2013 “ engine” experiment

Zandmotor, 2011

To protect the West of the Netherlands against the sea, the beaches along the are artificially replenished every five years, and it is expected that the sand engine will make replenishment along the Delfland Coast unnecessary for the next 20 years. This method is expected to be more cost effective and also helps nature by reducing the repeated disruption caused by dredging and replenishment

Source: JOSELI MACEDO, PH.D., AICP & JEFFRY S. WADE, J.D.; DEPARTMENT OF URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Zandmotor, 2012 Zandmotor, 2013 Zandmotor, 2014 Zandmotor, 2015 Gold Coast City applying IENCE approach

Beach replenishment maintains wide beach zone to absorb energy of storm surges A-Line Concluding comments

 To date, INECE mainly focussed on physical processes. Next stage should involve ecosystem processes & biodiversity

 Opportunity and need for collaboration between ecologists and engineers to promote EbA/INECE integration and to identify for given context the optimum mix of hard engineered, INECE and EbA adaptation strategies

 Policy needs to recognize EbA/INECE as both infrastructure and adaptation strategies in order for governments, especially local governments, and communities to access funds

 Environmental and economic accounting should recognize the co- benefits from integrated/hybrid EbA/INECE approaches