Transcript Presentation - Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Bridging Scales and Epistemologies in
the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Alexandria, Egypt March 17-20, 2004
Walter V. Reid
Director
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Seeks to dramatically increase the information available for
resources managers and policymakers to better manage the
environment.
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Established in response to:

The growing challenge of balancing multiple demands on the
environment, e.g.
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Food
Water
Biodiversity
Recreation
Urban development
The vast scale of the changes now being made in global
ecosystems
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Land cover, nitrogen flows, climate change etc.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Science Assessment:

A social process to bring the findings of science to bear on the
needs of decision-makers
Stakeholders:
 Governments
 Private Sector
 Civil Society
Assessment
Monitoring
Research
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Science Assessment
 Authoritative
 Policy relevant, not policy prescriptive
 Stakeholders feel ownership in process
and findings
 Reflect ‘consensus’ of science (while
identifying areas of scientific
disagreement)
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Who established the assessment?

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called for the Millennium
Ecosystem Assessment in his 2000 Report to the UN
General assembly

Parties to four conventions took decisions establishing the
MA as one source of assessment input.
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Convention on Biological Diversity
Convention to Combat Desertification
Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar)
Convention on Migratory Species
UN Secretary General launched the MA in June 2001
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Who governs the assessment?
Board represents “Users” of the MA findings
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Conventions
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UN Agencies
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GEF, UN Foundation
International science organizations
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UNEP, UNDP, FAO, WHO, UNESCO
Donors

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CBD, UNCCD, UNFCCC, Ramsar, CMS
CGIAR, ICSU, IUCN
At large representation
 Private sector
 NGOs
 Scientists
 indigenous people
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Ecosystem Services
The benefits people obtain from ecosystems
Provisioning
Regulating
Cultural
Goods produced or
provided by
ecosystems
Benefits obtained
from regulation of
ecosystem
processes
Non-material
benefits from
ecosystems
• food
• fresh water
• fuel wood
• genetic resources
• climate regulation
• disease regulation
• flood regulation
• spiritual
• recreational
• aesthetic
• inspirational
• educational
Supporting
Services necessary for production of other ecosystem services
• Soil formation
• Nutrient cycling
• Primary production
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Consequences of Ecosystem Change for Human
Well-being
Ecosystem Services
Constituents of Well-being
Security
Provisioning
Services
Supporting
Services
Regulating
Services
Basic
Material for
Good Life
Freedoms
and
Choice
Health
Cultural
Services
Good Social
Relations
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA Framework
Human Wellbeing
and
Poverty Reduction
Ecosystem
Services
Life on Earth:
Biodiversity
Indirect Drivers
Of Change
Direct Drivers
Of Change
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA Framework
Human Wellbeing and
Poverty Reduction
 Material minimum for a good
life
 Health
 Good Social Relations
Human Wellbeing
 Security
and
 Freedom andPoverty
Choice Reduction
Ecosystem
Services
Life on Earth:
Biodiversity
Indirect Drivers of Change
 Demographic
 Economic (globalization, trade,
market and policy framework)
 Sociopolitical (governance and
institutional framework)
 Science
Technology
Indirect and
Drivers
 Cultural
and Religious
Of Change
Direct Drivers of Change
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Changes in land use or land cover
Direct introductions
Drivers
Species
or removals
Technology
adaptation and use
Of Change
External inputs (e.g., irrigation,
fertilizer use, pest control)
 Harvest and Resource
Consumption
 Climate Change
 Natural physical and biological
drivers (e.g., volcanoes, evolution)
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Framework Examines Multiple Drivers as they Influence Ecosystems
and Human Well-being
Driver
Response
Human
Impact
Climate Land Cover Biodiversity Nutrient
Change Change
Loss
Loading
Climate Change
Energy
Food
Biodiversity
Sector
Supply
Health
Economics
IPCC
Water
Social
Etc.
Ecosystems
Health
Economics
Social
Millennium Assessment
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Framework allows examination of trade-offs among
services
Water availability
Food supply and
demand
Freshwater supply and
demand
Water use and nutrient loss
Erosion and
water flow
Forest product supply
and demand
Climate
change
Biodiversity
loss
Source: Ayensu et al. 1999. Science 286:685-686.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Timeline
Launch and design
Core assessment work
Review process
Board
approval
2001
UN Launch
2002
2003
Release of Conceptual
Framework report
2004
2005
Release of Assessment
Reports
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA Products
MA Conceptual
Framework
2003
2005
Assessment Reports
(300-800 pages with 30
page Summaries for
Decision-Makers)
Assessment
Reports
CBD
UNCCD
Summary Report
(150 pages -- set of
SDMs from CF and
Assessment Reports)
Summary
for Decisionmakers
Ramsar
Private
Sector
General
Audience
Synthesis Reports
(30-60 page synthesis of key findings relevant to specific
user audiences)
Synthesis Reports
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA Structure
Committees:
Executive
Budget
Communications
MA Board
Review
Board Chairs
Assessment Panel
Working Group Chairs
Support Functions
Director, Administration,
Logistics, Data Management
Sub-Global Assessment
Working Group
Outreach &
Engagement
Condition
Scenarios
Response
Chapter
Review
Editors
Global Assessment Working Groups
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA Working Groups
Condition Working Group
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What is the current condition and
historical trends of ecosystems and
their services?
What have been the consequences of
changes in ecosystems for human
well-being?
Scenario Working Group
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Given plausible changes in primary
drivers, what will be the consequences
for ecosystems, their services, and
human well-being?
Responses Working Group

What can we do to enhance well-being
and conserve ecosystems?
Sub-Global Assessment Working Group
All of the above… at sub-global scales
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA includes global, regional, national, and local
assessments
Northern Wisconsin
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Regional and National Assessments
Global Assessment
Users
Regional
Regional
Development
Banks, etc.
National
National
Government
Local
Local
Community
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA is a Multi-scale Assessment
e.g., Southern Africa Millennium Assessment
SADC region
3 drainage basins
Local assessments
Zambezi
Gariep
Source: Reyers, B., SAfMA Lessons Learned (Panama, June 2002)
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Sub-global Assessments also provide a means of
incorporating indigenous and traditional knowledge
Cabecar view of ecosystems

Earth is a circle surrounded by
sea. There is a balance between
upper and lower worlds
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Habitat as a conic house
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Special areas and places
protected by guardians that
regulate access and use of
resources
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Each living entity is a seed that
deserves respect. Human beings
are maize seeds
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA seeks to incorporate indigenous knowledge
Human Wellbeing
and
Poverty Reduction
Ecosystem
Services
Life on Earth:
Biodiversity
Cabecar view
of ecosystems
Indirect Drivers
Of Change
Direct Drivers
Of Change
MA view of
ecosystems
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA Sponsors
Financial contributions
(~ $17 million)
Sponsors
In-kind contributions
(~ $6 million)
• Norway
• Global Environment Facility
• China
• United Nations Foundation
• India
• Packard Foundation
• Japan
• World Bank
• Germany
• United Nations Environment Program
Other Donors
• Government of Norway
• Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Netherlands
• United States (NASA, USGS, ORNL,
USDA)
• European Commission
• Rockefeller Foundation
• FAO, UNDP, WHO, UNESCO, UNEP
• NASA
• ICRAF, ICLARM
• ICSU
• Numerous other countries, NGOs,
Universities and other institutions are
supporting travel costs of experts
• Swedish International Biodiversity
Programme
• Christensen Fund
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Visit the New MA Website
www.millenniumassessment.org
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment