Transcript Research on Climate Change

BRIEFING ON CLIMATE CHANGE
PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
DIRECTORATE: CLIMATE CHANGE & DISASTER MANAGEMENT
BRANCH : FORESTRY & NATURAL RESOURCES
28 JUNE 2011
CONTENTS
1. Background
2. Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (agriculture, forestry &
fisheries)
3. Research on Climate Change
4. Collaboration with other Departments & Stakeholders
5. National Committee on Climate Change (NCCC)
6. Conclusion
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Background
• The South Africa’s agriculture sector, is one of the more sensitive sectors of the SA
economy likely to feel any impacts of climate change – both positive and negative from both food security and livelihoods perspectives.
• The sector contributes less than 5% to GDP and approx 13% to national employment
(direct contributions).
• Its full contribution, with multipliers, is approx 12% to GDP and 30% to national
employment
• Agriculture – source of GHG emissions: 4.6% of total net emissions (GHG inventory
2000) mainly from enteric fermentation and manure management; cropland accounting:
3.7% of total net emissions
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SA Agric GHG inventory:2004
Carbon stock
changes
Biomass
burning
N2O from
managed
soils
Only data for:
Grasslands remaining grasslands;
Croplands remaining croplands
Fertilizer
application
Livestock &
manure
management
2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
Background conti…
• South Africa – regarded as a low-forest cover country, at least one third of the land area
is characterised by some form of forest cover, consisting of natural forests, plantations,
and mostly indigenous woodland (savannah) and thicket.
• Much of these natural forests and woodlands have been degraded and transformed
over past decades, although the exact extent and nature of this loss and degradation is
poorly quantified.
• Natural forest and woodland ecosystems provide vital ecosystem services and forest
goods for the benefit of society as a whole and in particular to neighbouring
communities.
• Forests - play a pivotal role in livelihoods of the rural poor, and are a vital component of
climate change adaptation at household level
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Background conti…
• Climate change can significantly affect forests through changing their health, physiology,
structure, and species composition
• Plantation forestry is a long term economic investment that is particularly vulnerable to
risks associated with droughts, fires and disease.
• The impact of climate change on Fisheries will be felt through changes in capture,
production and marketing costs, sales prices, and potential increases in loss and
damage to infrastructure, fishing vessels and tools.
• Research indicates that changes in sea temperature, atmospheric pressure/wind fields,
sea level, carbon dioxide concentration, rainfall and Ultra Violet radiation will affect fish
stocks in South Africa.
• In South Africa, it has already been observed that there have been changes to the
characteristics of water bodies, resulting in decreased availability of resources to the
fishing community.
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Background conti…
• The pressures of having to exert more effort to catch greater numbers of scarce
resources and travelling farther distances to fish, results in increased fuel usage and
emissions from large-scale industrial fisheries and will in turn contribute to GHG
emissions.
•
Implications for the inland and freshwater fisheries are similar to that posed to marine
fisheries. Literature shows that climate change impacts on inland ecosystems are
associated mainly with water quantity and quality.
• Temperature changes are likely to affect fish species and result in changes in their
natural distribution patterns. Variations in the timing of flooding events may affect fish
migration and spawning patterns and aquaculture.
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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (agriculture)
1. Mitigation:
• DAFF developed the agricultural greenhouse gases inventory
• Agricultural inventory report is available and published
• Inventory report – source of inputs into the development of SA’s Second National
Communication (SNC)
• DAFF developed the draft Climate Change Sector Plan (CCSP) – approved by DEXCO
and will be consolidated into 1 document
• Draft CCSP – provided inputs into national policies e.g. Green Paper
• DAFF – currently developing the agricultural GHG Database ( currently conducting
workshops)
• DAFF – currently developing the Integrated Mitigation Plan (2011/12 deliverable)
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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (agriculture)
2. Adaptation:
• Agriculture – highly regarded as an adaptation sector
• DAFF developed the agricultural Atlas of Climate Change (published report available)
• DAFF – currently developing the Integrated Adaptation Plan (2011/12 deliverable)
• Agricultural Atlas of Climate Change – source of inputs into the development of SA’s
Second National Communication (SNC) & national policies e.g. Green Paper & White
paper
• Awareness programme – Adaptation (coping) strategies developed to assist farming
communities
• DAFF - participate in some farming day activities, Land Care programmes e.g.
Wetlands, etc
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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (agriculture)
Adaptation:
• Conducting vulnerability assessments – on going project (MTEF period)
• Practicing soil, water and nutrient conservation technologies; conservation agriculture;
and other adaptation mechanism such as diversifying, rain water harvesting; minimum
fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides; organic fertilizers, formulation of diet for livestock.
•
In order to meet the increasing global food demand and guarantee food security for the
poorest populations, production systems must be adapted by reducing their vulnerability
to climate change, and proposing higher-performance technologies that are more
respectful towards soil and water conservation and towards the environment.
• Engaging national, regional and international climate change role players to share
knowledge and experiences on climate-smart agriculture;
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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (forestry)
Forestry:
• Modelling for some commercial forestry species has already shown significant future
shifts in the geographic ranges that may be optimal for these species – further study.
• There is currently insufficient information about the adaptive capacity of natural forests
and woodlands – more research required.
• Forest lands are currently a nett carbon sink in South Africa: Through skilful forest
management and rehabilitation of natural forests and woodlands, it is possible to
maintain and enhance the climate change mitigation capacity of South Africa’s forest
lands
• Development of Policies/plans: Forestry component to be incorporated into DAFF’s
Integrated Mitigation and Adaptation Plans
• Awareness programme: to be incorporated into DAFF’s integrated programme
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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (forestry)
• Forest ecosystems need to be assessed and monitored to quantify their contributions
towards climate change mitigation and the impact of climate change.
• Suitable regulatory systems have to be maintained to ensure adequate protection.
• Adaptive planning also needs to be put in place, based on precautionary principle, to
enhance natural adaptation processes.
• Commercial forestry planning has to incorporate long term climate projections and in
response implement forest management interventions that builds on diversify of genetic
resources and appropriate silviculture with the aim of accommodating divergent future
climate scenarios.
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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (fisheries)
• As global warming is considered inevitable, there is a need to continue studying or
research more on mitigation measures (techniques to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from agriculture, forestry and fisheries) and adaptation techniques.
• Government and farming communities to ensure that efforts are made to overcome
the effects of climate change through mitigation and adaptation strategies,
technologies, plans/policies including policy implementation.
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Research on Climate Change (agriculture, forestry & fisheries)
• DAFF – collaborated with a number of research institutions e.g. ARC, CSIR, WRC and
universities, other stakeholders
• DAFF research projects: 1. Agricultural greenhouse gases inventory; 2. Atlas of Climate
Change: Mitigation and Adaptation options – 1st – 4th order impacts (Vulnerability, etc).
• Investing more resources for climate change programmes including research, to
pinpoint main drivers of Climate Change in the sector, etc.;
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Collaboration with other depts & stakeholders
• DAFF is collaborating with the following stakeholders:
1. Organised Agriculture ( AgriSA, NAFU, etc)
2. Farmer Organisations
3. Stakeholders and research institutions such as Agricultural Research Council (ARC),
Centre for Scientific I research (CSIR), Water Research Commission (WRC), South
African Weather Service (SAWS), etc
4. Universities: University of Free State (UFS), University of Pretoria (UP), University of
Witwatersrand (Wits), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), University of Cape Town
(UCT), etc
5. National Departments such as Departments of Environmental & Water Affairs, Energy,
Transport as well as Provincial Departments
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National Committee on Climate Change (NCCC)
• DAFF regularly participate in National Committee on Climate Change (NCCC),
Intergovernmental Committee on Climate Change (IGCCC) (representation at Director
level), etc
• DAFF – form part of the SA delegation Team (United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations)
• Minutes from these committees are recorded
• DAFF – ensure compliance on the needs / request from these committees e.g. sectoral
inputs on SNC, national climate change policies (Green/White papers)
• Draft CCSP – presented to DEA (adhered to the national framework provided by DEA)
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Conclusion
• Climate Change treated not only a national priority but a sectoral top priority by DAFF –
more resources are now being channeled towards implementing an efficient and
effective climate change programme
• Investing more resources for climate change programmes including research, to
pinpoint main drivers of Climate Change in the sector – great necessity.
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THANK YOU!!