Transcript Climate Change - Pacific Island Development Forum

Climate Change
Track 4: Agriculture & Forestry
Summary of Projected Climate
Changes – Pacific Region
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Warmer
Wet season gets wetter & dry season gets drier
Heavy rainfall gets more intense
More sea level rise
Fewer tropical cyclones, but more intense
Cloud cover reduction
• For Pacific region: no more than 1.5o warming
Key Priority Area 1
CC impacts on Forests
• Changes in the flowering and fruiting
patterns of certain forestry crops
• Disruption/permanent loss of fundamental ecosystem goods and
services (e.g. freshwater retention and provision, natural hazard
regulation, biodiversity)
• Increased incursions of invasive species and pests & diseases - in
some high elevation island areas, warming has already led
invasive species to overtake native species
• Coastal forests (including mangroves) under threat from sealevel rise, cyclones and storm surges
• Loss of cloud forests due to increasing temperatures in high
altitudes
Forests & climate change
• Deforestation and forest degradation contributes to
GHG emissions – the Agriculture and Forestry Sector
contributes about 24% of global GHG emissions
• In the Pacific deforestation (conversion of forests
into other land use types) is largely caused by
agriculture expansion
• Forest degradation (reduced services provided by
the forest) from unsustainable logging and local
utilisation
• REDD+ is a mechanism aimed at addressing the
drivers of deforestation and forest degradation +
promoting the conservation of forest carbon pools,
sustainable management of forests and enhancing
forest carbon stocks
• Fiji (Ambassador Amena Yauvoli) as Chair of G77 in
Warsaw COP19 facilitated the adoption of the
Warsaw Framework on REDD+
Activities in the Pacific
• Existence of the Pacific Regional
Policy Framework for REDD+
(endorsed by Forestry Ministers)
• REDD+ readiness currently carried out
in Fiji (FCPF, GIZ, UNREDD), PNG
(FCPF, UNREDD, JICA, AUSAID, GIZ)
Vanuatu (FCPF, GIZ, UNREDD),
Solomon Islands (UNREDD, GIZ)
• Most Pacific forestry issues enter
UNFCCC negotiations through the
Coalition for Rainforest Nations - CfRN
(members: Fiji, PNG, Vanuatu,
Solomon Islands)
Some issues to be considered
• Recognise that REDD+ will also ensure
sustainable utilization of forest resources
• Performance-based payments must be permanently attractive for
stakeholders
• Co-benefits from REDD+ are as important (if not more) as GHG
emission reductions/removal
• Recognise that customary landownership in the Pacific is different
from other REDD+ regions
– Ethnic people are not the minority in the Pacific (like in South
America)
– Structures and framework protecting the interests of indigenous
Pacific Islanders are largely in place
Issues continued
• Establishing trust between all stakeholders is key for
implementation of any program!
• Forests are more than carbon!
• Recognise the dual role of forests in climate change
adaptation and mitigation
• Our forest ecosystems will degrade with a 2°C increase!
• Strengthen role of regional organisations (e.g. PIDF, SPC, MSG)
in coordinating negotiation positions and facilitating
information and technology sharing, and capacity building of
Pacific Island Countries
Key issues for COP21, Paris
• Inclusion of REDD+ in draft agreement text (to be
proposed in ADP by CfRN)
• Strengthen emission removal component in current accounting
(reforestation and afforestation, agroforestry activities – carbon
stock enhancement)
• Ensure predictable and long-term funding through fund-based
mechanisms and easier accessibility
• Ensure the provision of sustainable capacity building and
technology transfer – (ensure local/regional expertise is developed
and country experts provided international exposure)
• Regional approach to allow small island countries (not REDD+
implementers) to receive non-carbon benefits from REDD+ (e.g.
capacity building and technology transfer for vegetation
monitoring) – promoted in Pacific Regional REDD+ Policy
Framework
Key Priority Area 2 - Climate Change
Impact on Food Security*
• Net food production is
facing an overall decline
across most of the Pacific
region due to:
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-Unsustainable land use & land
tenure
• -Urban migration & Diet change
• -Loss of crop biodiversity
Climate change risks and threats
exacerbate challenges already faced
by the sector
*Food security refers to access by all people at
all times to sufficient, safe and nutritious food
for a healthy and active life.
Key Issues
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Short Term – Direct loss and damage
resulting from frequent and more
intense extreme weather events
(Cyclone, Flood, Drought,)
Fiji & Samoa - TC Evan 2012 (US$97m
& US$26m),
Tonga, - TC Ian 2014 (US$18 m),
Vanuatu – TC Pam 2015 (US$56 m)
Solomon Islands - Flood 2014
(US$18m)
Fiji - Drought 1998 (US$70 m)
PNG – Frost/Drought 2015 (60,000
people affected)
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Long Term – Low production
resulting from slow onset events
(high temperature, changing rainfall
patterns, inundation, salt water
intrusion, coastal erosion)
PNG - Tuber formation in sweet
potato was significantly reduced at
temperatures above 34 °C
Vanuatu - Some plants flowering
earlier than usual while others are
fruiting much later than normal
Kiribati – Pandanus trees are lost
through coastal erosion due to sea
level rise
Tuvalu - Taro pits on some islands
and atolls have been contaminated
by salt water intrusion
Key Messages - Sector resilience must be built to
cope with and adapt to climate change impacts
• Strengthening the sector by
enhancing or reinvesting in
core strengths to develop
resilience and adaptive
capacity in particular research
and development, extension
services
• New and innovative strategies
such as crop and farmer
insurance schemes, and
developing private sector
opportunities and
partnerships with local
farmers in agribusiness,
agritourism
Key Priority Area 3: Agribusiness
• Key Priorities
1. Boost agriculture productivity and agro-exports from
the region
2. Develop agribusiness for supporting economic growth
and sustainable livelihoods
3. Promote resilient socio-economic development based
on agriculture
4. Deal with climate change effects on incomes, welfare
food security
Key Issues
1. Low production and productivity
 Heterogeneous small scale producers (Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa, Cook Islands) with limited
scale and capacity to complete. PIC’s supply is low & intermittent even in existing
markets
2. Lack of agro-processing & manufacturing high-value
products
 Less explored in PICs (embryonic with limited range in Fiji, PNG, Samoa)
3. Inefficient linkage to major markets
 ≈ 30-35 days by sea freight to the North ($3000/container) air freight is expensive.
Connectivity, cost and frequency - cost escalates with small quantity
4. Limited capacity to deal with bio-security and technical
barriers to trade
 Certification and technology for bio-security, post-harvest handling & market information
Key Messages
1. Financing entrepreneurship and trade
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Collateral to secure funding, investment in farm equipment and infrastructure
2. Technology - knowhow and transfer
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Source right technology, need cost-subsidy and skills to work with modern technology
3. Research & Development
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Innovative/improved varieties to deal with climate impacts, pests and diseases
Develop high yielding crop varieties
Sustain high productivity overtime
4. Research institutes, MOA extension services and
development partners must collaborate
 Funding and development assistance
 Research and information dissemination
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Specialized impactful training
Develop/harness internal-external linkages