Forest Ecosystem Services-Based Adaptation Actions Supported by the National Policy on Climate Change for Namibia: Effectiveness, Indicators, and Challenges

Abstract

Forest ecosystem services are crucial in adaptation, mitigation, and increasing climate change resilience. Although most climate change policies promote adaptation actions in forest ecosystem services, there are limited studies focusing on the forest ecosystem services-based adaptation actions supported by the National Policy on Climate Change for Namibia (NPCC). This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of forestry adaptation actions of the NPCC. An independent t-test for non-categorical data was used for the statistical analysis to compare mean scores of the implementation effectiveness of adaptation actions and challenges before and after the NPCC implementation, according to the perceptions of forestry and climate change cross-sectoral experts. A p-value less than 0.05 (p < 0.05) was designated as the statistical significance. Adaptation actions in forest ecosystem services were significantly effective after the introduction of the NPCC. Biodiversity and carbon sequestration were significantly effective after the introduction of the NPCC. The most significant challenges identified were the lack of awareness, which affected adaptation actions before and after the policy. Afforestation, reforestation, awareness, and forestry research need strengthening to improve the effectiveness of the NPCC. Although our results showed that adaptation actions supported by the NPCC were generally effective after the introduction of the policy, we identified some implementation areas that require strengthening, mainly through research, to help in sound decision-making. We, therefore, recommend future research to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities (SWOT) of the NPCC and consequently design/propose a framework for forest ecosystem services-based adaptation actions in the policy to improve adaptation actions.

Unveiling the Impact of Climate Variability on Forest Fire Occurrence in Namibia: A Modelling Study

“…The vegetation types of Namibia are characterised by its geographical location, situated between the Namib Desert stretching along the coast on the west, and the Kalahari Desert which borders its eastern and southern neighbours, Botswana and South Africa, respectively (Bliss, 2018;Nikodemus et al, 2022;Radatz, 2003). The dry climatic conditions have a signi cant in uence on its vegetation types.…”

“…Studies have predicted that climate change will continue to signi cantly in uence re behaviour and cause destruction to forest ecosystem services in Namibia (Kapuka et al, 2022;Keja-Kaereho et al, 2019;Nikodemus et al, 2022;Reid et al, 2007). This phenomenon has already started to manifest in most parts of the country (Kapuka and Hlásny, 2020), which is prone to forest res due to the dry conditions (Mwansa, 2018) Forest res play an essential role in the Namibian ecosystems and economies, and provide vital ecological functions (Sheuyange et al, 2005).…”

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Urban Sprawl and Ecological Quality Study Case: Chiba Prefecture, Japan

“…Fundamentally, the natural landscape, including forests and agriculture, provides ecosystem service components such as biodiversity, soil conservation, water management, carbon storage, sociocultural value, climate change mitigation [11], food production, and land reclamation [12]. Understanding the existence of natural areas is important for restoring and enhancing ecosystem services and protection.…”