The role of ecosystem services in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction

“…Investing in ecological restoration should be considered, instead, as a high-yielding investment (De Groot et al 2013). Studies have shown that healthy and resilient ecosystems contribute to climate change adaptation, as well as to disaster risk reduction (CBD 2009;Doswald et al 2014;Munang et al 2013;Renaud et al 2013;World Bank 2010). Investing in preventive measures, including maintaining healthy ecosystems, can be more cost-effective than simply bearing the costs incurred by natural hazards (through inaction) or paying the costs (including construction and maintenance) of engineered solutions to DRR (Jones et al 2012;PEDRR 2010;UNISDR 2011;World Bank 2010).…”

Section: Costs Of Natural Hazardsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem approach for natural hazard mitigation of volcanic tephra in Iceland: building resilience and sustainability

Ágústsdóttir¹

2015

Nat Hazards

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Living in Iceland, a highly volcanically active island with a historical eruption frequency of 20-25 events per 100 years, involves risks from lava, pyroclastic flows, tephra-fall, and floods from glacier/snow-covered volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions can have detrimental effects on human health, societies, and ecosystems. Eruptions in 2010-2011 proved the value of pre-event planning for some natural hazards. An additional focus is needed on pre-disaster mitigation responses for the effects of tephra-fall on vegetation: As outlined under the UNISDR Hyogo/Sendai Framework for Action, healthy ecosystems and environmental management are key actions in disaster risk reduction (DRR). Iceland's most serious environmental problem is the degraded state of common rangeland in the highlands, where tephra-fall has been catastrophic. Tephra (airborne volcanic material) affects hydrology, air quality, and ecosystems by direct burial or post-eruptive transport, extending its influence far beyond the initial eruption area. Resilience to tephra-related disturbances depends on an ecosystem's overall health. Tall, vigorous vegetation has greater endurance; its initial survival is more likely, while sheltering minimizes secondary transport and hastens recovery. Areas that are sparsely vegetated and already stressed are more vulnerable; there, tephra remains unstable and can cause further damage. Reclaiming vulnerable land and building healthy ecosystems, as represented by the Hekluskógar project, improve the ability of these areas to endure tephra-fall, increasing their resilience and reducing the associated costs to society. Successful DRR for tephra-fall, through the revegetation of degraded land, will require effective governance, multi-sector coordination, and the alignment of policies on land use, agriculture, natural resource management, and climate change mitigation.

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“…Suggestions have been made that the effects of climate change on the provision of goods and services may be multi-faceted [17,28,29], with their impacts depending on location and services [30][31][32][33]. It is also thought that demand for certain services might increase [34], causing discrepancies between supply and demand.…”

Section: A Problem Of Governancementioning

confidence: 99%

Balancing Economic Development and Environmental Conservation for a New Governance of Alpine Areas

Cantiani

Geitner

Haida³

et al. 2016

Sustainability

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Abstract:In the Alpine environment, Man has always been directly dependent on mountain ecosystems. Social mechanisms have created specific models of governance, capable of assuring the persistence of ecosystems and their capacity to provide essential goods and services. In recent decades, however, dramatic changes have occurred, such as climate change and changes in land use. The complexity common to all linked human-natural environment systems is extremely marked in the Alpine areas and this makes it difficult to understand how resilient these systems may be. Many research questions arise, in particular as to the comprehension and quantification of the impact of changes on the capacity of ecosystems to produce goods and services in a sustainable way, and the possibility of local mechanisms of governance to adapt to both current and future changes. Reasons and effects of change are analysed from the perspective of the specific issues of governance. The importance of the Ecosystems Services (ESs) concept is acknowledged and the necessity for a dynamic assessment of ESs, taking into account people's values and expectations, is particularly stressed. Through a careful analysis of selected papers and case studies, the main gaps in current knowledge are identified and directions for further research are provided.

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The role of ecosystem services in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction

Cited by 191 publications

References 9 publications

Nature-based solutions to address global societal challenges

Nature-based solutions to address global societal challenges

Ecosystem approach for natural hazard mitigation of volcanic tephra in Iceland: building resilience and sustainability

Balancing Economic Development and Environmental Conservation for a New Governance of Alpine Areas

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