The issues of applying the ecosystem approach in the process of solving problems related to climate change were discussed at the Central Asian Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2019) held in Tashkent in April 2019 in Tashkent.
The presentation “Ecosystem Approach to Adaptation to Climate Change - A Concept and Challenges in the Amu-Darya River Basin” was made by Julian Schlubach, GIZ regional project.
He opened the theme through the question - what is the role of ecosystems, what are they and why do we want to use them in the context of adaptation activities. He also emphasized that “ecosystem services and services affect everything, are related to the quality of our well-being, health and work.”
The representative of the GIZ regional project believes that forests play a big role in mountain ecosystems, including Central Asia. “They regulate the temperature, prevent soil erosion, stop the development of ravines, both in the area of the sources and downstream,” said Julian Schlubackh and in his speech revealed this topic in more detail.
Mr. Schlubach emphasized: conservation of ecosystems is in itself adaptation to climate change. Moreover, the expert shared his vision of how the ecosystem approach can be integrated into adaptation work in the context of climate change changing in the negative direction and revealed the essence of the approach in three processes: conservation, restoration and restoration.
Concluding his speech, Julian Schlubach noted that the main task today is to maintain the sustainable functioning of ecosystems, and this can be achieved if “we work together to achieve a balance between all interested parties.”
The full presentation is available here:
Additional information on the ecosystem approach:
The concept of adaptation, based on the ecosystem approach (EbA), is very important for Central Asia, especially for mountainous areas, since here the life of people is closely related to natural resources. Such a concept is essentially a general adaptation strategy using biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Sustainable ecosystem management is fundamental to reducing the vulnerability of people to climate risks and helps to strengthen the ability of ecosystems and people to deal with various external stresses arising from climate change.
EbA offers many benefits. Many measures are considered “win-win” in terms of biodiversity conservation and are accompanied by additional benefits, such as mitigating the greenhouse effect and improving food security.
Sources: own information and materials from the Internet.
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Program in the Aral Sea Basin (CAMP4ASB).