The Commission on Ecosystem Management and

the Ecosystem Approach

Presentation to the Chinese Academy of Science

Beijing, 15th of September 2010

Piet Wit

Chair of CEM/IUCNhttp://iucn.org/cem

Content

• Background P.Wit

• Introduction CEM/IUCN– Governance and structure

– Thematic groups

– Results

– Future plans

• The Ecosystem Approach– CBD

– 12 principles

– 5 steps

– Rapid Ecological Appraisal

• Questions

http://iucn.org/cem

1971: M.Sc. Wageningen; Agriculture and Grasslandhusbandry.

Work in > 40 countries, notably in NL, West Africa and Central Asia.

Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Forestry, Water Management, Education.

Chair of CEM/IUCN

Background Piet Wit

The IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management

(CEM)

Provides expert guidance on integrated approaches to the management of natural and modified ecosystems to promote

biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

Governance & Structure

• Lead by the Chair

• Steering Committee (4 members + Chair)

• Supported by secretariat (EcosystemManagement Programme, IUCN)

• Regional Vice Chairs (13)

• Thematic Group Leads (20)

Governance & Structure (2)

Steering Committee, regional responsabilities:

•Chair (Piet Wit):• Western Europe (RVC Hein Rune Skjoldal)• Eastern Europe and Central Asia (RVC Kalev Sepp)

•Deputy Chair (Angela Andrade):• North America (RVC Steve Edwards)• Meso-America (RVC Bernal Herrera Fernandes)• South America (RVC Roberto Vides-Almonacid)

Governance & Structure (3)

Steering Committee, regional representations:

• SC member for Africa (Masse Lô):• West Africa (RVC Edouard Bonkoungou)• Central Africa (RVC Corneille Ewango)• South and East Africa (RVC Hillary Masundire)

• SC member for Asia (Said Damhoureyeh):• West Asia (RVC Samira Omar)• South Asia (RVC Drhubajyoti Ghosh)• North-East Asia (RVC Shoichi Kawano)

• SC member for Oceania (Kelvin Passfield)• Oceania (RVC Milika Naquasima Sobey)• South-East Asia (RVC Annadel Cabanban)

Governance & Structure (4)

• National Focal Points in 3 countries (e.g. Dr. Yu Xiubo for China)

• Special Advisors and focal points for Ecosystem Approach, Arctic, Antarctic, Culture and EM, Urban systems

• Commission representatives in intercommissionalwork (e.g. Disaster facility), or to represent IUCN (e.g. Green Capital of Europe)

• Task Forces may be initiated for a limited period to tackle an upcoming issue (e.g. Mexican Gulf OilSpill)

Thematic groups S.C. Focal Point Piet Wit:

• Ecosystems Red List (TGL Jon Paul Rodriguez)

• Disaster Risk Reduction (TGL Karin Sudmeier)

• Ecosystem Services (TGL Dolf de Groot)

• Connectivity (TGL Graham Bennett)

• Mountain Ecosystems (TGL Martin Price)

• Holarctic Steppes (TGL Tatyana Bragina)

Thematic groupsS.C. Focal Point Angela Andrade

• Ecosystem Approach (TGL Olivier Hamerlynck)

• Grassland Ecosystems in Latin America (TGL Robert Hofstede)

• Ecosystem based Adaptation to Climate change (TGL Roberto Cazolla)

• Wetland ecosystems (TGL Mike Acreman)

Thematic groupsS.C. Focal Point Masse Lô

• Capacity building for Ecosystem Management (TGL Sosten Chiotha)

• Dryland Ecosystems (TGL Lene Poulsen)

Thematic groupsSC focal point Said Damhoureyeh:

• Nutrient Flows (TGL Arthur Nonomura)

• Ecosystem restoration (TGL Keith Bowers)

• Ecosystems and the Private Sector (TGL Eros Artuso)

Thematic groupsS.C. member Oceania

• Coastal ecosystems (TGL Richard Kensington)

• Fisheries Expert Group (TGL Serge Garcia)

• Urban Ecosystems (TGL Li Feng)

• Island ecosystems (TGL Arthur Dahl)

For Members (± 500)

• Regular newsletters and email updates regarding relevant research, workshops, activities and collaborative opportunities

• Seed funding for relevant members’ workshops, conferences and initiatives

• Opportunity to network with other experts in focused areas of ecosystem management

• Contribution to IUCN and CEM’s publications, scientific papers and research activities

Key-Results “Maltby Era” (1996 – 2000)

Input into international policy processes, in particular the CBD

Innovative approaches

Sibthorpe principles

Red List of Ecosystems

Key-Results “Masundire Era” (2000 - 2008)

• Consolidation input into CBD

• Making the Ecosystem Approach palatable

Application Malawi principles

5 step approach

New themes: Restoration, Ecosystem Services, Indicators

CEM Ecosystem Management Series

Starting points 2008

• Mobilising the membership, stimulating initiatives by CEM-members including through:

• Seed-money

• New thematic groups

• Promoting the integration of young professionals into CEM

• Flagship Products:

– Red List of Ecosystems

– Ecosystem Services

– EbA case studies

– Tropical Andean Partnership (Meso- and Latin America)

Highlights from individual TGs

• Climate adaptation: Support to IUCN’s engagement in Copenhagen, through successful influence on incorporating ecosystem management into the adaptation negotiations.

• Ecosystem Red List – publication accepted by Journal on Conservation Biology, regional workshops, collaboration with SUR.

• Ecosystems and Disasters – contribution to ISDR Global Platform and 2011 Global Assessment Report. CEM Publication Environmental Guidance note for Disaster Risk Reduction (Ecosystem Management Series #8)

• Fisheries Expert Group activities much appreciated in SBSTTA (Nairobi) and invited for Nagoya

Highlights from Regional activities

• Latin and Meso-America: Learning Community on the EsA; Application EsA in Biosphere Reserves

• North America and Latin America: Professional platforms

• W.Europe: Green Capital of Europe

• E.Europe: Conference Tallinn

• South-East Asia: Proposals on coastal ecosystems

• South Africa: Capacity building in Baviaanskloof

• South Asia: Workshop in India

Future plans

• Promote Intercommission collaboration, (e.g. disaster preparedness)

• Strengthening the membership in weak regions (e.g. Central Africa)

• Serving the IUCN membership through collaboration with regional offices, fine-tuning with national committees ,etc.

• Capacity building

Possible points of attention for CEM in China

• Ecosystem based Disaster management

• Ecosystem based adaptation to Climate Change, incl. restoration and connectivity

• Urban ecosystems

• Ecosystems Red List

• Payment for Ecosystem Services

• Ecosystems and the private sector

• Capacity building, education and training

http://iucn.org/cem

First World Congress on Ecosystem Management

• > 1000 participants

• > 1.000.000 $

• Theme of the conference to be decided, but likely to be on Conservation and Wise-Use of Ecosystems

• Candidate countries: Russia, Brazil, India, CHINA

http://iucn.org/cem

The ecosystem approach

http://iucn.org/cem

Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 1992)

Ecosystem:A dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro/organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit

Ecosystem Approach: A strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way.

Ecosystem Approach

12 principles (CBD)

5 steps (IUCN/CEM)

REA: 3 sub-systems

• Physical

• Socio-economical

• Institutional

Resource base(physical system)

Resource management

(Institutional System)

Resource use(Socio-economic

System)

12 principles of Ecosystem Management

• Workshop in Malawi

• Predecessors, a/o:– Integrated Water Management

– Forest Certification

– Integrated Rural Development

– Sibthorpe Principles

• Endorsed in Nairobi (COP-8)

• Tested a/o in Latin America(Published in CEM-series): “Principles” form a good framework for analysis.

http://iucn.org/cem

5 steps approach

• Based on an analysis of the Principles by Gill Sheperd (CEM)

• published in CEM-series

http://iucn.org/cem

Step A: Determining Ecosystem stakeholders and area

• Principle 1: The objectives of management of land, water and living resources are a matter of societal choice

• Principle 7: The ecosystem approach should be undertaken at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales.

• Principle 11: The ecosystem approach should consider all forms of relevant information, including scientific and indigenous and local knowledge, innovations and practices

• Principle 12: The ecosystem approach should involve all relevant sectors of society and scientific disciplines.

http://iucn.org/cem

Step B: Ecosystem structure,

function and management

• Principle 2: Management should be decentralized to the lowest appropriate level

• Principle 5: Conservation of ecosystem structure and functioning, in order to maintain ecosystem services, should be a priority target of the ecosystem approach

• Principle 6: Ecosystems must be managed within the limits of their functioning

• Principle 10: The ecosystem approach should seek the appropriate balance between, and integration of conservation and use of biological diversity http://iucn.org/cem

Step C: Economic Issues

• Principle 4: Recognizing potential gains from management there is usually a need to understand and manage the ecosystem in an economic context. Any such ecosystem management programme should:

– Reduce those market distortions that adversely affect biological diversity;

– Align incentives to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable use;

– Internalise costs and benefits in the given ecosystem to the extent feasible.

http://iucn.org/cem

Step D: Adaptive management over space

• Principle 3: Ecosystem managers should consider the effects (actual or potential) of their activities on adjacent and other ecosystems.

• Principle 7: The ecosystem approach should be undertaken at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales.

http://iucn.org/cem

Step E: Adaptive management over

time

• Principle 7: The ecosystem approach should be undertaken at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales.

• Principle 8: Recognising the varying temporal scales and lag effects that characterise ecosystem processes, objectives for ecosystem management should be set for the long term.

• Principle 9: Management must recognise that change is inevitable.

http://iucn.org/cem

REA, Step 1Assessing the resource base

( the physical system)

Abiotic factors:• Weather and climate• Geology and geomorphology. • Soils and soil fertility. • Hydrology and geo-hydrology

Biotic factors:• Flora and vegetation• Fauna• Man

REA, step 2:Assessing resource use

(the socio-economic system)

Extractive uses:•Land systems based:•Water systems based

Non-extractive uses•Conservation, Nature Protection •Tourism and recreation• Scientific research•Cultural use.

REA, step 3:Assessing resource management:

institutions and regulations

(the institutional system)

• Modern state representations

•Traditional authorities

•Moral authorities

•Economic powers

•The international Community

REA, step 4:Adaptive management

To analyse the potential impacts of proposed activities, go over step 1, 2 and 3 again:

•Positive and negative impacts

•On-site and off-site impacts.

•Impacts during and after (re-)construction.

•Direct and indirect (induced) impacts.

Thank you!

Questions?