fragile environments case studies
The Sahel case study
management of desertification
stone walls
built on slope of land which acts like a dam: stops surface run off and allows water to sink into soil -- Burkina Faso
tree planting
young acacia and gum trees are grown then planted. this has economic benefits (sell gum) as well as restoring fertility of soil -- Senegal
upesi stoves
bricks/ cement enclose fire, preventing smoke and reducing fire hazards. it uses less wood, takes less time to build and cooks faster than an open fire -- Malawi
UK response to climate change
UK has tried to reduce
reliance on fossil fuels as primary energy source: burning more gas, less coal
energy consumption: using energy more efficiently
UK has tight controls on imports of hardwood, discouraging illegal logging and felling
UK has mapped and classified coastline into these stretches that will be protected from rising sea levels and those that will drown. The Thames Barrier is used to reduce flooding
china responses to climate change
adopted Paris agreement: keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees celcius
national action plan on climate change: various actions which make china's economic development more sustainable
implementing large forest conservation and restoration program mitigates CO2 emissions
south to north water project combats droughts
costal zone management is now under way: building sea walls, land-use zoning and land reclamation
Amazon rainforest case study
the forest code: farmers who buy rainforest can only clear and farm 20% of it
the amazon region protected areas: over a 10 year period, 45million hectares were made into parks and reserves
replanting projects: collecting seeds from primary forests to grow them into saplings, back in deformed areas after having them in nurseries
US - Brazil partnership - restoration of 12 million hectares of land
adaption vs mitigation
adaptation
Thames Barrier
mitigation
london array
barrier seals upper part of the river from the sea. Gates control water flowing up the river, protecting infratsrtucture
large offshore wind farm. encourages more off shore wind farms to be built. uses a renewable source of energy, reducing the build up of greenhouse gas emissions
response from individuals
eating less meat and dairy
reduces over 10% of global climate changing emissions
use less petrol and diesel cars for short journeys
decreases our pollution and there are alternatives to cars
energy reductions
investments via green technology reduce air pollution and provide jobs
close all power stations and not build coal-fired projects abroad
impacts of desertification
famine and malnutrition
result of crop failures results in deaths among infants and elderly
lack of rain leads to an increased number of crop failures
farming relied upon for a source of income affecting economies
international migration can lead to conflict and increased pressure on natural resources. Pressure also on public services such as schools, housing and healthcare
sustainable management
forest code
the Amazon Region Protected Areas (ARPA)
law requires all farmers who buy rainforest to only clear and farm 20% of it
advantages
allows a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
balance between conservations and production
regeneration of native vegetation
disadvantages
law is hard to enforce in rural, remote areas
it is hard to monitor what is happening with few staff
45 million hectares of land were made into protected parks and reserves
advantages
allows indigenous groups to continue living and farming in areas
protects the most vulnerable areas
disadvantages
can be expensive with lots of acres of land
replanting projects in the Amazon Rainforest (REGUA
increase rainforest cover by collecting seeds from remaining patches of forest and growing them into saplings in nurseries and replanting saplings
advantages
monitor previous deforestation areas
can improve local and regional microclimate
disadvantages
lacks the biodiversity and layered structure of original rainforest
takes many decades for trees to grow and mature
United Nations REDD scheme
reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation
developing countries are offered financial incentives to reduce carbon emissions and deforestation
advantages
developing countries could use this money to invest in health and education
helps in the fight against climate change
disadvantages
illegal logging could still occur (hard to manage)
CITES (the convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora
protects rare and endangered species from becoming extinct
advantages
increases biodiversity
disadvantages
does not necessarily offer any protection to trees from deforestation
focuses mainly on rare species
only focuses on international trade of plants and animals
Africa's great green wall
8000km southern border of the Sahara
growing fertile land, food security, health, improved water security, sustainable energy, economic opportunities and break the cycle of migration
brings back life to degraded land, provides food security and jobs, as well as securing weather cycles by allowing precipitation
problems
only 15% of the way through
land is infertile
poor communities don't have materials to grow