Presentation on managing climate risk through ecosystem-based adaptation – linking urban and rural development planning by Mandy Barnett from SANBI

1. Ecological Infrastructure and EbA in South African
rural and urban landscapes
Dr. Mandy Barnett, Climate Change Adaptation, SANBI
OECD TASK TEAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION
Paris, 20 April 2015

2. Overview of presentation
Defining Ecological Infrastructure (EI) and explaining the
rationale for the concept
Introducing the uMngeni catchment
Overview of two Rural EbA pilots under the AF
Overview of the uMngeni EI partnership: An EI pilot in the
uMngeni catchment
Insights and lessons

3. Introducing the concept of Ecological
Infrastructure
(as it is applied in South Africa)
Born out of a study looking at ‘making the case’ for
investments in BD conservation in SA
Several directives from the study:
• No more doom and gloom messaging – speak in a
language of ‘hope of gain’
• Target messaging at main priorities of policy makers
• Align with service delivery imperatives which are
high up on SA Govt priority list

4. • Ecological infrastructure is natures equivalent of built
infrastructure
• It refers to those naturally functioning ecosystems that deliver
valuable services to people
• It is our catchments, wetlands, estuaries, coastal dunes,
grasslands, soil, water recharge areas etc
• It provides cost effective, long term solutions to service delivery
• EI is a useful way to frame climate change adaptation in the
context of development

5. Nhalzuka
Vulindlela
the uMngeni Catchment
Providing water to
the Cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban
uMgungundlovu District
Municipality boundary

6. Local scale analyses show:
• Average temperature increases
• Possible increase in mean rainfall
• Increase in daily maximum rainfall
• Increase in extreme storm and flood events
• Seasonal shifts and later onset of summer
rains
….increased risk of wildland fires, storms and
flooding, heat stress and possible drought
events
Climate predictions for the uMngeni Catchment
(from Long Term Adaptation Scenarios and
Municipal climate change strategy documents)

7. Adaptation Fund Project:
Building resilience in the
Greater uMngeni Catchment,
South Africa
(USD 7.5 million)
• Early warning systems that support
local communities and small scale
farmers
• Climate-proof settlements (built and
ecological infrastructure) and
informing settlement planning
• Climate resilient agriculture
• Lessons learnt
= Rural EbA pilots

8. EbA in Vulindlela
Rehabilitating grasslands to improve
grazing capacity and flood mitigation

9. EbA in Nhlazuka
Tackling bush encroachment to reduce
risk from wild fires and increase food
security

10. The uMngeni Ecological
Infrastructure Partnership
Rationale:
Demand for water in the catchment is close
to exceeding supply; engineering options
have nearly been exhausted
The City is turning to a cross sectoral
Ecological Infrastructure partnership for
solutions – 36 partners to date
Interventions to improve flow and quality:
• Rehabilitation and maintenance of
grasslands, river banks and wetlands
• Construction of artificial wetlands
• Upgrading of sewerage treatment and
pollution control
• Invasive alien plant control and
biological monitoring
Success will depend on:
• Cross-sectoral cooperation
• Partnerships between govt, civil society
and the private sector
Linking catchment management to
urban water supply in the City of
Durban

11. Lessons and insights and a few questions….
• Framing and language is important for unlocking local partnerships, scaling
up and success - ‘Ecological Infrastructure’ is a very useful concept for
mainstreaming biodiversity considerations into development planning and
for framing Climate Change Adaptation interventions
• EI and EbA interventions MUST be designed as part of social and economic
development programmes, and cross sectoral integration is crucial – easier
at site level…it is challenging to bring this to scale…
• Partnerships are essential, including involvement of civil society, all spheres
of government , pvt sector. And with this, resources are needed to support
good process
• There is a big gap between national and international policy work, and the
identification of local level interventions, including in EbA. Can NAPs help
us to work in a more cross sectoral and to close this gap?

12. Thank you