A short statement delivered at the preparatory session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).
Like was said by many delegations it is crucial to improve drought mitigation and prevention strategies that identify the most vulnerable people and livelihoods, improving early warning systems that reach poor and marginalized people, and emergency aid during droughts for vulnerable groups, such as pastoralist. We continue to speak of resilience, but lets not forget that such as concept demands providing vulnerable groups with the information and resources to respond and adapt to change.
These must happen through initiatives designed and implemented in collaboration with local civil society actors and farmers; and some priorities are:
• Promotion of agro-ecological practices, and rainwater harvesting and conservation;
• Proper livestock management including consideration of animal welfare;
• Water recycling and appropriate water restrictions;
• Comprehensive land use involving carefully-planned crop rotation;
• Increased investments in indigenous crops and crops research for drought-prone areas for better sustainable productivity.
Madame chair, Prevention and adequate response to drought is critical for food sovereignty and food security. There is no doubt than when there is political will, combating global challenges is possible like we have seen over the last few weeks, and billions can pour over night. The world can simply not afford the cost of inaction.
A few questions, to panelist and to governments; to the panelist, to the representative from what are the limitations to designing and transfer EWS like those mentioned in other parts of the world, and of course, how do we overcome those?
It is clear that we need to work to enhance synergies between Rio Conventions. Dr Neely, Reflecting on practices like those mentioned, How can NSDS concretely serve to catalyze synergies between UNCCD National Action Programs (NAPs) and National Adaptation Programmes of Action under UNFCCC?
Second, developing countries have stressed the many challenges in obtaining funds to prevent and mitigate drought; what suggestions are developed country partners taking from the CSD process to discussions outside this forum?
February 20, 2009 – 1:43 pm
The World Food Programme (WFP) launched this week a food voucher programme in Burkina Faso. This is an intelligent step from the WFP, as it will help strengthen the local food markets rather than creating a dependency on foreign food to meet local demand. While this is only a first step on what should become a much larger programme across the continent, it must be applauded. For decades WFP has had to promote the importing crops from industrialized nations, creating a cycle of depending. While farmers in industrialized countries would benefit from dumping their surplus production whilst getting subsidies. Food vouchers are not a silver bullet—but if used at the right time they can help support local farming and enhance local markets, reducing vulnerabilities in the food systems.
In times of increased hardship due to the ongoing food crisis (no longer in the news, but still a concern in many vulnerable regions of the world) the food vouchers provide policy options for comprehensive response. The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2008, an FAO publication noted in December that Soaring food prices resulted in the highest single increase in hunger since 1990–92, while stressing on the need for measures to enable the agriculture sector to respond to the high prices while creating safety nets and social protection programmes for the most food-insecure and vulnerable .
February 17, 2009 – 4:43 pm
And here they come again, genetically-modified organisms (GMOS) to the rescue!
As soon as a crisis emerges, it seems like GMOs quickly make their way in the discourse. It does not matter how many times they get shut down as false solutions, they come also to the discussion framed as a technological solution to the pressing needs of the world. This time, they are slowly making their on the adaptation to climate change debate. A new paper by the UN FAO tackles the following question “Coping with Water Scarcity: What Role for Biotechnologies?”
But does it really?
The paper, a summary of an e-conference, discusses the application of biotechnologies (mainly genetic modification and marker-assisted selection) to develop crops with improved drought resistance or water use efficiency as well as the use of bacteria in water-limited conditions — among many others. While presenting some compelling ideas, it seems to discuss GMOs in a vacuum. The issue will emerge again during the upcoming session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) on agriculture, land, rural development, desertification, and drought in May. While the session does not focus on adaptation directly, enhanced action on the issues reviewed by the CSD will give us insight of what direction countries want to take on addressing these issues — issues central to the adaptation dabate. Are we are going to focus on quick technological solutions or in a comprehensive approach to enhance adaptation capacity? Judging from the FAO paper, It seems like the technological discourse will take central stage.
January 26, 2009 – 11:36 pm
This week world leaders will be gathering in Madrid, Spain to discuss next steps to address the global food crisis that has been hurting millions since last year. The UN estimates that at least 1 billion people are suffering of hunger, and the steps taken last year in the Rome during a similar food summit have not done nearly enough to help.
While the Agenda for this summit has high hopes, it does not appear to target action to address the fundamental problems that have hindered food production for the past 20 years. The global model of industrial agriculture has marginalized millions of small holder farmers around the world, and without the necessary policies and mechanisms to help these farmers, the changes to increase long term productivity at the local level remain limited. This meeting must use the political momentum to help 420 million small farmers produce food to tackle global needs. Making food accessible to those at risk of chronic hunger, for whom food has become too expensive and out of their PPP over the past two years, will require a new agenda that promotes sustainable agriculture. Unless such an agenda is promoted, the Madrid summit will deliver the same as Rome did: more hunger.
January 19, 2009 – 5:46 pm
The Worldwatch Institute, a think-tank based in Washington DC, USA, just released State of the World 2009, a publication examining policy changes needed to combat climate change. A recommended read. 
R. Pachuri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reviewed the book and said that “ [State of the World 2009] will undoubtedly influence the negotiators from different countries to look beyond the narrow and short-term concerns that are far too often the reason for inaction.”
I was fortunate to contribute to book with an article co-authored with a colleague from the University of the South Pacific, Alifereti Tawake, reviewing the contribution of community-based coastal management. You can find the article on page 90 of the book.
November 7, 2008 – 11:15 am
The 4th meeting of the AWGLCA will be hosting a workshop on “Risk management and risk reduction strategies, including risk sharing and transfer mechanisms such as insurance.” The item was listed in the Bali Action Plan, and this will be first meeting that considers specific adaptation issues.
In preparation to the discussion, it is important to think of the issues of risk beyond macro insurance. Micro /meso- level efforts on risk management are complementary to any macro scale effort. Micro/meso level activities reduce weather-related risk at a lower scale and these activities can contribute to food security, and can also promote the reduction of vulnerability. Extreme losses insurance is a last resource option. It only covers losses when there have been higher than normal events and only if parties have met certain standards of risk reduction. The impacts that will hinder development and affect vulnerable communities will be manifested over changes in frequency, not just intensity. Having 6 category-three storms in a year will erode the resilience and strength of a nation the same, or more, as a big category-five event. The key to minimizing the impact of a large event is in working to reduce the impact of smaller events.
October 7, 2008 – 11:18 am
Although I normally reserve this space for adaptation-related information, here is something I need your help with. I need you to help me organize a party. Here’s the deal: The United States has historically contributed the most to global warming, and over the past eight years it’s done the least to stop it. In fact, the U.S. has actively tried to block progress on a global climate deal.
Invite the president elect to come to COP14 in Poland this next December HERE
Whoever takes office as U.S. President next year has a lot of work to get the US back in the game–and their very first test on climate change will come even before either Obama or McCain takes office. That test will be the next UN Climate meeting coming up in December. IF the next president goes and makes a strong statement about the U.S. rising to the challenge of the climate crisis, it could dramatically alter the course of the negotiations. But McCain and Obama will only go if they’re invited. That’s where we come in. It’s crucial that citizens from around the globe put pressure on Obama and McCain to ensure they attend the meeting, and play their part in getting the U.S. to be a leader on global warming.
Please visit www.350.org/invite to send your personal invitation to McCain and Obama today. Thanks for all you do.
September 1, 2008 – 1:08 am
New Report
While most people would not think of the United States of America has having to suffer from climate change, there is a hidden truth among the minorities and excluded communities. Black african americans in the US in many parts of the US are as vulnerable as people from small islands or other vulnerable countries. The US government has neglected minorities for decades, with the most recent example being the reckless and incompetent response to hurricanne Katrina that killed over 2000 black african americans in New Orleans in 2005.
A new (outstanding) report has been published giving great insight hidden under the image of power of the US. The EJCC and Redefining Progress have published “A Climate of Change African Americans, Global Warming, and a Just Climate Policy for the U.S”. You can also read more here. Please read the report!
August 26, 2008 – 1:06 am
August 7, 2008 – 11:23 am
One of the most worrying trends in climate politics is how decision-making continues to be less and less informed by science. The current US administration has decided, after making a big fuzz about their “leadership” on climate change, to shut down a capacity-building center aimed at helping some of the poorest countries integrated climate knowledge.
More details by Andy Revkin from the New York Times
I guess it will be easier for the US to force small nations to lead them down their path if they
