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Dual Approach for Responding to Climate Change

Looking to the Future: Climate-Smart Conservation Naomi Edelson Director, State and Federal Wildlife Partnerships National Wildlife Federation. Dual Approach for Responding to Climate Change. Mitigation Addresses causes of global warming especially through reducing carbon pollution

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Dual Approach for Responding to Climate Change

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  1. Looking to the Future:Climate-Smart ConservationNaomi EdelsonDirector, State and Federal Wildlife Partnerships National Wildlife Federation

  2. Dual Approach forResponding to Climate Change • Mitigation • Addresses causes of global warming especially through reducing carbon pollution • Focus of NWF’s Climate and Energy team • Adaptation • Addresses impacts of climate change on people and wildlife • Focus of NWF’s Safeguards team Dual—not dueling—approaches: Both are essential and complementary

  3. -- State of the Union 2013 We must do more … to prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change.. AND MORE RECENT EO (Nov 2013)

  4. The future ain’t what it used to be. -- Yogi Berra

  5. Preparing for and Managing Change “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” --- Wayne Gretsky

  6. NWF’s Safeguards Strategy • Advance the science, policy, and practice of adaptation • NWF widely recognized as national “thought leaders” on this emerging field • Promote adoption and application of climate-smart conservation • Partnering with federal and state agencies, local communities, and other organizations • Influencing conservation and management on millions of acres • Connect the needs of people and wildlife in addressing climate impacts • Growing emphasis on adaptation in cities and towns using natural system approaches

  7. Vulnerability Assessment to Action • May reprioritize: • Species • Habitats • Actions • Monitoring

  8. What Constitutes Good Adaptation? • Adaptation an emerging field • Still poor understanding of what climate adaptation means • Most guidance still at very high level; little operational advice • Danger of existing work simply re-labeled as adaptation • Strong interest in understanding what truly constitutes climate adaptation and how to put principles into practice

  9. Building Capacity for Adaptation • In-Person Vulnerability Training • Have now held ca. 10 sessions across country in collaboration with FWS NCTC • Monthly Webinars w/ FWS • Linking leading researchers with practitioner community • National Climate Assessment technical input on adaptation • Integrating CC into State Wildlife Action Plans

  10. Vulnerability Assessment Guidance • Successful collaborative process produced vulnerability assessment guidance • Inter-institutional workgroup with multiple federal agencies • Scanning the Conservation Horizon published in 2011 • Effort received Secretary of Interior’s “Partners in Conservation” Award • NCTC training course • Ongoing training, held more than a dozen times with more than 400 staff trained But…vulnerability assessment just one step in adaptation process

  11. Guidance Development Approach • Expert workgroup convened to develop adaptation guidance • Federal, state, and NGO participants • Publication and training course being developed • Designed to demystify process • Through breaking down into understandable and manageable steps • Non-prescriptive • focus on understanding principles and how to apply • Encourage innovation and context-specific application • Not a recipe book, rather focus is on “the way to cook”

  12. Climate-Smart Conservation Expert Workgroup • NGOs • National Wildlife Federation • Wildlife Conservation Society • EcoAdapt • Nature Conservancy • Geos Institute • Point Blue Conservation Science • State Agencies • Florida • Maryland • Federal Agencies • Fish and Wildlife Service • National Park Service • US Geological Survey • Environmental Protection Agency • NOAA • US Forest Service • Army Corps of Engineers

  13. Table of Contents • Section 1 – Getting Started • Introduction to climate-smart conservation • Exploring the climate-smart cycle • Section 2 – Putting Principles into Practice • Detailed exploration of steps in climate-smart cycle • Section 3 – Making Adaptation Count • Special topics (e.g., uncertainty, communications) and key resources (e.g., tools, data sources)

  14. Current Status • Publication • External review • USGS formal peer review • Broad array (>35) of other external reviewers • Publication date late April 2014 • Training • Training in collaboration with FWS/NCTC • Pilot training at NCTC October 29-31 • Sacramento last week!

  15. Major Themes • Act with intentionality — link actions to impacts • Manage for change, not just persistence • Reconsider goals, not just strategies • Integrate adaptation into existing work

  16. Key Characteristics of Climate-Smart Conservation • Actions linked to climate impacts • Forward looking goals • Broader landscape context • Robust in an uncertain future • Agile and informed management • Minimizes carbon footprint • Climate influence on project success • Safeguards people and wildlife • Avoids maladaptation

  17. Climate-Smart Conservation Cycle

  18. Step 3Review/Revise Conservation Goals • Intended Outcome • Adoption of climate-informed conservation goals and management objectives Inputs Outputs Agreed-upon set of climate-informed conservation goals/management objectives • Existing goals/ management objectives • From Step 1 • Understanding of system/target vulnerabilities • From Step 2 Review/ Revise Conservation Goals

  19. Step 4Identify Possible Adaptation Options • Intended Outcome • Identify broad array of possible options for reducing key vulnerabilities Inputs Outputs Specific actions capable of reducing key vulnerabilities Explicit rationale or logic model for how identified actions link to climate-related impacts • Key vulnerabilities • From Step 3 • Factors contributing to those vulnerabilities • From Step 3 Identify Possible Adaptation Options

  20. Step 5Evaluate and Select Adaptation Actions • Intended Outcome • A set of operationally feasible actions that collectively help meet climate-informed conservation goals Inputs Outputs Set of adaptation actions most appropriate to implement A coherent plan based on selected actions Metrics for use in tracking action effectiveness • Agreed-upon climate-informed goals • From Step 3 • Set of possible adaptation actions • From Step 4 Evaluate and Select Adaptation Actions

  21. Step 6Implement Priority Adaptation Actions • Intended Outcome • Successful implementation of selected strategies and actions Inputs Outputs Set of actions put into practice • Priority actions for implementation • From Step 5 • Implementation challenges identified during strategy and action evaluation and selection • From Step 5 Implement Priority Adaptation Actions

  22. Step 7Track Action Effectiveness and Ecological Response • Intended Outcome • Inform needed adjustments in adaptation strategies and actions Inputs Outputs Management-relevant changes in ecological resources documented • Adaptation actions selected for implementation • From Step 4 • Possible evaluation metrics • From Step 4 Track Action Effectiveness and Ecological Response

  23. A Central Question: How to Connect Vulnerability to Adaptation Actions? “Kim’s Brain”

  24. Connecting Vulnerability to Adaptation ActionsVersion 2 “Susan/Jordan’s Brain”

  25. Connecting Vulnerability to Adaptation Actions Connecting Vulnerability to Adaptation ActionsSusan/Jordan’s Brain Identify what’s of concern and why? Vulnerabilities Key Vulnerabilities General Strategies Identify broad range of options Possible Options Specific Actions Which best achieve conservation goals? Which achieve other (social/econ)goals? Which are climate-smart? How practicable/ feasible are they? Evaluate, compare, and select actions

  26. From Adaptation Strategy to Adaptation Action General Adaptation Strategies • Reduce Non-Climate Stresses • Protect Key Ecosystem Features • Ensure Connectivity • Restore Structure and Function • Support Evolutionary Potential • Protect Refugia • Relocate Organisms General Strategies Possible Options Specific Actions

  27. Striving for “Mindfulness” in Adaptation • Adaptation Intentional • Designed to address specific climate impacts • Focuses on reducing key vulnerabilities • Adaptation Consistent • Consistent with general adaptation principles, but not linked to specific impacts or vulnerabilities • Adaptation Neutral • Maladaptive • Actions that increase vulnerabilities or undermine ecosystem resilience

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