OUTPUT LIBRARY
Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), a Nature-based Approach to climate adaptation, tackles the challenges presented climate change by restoring the ecosystem service provisioning capacity of our landscapes. Restoring the infiltration and retention capacity of our landscapes will increase the resilience of the landscape and its water resources to the increasingly frequent drought spells and extreme rain events. Ecosystem-based Adaptation requires a new perspective for land-use planning that includes spatial objectives for the multitude of ecosystem services that need to be generated on the limited land surface available.
A participatory approach to (spatial) planning for climate adaptation measures.
A participatory approach to this landscape scale planning for EbA relies on (early) engagement with all relevant stakeholders and can be obtained by following the phases described in this report:
- understanding the catchment
- identifying water resource risks & challenges
- identifying & engaging stakeholders
- Ecosystem-based Adaptation targeting (vision building)
- Ecosystem Service quantification (vision building)
- monitoring & adjustment where needed
Future prospects on private & public payment schemes for Nature-based Solutions targeted at increased infiltration and retention of rainwater.
Ecosystem-based Adaptation measures (a Nature-based approach to climate adaptation) need to be taken on both public and private land. However, most land-owners will not implement them voluntarily (additional to what is required by law) without financial incentives.
And expert panel discussion
Based on the PROWATER panel discussion with international experts (16 October 2021), this report reflects on success factors and pitfalls when designing and implementing payment schemes for EbA measures targeted at increased infiltration and retention of rainwater in our landscapes.
Many of the practice recommendations are targeted at local initiatives that wish to set-up a local PES scheme for EbA, targeted at infiltration and retention of rainwater. Although we also acknowledge the important role of larger scale payment schemes to generate large scale changes in management (e.g. integrated within the CAP greening measures). There are also important messages for (inter)national policy makers. Current policy and legislation can complicate the establishment of EbA-PES.
Project partners will build on to this report to deliver Output 2 ‘Developing rewarding schemes for Nature-based Solutions, specifically targeted at (but not limited to) increased infiltration and retention of rainwater’, expected in October 2022.
Many landscapes in Western Europe have been altered for agricultural intensification and urban development. These changes have decreased the resilience of hydrological systems. Climate change is increasing the frequency and extremity of weather events, resulting in droughts and floods that have an unacceptable impact on society. The challenge for land use planning is to restore sufficient natural diversity of ecosystems and create (semi-)natural opportunities for ecosystem service development that can compensate for climate change and anthropogenic impact. This is known as Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and is considered an important approach to increase resilience against flooding and droughts. However, random implementation of EbA measures in the limited available space of our landscapes is not effective.
A spatial prioritisation tool for climate change adaptation measures.
To provide guidance to the implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures, we produced a ’water system map‘ for the 2 Seas region, including catchments in the Netherlands, England, Flanders and France. This spatial prioritisation tool displays how the landscape functions from a hydro-geomorphic point of view. It identifies hotspots of hydrological functioning that are conditional to sustain system functioning (e.g. key recharge zones, landscape depressions, seepage areas, moorlands, frequently inundated areas). Restoring functional ecosystems in these hotspots within the landscape would provide an increased resilience to system disturbances.
Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), a Nature-based approach to climate change adaptation, harnesses ecosystem services to increase resilience and reduce the vulnerability of human communities and natural systems to the effects of climate change. These EbA measures can be integrated into adapted agriculture, forestry and environmental management.
When implemented in the right context and location (cf. Output 3 of PROWATER), EbA is considered an important approach to increase resilience against flooding and droughts, exacerbated by climate change and anthropogenic impact.
However, how do we know whether we restored sufficient natural diversity of ecosystems and created enough (semi-)natural opportunities for ecosystem service development that can compensate for climate change and anthropogenic impact? How can we assess whether the EbA measures will in fact deliver the ecosystem services we targetted?
An Ecosystem Service assessment tool, targeted especially at water resource related services
To provide guidance to such questions and the implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures, we applied the water retention and infiltration model of the University of Antwerp to the 2 Seas region, including catchments in the Netherlands, England, Flanders and France.
The resulting PROWATER ecosystem service assessment tool can help model the impact on water resources as well as other co-benefits of 4 types of EbA measures in different types of catchments.
Climate projections for the 2 Seas area, point towards more extreme droughts and precipitation events. This could result in a higher demand for water production.
The cross-border project PROWATER contributes to climate adaptation by restoring the water storage of the landscape via 'ecosystem-based adaptation measures’. Examples include restoring permanent and temporary wetlands, river valleys, lower interception vegetation types and healthy soils that can infiltrate and hold on to rainwater in the landscape.
Through Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures increasing the infiltration and water storage capacity of the landscape, PROWATER intends to increase the resilience of the 2 Seas region to drought effects as well as flooding. This will contribute to a more stable water provisioning across seasons for society as well as nature.
We will demonstrate the implementation of EbA measures in 15 demonstration sites. These demonstration sites showcase how our regions can adapt to cope with the consequences of climate change.
To set up effective dialogues leading to successful participatory long-term vision building exercises (i.e. long-term spatial planning, design and delivery) on Ecosystem-based Adaptation measures, we need an effective Communication Strategy. Communication actions should be targeted at specific key stakeholder groups, including buyer, sellers and brokers.
Guiding participatory vision building for Ecosystem-based Adaptation measures.
A comprehensive Communication Strategy has been developed by PROWATER that will:
1) guide and support readers as they seek to build a participatory long term vision for EbA measures in their regions
2) allow the readers to monitor and evaluate the participatory processes being undertaken and deduce the lessons-learnt
