Identifying and Evaluating Adaptation Options

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Adaptation Options

Implementing and Monitoring Adaptation Activities

Identifying and Evaluating Adaptation Options

Adaptation is necessary not only to respond to the projected changes in climate but also because climate change is already affecting many ecosystems. Adaptation activities can have negative, neutral or positive impacts on biodiversity, but positive effects may generally be achieved through, for example: maintaining and restoring native ecosystems, protecting and enhancing ecosystem services, actively preventing and controlling invasive alien species, and developing agroforestry systems at transition zones. Adaptation activities that can have a negative impact on biodiversity include: the construction of artificial coastal protection, changed water management practices, and new cultivation methods such as mariculture or aquaculture, that can introduce to ecosystems new species with the potential to become invasive.

The following table provides examples of some of the many options available for adapting to climate change. Using the research available on these adaptation options managers may be better able to make an informed decision about the threats and benefits to biodiversity under different adaptation processes.

Biome	Adaptation Activity	Type of Adaptation	Potential Risk to Biodiversity	Possible Action for Adaptive Mgmt.

Adverse

Marine and coastal biodiversity	Seawalls, dykes and tidal barriers	Economic and technological	High if concrete/rock structures are used; Low-medium if mud walls and vegetation are used	Include biodiversity (terrestrial and coastal/marine) considerations in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Marine and coastal biodiversity	Bridges to cross potentially inundated areas	Economic and technological	Medium-high depending on the location	Include terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity considerations in EIA

Adverse to Neutral

Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity	Introduction of drought-tolerant varieties	Economic, scientific and technological	Low if the growing season is not extended; high if varieties become invasive, or if extending into marginal lands not previously cultivated	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Inland water biodiversity	Introduction of plant varieties tolerant to higher temperatures	Economic, scientific and technological	High if using more water for growth or if varieties become invasive	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Forest biodiversity Inland water biodiversity Mountain biodiversity	Introduction of pest-resistant varieties	Economic, scientific and technological	High risk if varieties become invasive	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Marine and coastal biodiversity	Introduction of salt-tolerant varieties of native plants and animals for coastal protection/revegetation	Economic, scientific and technological	Low	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Inland water biodiversity Mountain biodiversity	Diversion of fresh water to areas suffering water shortage (dams or irrigation channels) or increased extraction of groundwater supply	Economic, regulatory and technological	Medium-high depending on environmental flow, the rate of withdrawal, etc.	Include terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity considerations in EIA
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity	Introduction of salt tolerant varieties of native biota	Economic and scientific	High if varieties become invasive	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Inland water biodiversity Marine and coastal biodiversity	Construction of buildings on stilts	Economic and technological	Low if already in urban areas	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Inland water biodiversity Marine and coastal biodiversity	Establishment of aquaculture, including mariculture, to compensate for climate-induced losses in food production	Economic and technological	High if alien, GMO fish or carnivorous fish (due to harvest of wild fish for food) are used; high if harmful chemicals are released	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management

Adverse to Positive

Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity	Use of prescribed grazing management regimes	Regulatory and scientific	High if overgrazing occurs	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Marine and coastal biodiversity	Migration of people from coastal areas and/or marginal lands (e.g., in semi-arid areas)	Behavioural and individual	Low if moving to urban areas, although could place additional pressure on water and energy resources; high if moving to slightly less marginal areas	Educate urban planners to minimize the exploitation of natural resources; effect of other migration may be hard to manage
Marine and coastal biodiversity	Re-zoning in coastal areas	Institutional and regulatory	High if high- biodiversity areas are urbanized; low otherwise	Strategic environmental assessment should consider the impact on biodiversity and zone accordingly; allow for appropriate conservation areas for biodiversity

Neutral to Positive

Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Forest biodiversity Mountain biodiversity	Establishment of protected areas or management for sustainable use	Institutional and regulatory	Low	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Mountain Biodiversity	Establishment of protected areas or management for sustainable use	Institutional and regulatory	Low	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management

Positive

Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity	Introduction or extension of multi-cropping or mixed farming systems (e.g., agroforestry systems) to enhance ecosystem resilience; introduction of new crop/animal species and varieties	Economic and scientific	Low-medium if replacing an existing crop without extending the cropland; high if the crop/animal becomes an invasive species	Assess the potential invasiveness risk of the introduced species; minimize the land under intensive agriculture
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity	Changes in grazing management	Economic	Low-Medium	Monitor the effects on biodiversity
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity	Changes in timing and type of irrigation and fertilizer use	Economic, institutional and technological	Low if switching to water saving irrigation; medium if introducing irrigation to new areas	Monitor for changes and/or examine the possibility of introducing the most appropriate irrigation for the crop and for the fertilizer; timing of fertilizer application can be important in minimizing the risk to biodiversity
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity	Low-tillage cropping, maintaining cropping residues and reducing fallow periods	Economic, scientific and technological	Low if soil erosion is reduced; high if low tillage leads to increased herbicide application	Monitor for gains in biodiversity or reduction in erosion and potential water use
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Forest biodiversity	Abandonment of agriculture	Economic and regulatory	Low if native species colonize; high if non-native or invasive species colonize, or if moderate disturbance (low-intensity grazing) is suppressed	Management of the abandoned land may be necessary to provide maximum benefits to biodiversity
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Forest biodiversity Inland water biodiversity Marine and coastal biodiversity Mountain biodiversity	Rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems	Institutional, regulatory and scientific	Low; high if invasive species are used or neighbouring areas are damaged.	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Forest biodiversity Mountain biodiversity	Establishment of corridors, both horizontal and vertical for mountain ecosystems	Institutional, regulatory and scientific	Low-Medium if allowing migration of invasive species	Monitor the migration of plant and animal species in the corridors and the connected cells of the landscapes, and manage invasive species when detected
Agricultural biodiversity Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Forest biodiversity Mountain biodiversity	Reduction of other pressures on biodiversity arising from habitat conversion, over-harvesting, pollution, and alien species invasions	Regulatory, scientific and technological	Low, but methods may have secondary effects on biodiversity	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management EIA and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the activities causing the pressures
Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity	Efficient management of rain water	Behavioural and individual and technological	Low	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Forest biodiversity Mountain biodiversity	Natural forest regeneration, sustainable forest management / and avoided deforestation	Economic, institutional and regulatory	Low if natural forest regeneration occurs and sustainable forest management practices are used; high if invasive species colonize	Monitoring to assess the gains for biodiversity
Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity Forest biodiversity Inland water biodiversity Mountain biodiversity	Landscape-scale management	Institutional, regulatory and scientific	Low-very low if aimed at benefiting biodiversity	Monitoring would still be necessary to ensure that the goals are being met; need to consider and, if necessary, enact policies to deal with land tenure issues and compensation for reduction in intensity of farming practices
Forest biodiversity	Practice of low-intensity forestry	Regulatory and scientific	Low-medium	Monitor for likely effects on biodiversity and include adaptive management
Island biodiversity	Islands, particularly small islands, are socially and ecologically vulnerable to climate change. All adaptation activities identified for the thematic areas marine and coastal biodiversity, inland waters, agricultural biodiversity , dry and sub humid land biodiversity, forest biodiversity and mountain biodiversity might also be relevant for island biodiversity but their implementation may need special considerations .

Adaptation Options

This database provides links to scientific studies and other resources on biodiversity-related climate change adaptation. These examples can assist managers and governments to find adaptation options that will not have a negative impact on biodiversity.

For examples of adaptation plans already in place, please see the map of case studies on the following page.

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Integrated National Adaptation Project
Type: Case Study
Date Added: 21 Jan 2008

The Integrated National Adaptation Project will support Colombia's efforts to define and implement specific pilot adaptation measures and policy options to meet the anticipated impacts from climate change including through: (i) ecosystem planning and management to maintain biodiversity assets; (ii) ...

The Kiribati Adaptation (Phase 2 Implementation) Project
Type: Case Study
Date Added: 21 Jan 2008

The Kiribati Adaptation (Phase 2 Implementation) Project aims to develop and demonstrate the systematic diagnosis of climate-related problems and the design of cost-effective adaptation measures, while continuing to integrate climate risk awareness and responsiveness into economic and operational pl...

Reef Restoration: Concepts and Guidelines
Type: Scientific Paper
Date Added: 21 Jan 2008

These guidelines contain simple advice on coral reef restoration for coastal managers, decision makers, technical advisers and others who may be involved in community-based reef restoration efforts. ...

Climate Change in Ontario: Impacts on Our Natural Systems
Type: Web-based Tool
Date Added: 11 Jan 2008

The website provides a selection of threat studies, vulnerability assessments and adaptation options related to climate change and natural systems in Ontario, Canada...

Climate Change - Wildlife and Adaptation: 20 Tough Questions, 20 Rough Answers
Type: Scientific Paper
Date Added: 3 Jan 2008

RSPB's latest contribution to biodiversity and climate change: Climate Change, Wildlife and Adaptation: 20 Tough Questions, 20 Rough Answers is a concise report addresses some of the key issues posed for biodiversity conservation under changing climatic conditions. The report further seeks to build ...