Climate Change, Biodiversity and
Traditional Knowledge :Issues,
Concerns and Way Forward
Indigenous Information Network
Edna Kaptoyo
Indigenous Peoples
Regional Summit on Climate Change
5th -6th March, 2009
Definition of Terms
Biodiversity
• CBD defines it as “ the variability among living organism from all sources this
includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystem (
article 2, CBD)
Climate Change
• Climate change refers to any change in climate over time due to natural
variability or as a result of human activity. Under the UNFCCC emphasis has
been placed on human activities which cause climate change brought about
by massive dependence on carbon based fuels (oil, coal) which bring about
greenhouse gas emissions(vapor,methane,CO2 etc)
Traditional Knowledge
• Knowledge and information acquired from one’s parents and community
about procedures, behaviors, ceremonies, rituals and cultural practices,
which is passed, usually informally, from one generation to the next and
gives a community its unique attributes e.g. methods of hunting, on verbal
communication, weaponry food and medicine preparations, songs, dances
etc
• CBD defines it as “knowledge, innovations and traditional practices of
indigenous and local communities”
Introduction: Why care about biodiversity
and climate change issues?
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Indigenous interact daily with ecosystems and are intimately linked with
biodiversity.
They depend on biodiversity for:
Provisioning services: Food, medicine, fuelwood,medicine, freshwater etc
Cultural benefits like spiritual and religious values, aesthetic
values,
cultural heritage, knowledge systems, cultural diversity, sense of place,
symbolic and communal values etc
Ecological indicators-Seasons patterns
Regulatory benefits-air quality, water purification, pollination biological
control of human, livestock, diseases etc
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Hence biodiversity is central to IP’s livelihood and natural resources
management because it provides intrinsic values and also helps in
development/continuation of traditional knowledge and practices
Biodiversity (Wetland, Forest)
Cont…
• IP’s are found in areas of high biodiversity and human cultural
diversity is associated with it, hence its endangered
• Adverse effects of climate change will affect IP’s knowledge,
innovations and practices
• IP’s also use biodiversity as a tool for adaptation hence climate
change threatens the defense( Ecosystem approach)
• Climate change poses a threat to biodiversity which has profound
effects on IP’s cultural practices , knowledge and loss of ecosystem
services
• Climate is changing too fast and natural conversion of habitats is
making natural adaptation hard
• Human induced climate change impacts biodiversity (Focus of
UNFCCC) as it is fuelled mostly by human activities – specifically
the emission of greenhouse gases, chiefly from burning fossil fuels.
Other human activities that contribute to climate change include
agriculture and changes in land use that lead to the release of
methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and some industrially
produced gases.
• Most important is the fact that the IPCC report singles out Africa as
the most vulnerable continent to climate change
Impacts of climate change to
biodiversity
The impacts depend on:
• Resilience or vulnerability of ecosystems and species to
climate induced biophysical and socio-economic
changes
• The magnitude of the exposure to the hazards
• The management systems in place for biodiversity
conservation and natural resources management
• The sustainability of livelihoods of communities
dependent on the biodiversity and natural resources
Dry grass land(Vulnerable)
A cow in a d
Impacts of climate change to biodiversity
(Loss of biodiversity)
• According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment(2008) it has
been noted that 1million species face an increased threat of
extinction as a result of climate change. So today’s warming trend is
likely to have a significant impact on species as well as species’
habitats – in short, on biodiversity
• Climate change will combine with and intensify other threats to
biodiversity such as harvesting pressure, salinity, pollution, invasive
species and habitat fragmentation and loss. Climate change is adding
and will continue to add to pressures especially for species whose
climatic range is limited and or restricted habitat requirements
• Many species in Africa are already at risk of extinction due to natural
processes and human activities .Climate change may lead to a sharp
increase in rates of extinction. According to one recent study focusing
on five regions of the world, if the climate continues to warm it could
dramatically increase the number of species going extinct. Mid-range
predictions suggest that 24 per cent of species in these regions will
be on their way to extinction by 2050 due to climate change. This
study also indicates that for many species, climate change poses a
greater threat to their survival than the destruction of their natural
habitat . Indigenous Peoples may lose their traditional knowledge,
practices with the loss of resources medicinal plants) thus reducing
opportunities for learning and practice traditional health, biodiversity
conservation
and
food
security
knowledge.
Cont…
• Loss of forests equates to a loss of many species: a 20 year studies
have shown that deforestation and introduction of non- indigenous
species has led to a bout 12.5% of the worlds plants species to
become critically rare. Logging of forests also affect the plants and
animals habitats. Converting forests into monocultures of pine &
eucalyptus for industrial raw materials to generates revenue and
growth. But the growth is based on robbing the forest of its
biodiversity and its capacity to conserve soil and water. It also robs
the forest community of their source of food, fodder, fuel, medicine
and security from flood and droughts.
• Ecosystem boundaries: These are the transition zones that separate,
say, a areas made up primarily of tall grasses from one containing
mixed grasses. Changes in precipitation and temperature can cause
these boundaries to move, allowing some ecosystems to expand into
new areas, while others diminish in size as the climate becomes
inhospitable to the species they contain
• Alter diversity and functioning of ecosystems and habitats:
Climate change also affects species at the level of cells and genes.
Changes in the genetic makeup of species are expected as
organisms adapt to new climatic conditions, and increases in
temperature can also lead to increases in the rate at which cells use
energy.
Cont…
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Alter productivity of ecosystems: Other observed impacts of climate
change include changes in the timing of reproduction in certain species; in
the length of the growing season in many regions; in the abundance of
different species; and in the frequency of pest and disease outbreaks. For
example, higher temperatures have led to an increase in the number of
eggs laid by the spruce budworm, already one of the most devastating
pests in North America’s boreal forest. This could in turn contribute to more
severe outbreaks of this pest.
The impacts of climate change on biodiversity will, of course, vary
considerably from region to region, partly because changes in temperature
and precipitation will differ
Reduced water availability and quality of natural resources
Biodiversity as a solution to climate
change
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Biodiversity even though affected by climate change, it can also reduce the
impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems if managed well.
One aspect of this link is the role of the forestry sector in contributing to and
fighting climate change (carbon sinks)
Biodiversity acts as shields (bioshields) against the negative impacts of
climate change
Protecting biodiversity e.g. through reforestation and protection of dry lands
can curb desertification hence can reduce emissions and impacts of
droughts, land slides
Traditional Knowledge: Central to
climate change and biodiversity issues
• Indigenous peoples have over the years used
sustainable environmental practices while interacting with
it/when accessing it
• In the CBD the role Indigenous Peoples traditional
Knowledge in conserving and sustaining biodiversity is
acknowledged
• Scientists have asserted that the world’s biodiversity will
only be effectively preserved by preserving diversity of
cultures and vice versa
• Conservation of environment by indigenous peoples is
rooted in their knowledge, belief and practices
An El-molo Spear Fisherman
Cont…
• Indigenous peoples used traditional knowledge to cope with climate
change because they could forecast weather, know when to move
cattle's to other pasture lands, use cloud signs, have early warning
systems etc
• With climate change traditional knowledge has been distorted. Loss
of plants for instance medicinal plants means that traditional
knowledge associated with it is lost, prediction of weather patterns
has become difficult, movement of people due to environmental
problems lack of pasture) means alienation of people from their
lands and resources from which they derive their traditional
knowledge
• TK faces serious levels of erosion. As the peoples and communities
holding TK themselves face a range of threats from outright
annihilation to “assimilation”
into “mainstream” society, the
knowledge they hold also slips away
Implications for Biodiversity
conservation
•
Climate change is taking planners and policy
makers outside the current range of human
experience in biodiversity conservation
• Decision-makers can no longer base their policies
on the assumption that plant and animal numbers
and distributions will remain the same as these
changes occur
• Uncertainties in climate change and its impacts add
complexity to the already challenging work
• Current conservation strategies aren’t designed to
cope with the effects that climate change will have
on biodiversity
Way Forward
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Indigenous Peoples have an important contribution to make in initiatives
aimed at addressing climate change
National-level reform could be in the area of disaster management. For
example, countries that are drawing up plans to deal with climate-induced
disasters could identify not just vulnerable human settlements, but also the
local ecosystems on which they depend. An important element of this highly
integrated approach is that it would protect ecosystems not just as
economic mainstays of local peoples, but also as havens of biodiversity
Capacity building: Limited climate change awareness and understanding
amongst decision makers and development planners, and a low capacity to
assess and address vulnerability, hinders the inclusion of climate change
adaptation in biodiversity conservation
The indigenous peoples and local communities are particularly vulnerable
to the adverse effects of climate change and this is likely to hinder the
achievement of development and poverty-reduction goals, unless
vulnerable countries and communities are assisted in becoming more
response capable (adaptation funding/technologies)
Cont…
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Communication between researchers, policy-makers, managers, politicians
and Indigenous peoples communities about the threats of climate change
for biodiversity and NR must be improved.
Need to raise awareness and deepen understanding on the implications of
climate change for sustainable NR management and develop adaptation
strategies and improved climate risk management options.
Build capacity to improve understanding of the implications of climate
variability and climate change for ecosystems and biodiversity and find
working knowledge of methods and selected tools for assessing climate
impacts to ecosystems, species and human livelihoods
Nurture and develop IP’s traditional knowledge, environment-friendly
technologies, cultural diversity and biodiversity in our territories
Undertake sustained lobby and advocacy work within the multilateral
processes to ensure meaningful participation to ensure rights, proposals
and perspectives concerning climate change are respected, popularized
and implemented
UN agencies and governments should be guided by the ecosystem
approach and conduct research on indigenous peoples and climate change
that will inform policies, projects etc
Adaptation funds should be provided to IP’s
Effective participation of indigenous peoples in all processes of decision
making
Convention on Biodiversity
“The Convention about Life on
earth”
“At least 40 per cent of the world’s economy
and 80 per cent of the needs of the poor
are derived from biological resources. In
addition, the richer the diversity of life, the
greater the opportunity for medical
discoveries, economic development, and
adaptive responses to such new
challenges as climate change”.
THANK YOU