4 research outputs found
Catalyzing Transformations to Sustainability in the World's Mountains
Mountain socialâecological systems (MtSES) are vital to humanity, providing ecosystem services to over half the planet's human population. Despite their importance, there has been no global assessment of threats to MtSES, even as they face unprecedented challenges to their sustainability. With survey data from 57 MtSES sites worldwide, we test a conceptual model of the types and scales of stressors and ecosystem services in MtSES and explore their distinct configurations according to their primary economic orientation and land use. We find that MtSES worldwide are experiencing both gradual and abrupt climatic, economic, and governance changes, with policies made by outsiders as the most ubiquitous challenge. Mountains that support primarily subsistenceâoriented livelihoods, especially agropastoral systems, deliver abundant services but are also most at risk. Moreover, transitions from subsistenceâ to marketâoriented economies are often accompanied by increased physical connectedness, reduced diversity of crossâscale ecosystem services, lowered importance of local knowledge, and shifting vulnerabilities to threats. Addressing the complex challenges facing MtSES and catalyzing transformations to MtSES sustainability will require crossâscale partnerships among researchers, stakeholders, and decision makers to jointly identify desired futures and adaptation pathways, assess tradeâoffs in prioritizing ecosystem services, and share best practices for sustainability. These transdisciplinary approaches will allow local stakeholders, researchers, and practitioners to jointly address MtSES knowledge gaps while simultaneously focusing on critical issues of poverty and food security
Utilisation des ressources en eau et implications pour la sécurité humaine dans le bassin du lac Victoria en Afrique de l'est
International audienceThis synthesis/review paper attempts to explore water resource use issues in the Lake Victoria Basin [LVB] andwhat implications these would have on human security in the basin. Use was made of both primary and secondary datato analyse: (1) water resource use issues and their implication for human security, and (2) existing initiatives/ policies/ programmesin water resources management to improve human security. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the LVB is facedby an array of stressors operating in combination, including hydrological and climate change (reduced amounts of rainfall,unpredictability of rainfall seasons, shifts in rainfall distribution patterns), discharge of waste materials (municipal and industrialwastes); intense resource extraction and fisheries depletion; political uncertainty; land use and cover change [increasingurban and de-vegetated catchments] and increased pollution loading [horticultural and industrial]. How thesestressors impact on the water resources in the context of global changes is still unclear in the LVB. The paper argues that increasingstress from global change in the basin will lead to further degradation and dwindling of the vital water resource basethat would have serious implications for human security. Innovative and strategic water resources management approachessuch as incentive/financing mechanisms (PES), information/education/research and development, command and controlmeasures (penalties for inappropriate use) at different governance scales are therefore required to protect the integrity oftrans-boundary basins like the LVB.Dans cette synthĂšse les auteurs examinent les questions soulevĂ©es par lâexploitation de la ressource en eaudans le bassin du lac Victoria (LVB), en Afrique de lâest. Les auteurs sâintĂ©ressent principalement Ă lâimpact sur la vie humaine,notamment sur la survie et la sĂ©curitĂ© et surtout lâimpact sur les moyens dâexistence.En Afrique, le stress hydrique concerne les pays qui manquent dâeau mais aussi les rĂ©gions oĂč il y a abondance.Les changements climatiques exacerbent la situation et les activitĂ©s humaines et naturelles ont un effet sur tous les secteursdu cycle de lâeau. Parmi les menaces principales pour les ĂȘtres humains on peut citer la pollution et la pĂ©nurie dâeau.Les auteurs enquĂȘtent sur les ressources en eau que reprĂ©sente le LVB. Ils examinent lâimpact des changements climatiquessur les ressources en eau, ainsi que ce que cela implique pour la sĂ©curitĂ© environnementale. Ils voient commentassurer lâutilisation efficace de lâeau Ă lâavenir. Ils analysent ensuite les moyens disponibles pour une gestion proactivedes ressources en eau et la promotion du dĂ©veloppement durable de lâeau dans cette rĂ©gion africaine. La gestion du lacet les activitĂ©s humaines du passĂ© continuent Ă influer sur les stratĂ©gies de management actuelles et toute solution proposĂ©edoit prendre en compte les tensions et les conflits potentiels entre les diffĂ©rents pays, riverains et acteurs, Ă savoir,la Tanzanie, le Kenya, lâOuganda, le Burundi et le Rwanda.SituĂ© Ă 1100 m au-dessus du niveau de la mer, le lac Victoria est le plus grand lac dâeau douce en Afrique. AlimentĂ©par une quinzaine de fleuves principaux et drainĂ© par le Nil blanc, câest aussi une rĂ©gion importante de zones humides.Une population de 30 millions de personnes habite le bassin et le PIB annuel est estimĂ© Ă environ 30 milliards dedollars. Lâurbanisation se dĂ©veloppe et la densitĂ© de la population riveraine sâaccroit de façon trĂšs importante. Les eauxdu lac sont exploitĂ©es comme source dâeau potable, de nourriture, dâĂ©nergie, dâirrigation, pour le transport, comme sitede rejet pour les eaux usĂ©es et pour certains dĂ©chets. Des donnĂ©es rĂ©centes dĂ©montrent lâeutrophisation du lac. Ă la finde 2012, la capacitĂ© en hydroĂ©lectricitĂ© crĂ©Ă©e par les eaux du Nil qui quittent le lac augmentera Ă 450 MW.Les sources principales de stress environnemental - dans le lac, dans la zone littorale, dans le bassin et au-delĂ du bassin - mĂšnent Ă une dĂ©gradation de lâĂ©cosystĂšme du LVB et ont un effet nĂ©gatif sur lâĂ©conomie de la rĂ©gion et surles moyens dâexistence des populations lacustres. On sâinquiĂšte donc pour la dĂ©tĂ©rioration de la qualitĂ© de lâeau, pourlâaugmentation de la pollution et de lâeutrophisation et pour lâimpact des changements climatiques mondiaux sur lesressources en eau. Lâexistence des populations lacustres est donc fragilisĂ©e.Le niveau des eaux du lac varient naturellement, mais depuis plus dâune dĂ©cennie on observe une baisse gĂ©nĂ©raledu niveau ce qui occasionne des pertes en tout genre notamment pour les transporteurs, les pĂȘcheurs et pour lâhydroĂ©lectricitĂ©.Les pays riverains reconnaissent que la bonne gestion des eaux du lac est donc cruciale pour lâĂ©conomiede la rĂ©gion, pour la protection de la biodiversitĂ© et les zones humides ainsi que pour le maintien de lâintĂ©gritĂ© environnementaledu LVB.Au coeur des ces prĂ©occupations se trouve la sĂ©curitĂ© humaine. Dans un avenir proche on estime quâil ne seraplus possible de soutenir une population en croissance permanente. Les mauvaises pratiques en agriculture et en Ă©levagemais aussi dans les forĂȘts sont en partie responsables des menaces pour la sĂ©curitĂ© humaine. La qualitĂ© de lâeau sedĂ©tĂ©riore et bientĂŽt elle ne sera plus potable; le manque dâeau pour la production agricole qui est la source de conflitsentre diffĂ©rents acteurs conduirait Ă des pĂ©nuries dâalimentation. Le manque dâeau est ainsi source de tensions dans lebassin tout comme lâexcĂšs dâeau quand la rĂ©gion nâarrive pas Ă gĂ©rer la prĂ©cipitation excessive et les inondations. Ces derniĂšressont en grande partie imputables Ă lâactivitĂ© humaine (dĂ©forestation, perte de la couche vĂ©gĂ©tale (terre arable),conversion des zones humidesâŠ). La contamination de lâeau affecte la santĂ© des populations directement : pollution industrielle, eaux usĂ©es non traitĂ©es, dĂ©chets agricoles et prolifĂ©ration de la biomasse algale qui mĂšne Ă la disparitiondes poissons et Ă la destruction de lâhabitat aquatique. Des tensions et des conflits au niveau de lâĂ©tat, de la rĂ©gion, voireau niveau de chaque foyer aggravent les menaces qui pĂšsent sur la sĂ©curitĂ© sanitaire et Ă©conomique de la populationnotamment entre les acteurs en amont et en aval du bassin. La prĂ©sence de barrages et lâinconstance de la prĂ©cipitationajoutĂ©es Ă une surextraction importante de lâeau exacerbent la situation politique et Ă©conomique. La santĂ© publique estmenacĂ©e par une combinaison de facteurs qui favorisent lâapparition de maladies contagieuses ou de maladies vĂ©hiculĂ©espar lâeau. Les auteurs identifient les stratĂ©gies pour une gestion optimale de lâeau du LVB et prĂ©conisent essentiellementune gestion raisonnĂ©e de la ressource qui dĂ©passe les frontiĂšres nationales. Ils prĂŽnent le recours aux organismes internationauxpour la rĂ©solution amicale des conflits. En conclusion ils dĂ©plorent lâhĂ©ritage post-impĂ©rial et lâexistence de structures colonialistes mises en place pour servir une Ă©lite urbaine qui perdure
Expert survey data on key challenges, drivers, and ecosystem services across mountains worldwide
Data are survey responses collected between 2014-2016 from experts working in 57 different mountain systems around the world, assessing threats to mountain social-ecological systems (MtSES) and the cross-scale ecosystem services MtSES provide.Mountain social-ecological systems (MtSES) are vital to humanity, providing ecosystem services to over half the planet's human population. Despite their importance, there has been no global assessment of threats to MtSES, even as they face unprecedented challenges to their sustainability. With survey data from 57 MtSES sites worldwide, we test a conceptual model of the types and scales of stressors and ecosystem services in MtSES and explore their distinct configurations according to their primary economic orientation and land use. We find that MtSES worldwide are experiencing both gradual and abrupt climatic, economic, and governance changes, with policies made by outsiders as the most ubiquitous challenge. Mountains that support primarily subsistence-oriented livelihoods, especially agro-pastoral systems, deliver abundant services but are also most at risk. Moreover, transitions from subsistence- to market-oriented economies are often accompanied by increased physical connectedness, reduced diversity of cross-scale ecosystem services, lowered importance of local knowledge, and shifting vulnerabilities to threats. Addressing the complex challenges facing MtSES and catalyzing transformations to MtSES sustainability will require cross-scale partnerships among researchers, stakeholders and decision-makers to jointly identify desired futures and adaptation pathways, assess tradeoffs in prioritizing ecosystem services, and share best practices for sustainability. These transdisciplinary approaches will allow local stakeholders, researchers and practitioners to jointly address MtSES knowledge gaps while simultaneously focusing on critical issues of poverty and food security.Ideas presented in this paper were first developed at a workshop supported by the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI), the Colorado State University (CSU) Warner College of Natural Resources, and the CSU Office of International Programs. Further support was provided by the National Science Foundation, NSF #DEB 1414106. RM was supported under the Climate Change Impacts on Ecosystem Services and Food Security in Eastern Africa (CHIESA) funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland