Mainstreaming climate action

into development planning

A science-based approach for adaptation

and disaster risk reduction

Isao ENDO Senior Policy Researcher

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

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Key risks from climate change

• Asia – Increased floods damaging infrastructure, livelihoods, and

settlements – Increased heat-related mortality – Increased drought-related water and food shortage

causing malnutrition

• Small Islands – Loss of livelihoods, coastal settlements, infrastructure,

ecosystem services, and economic stability – Sea-level rise with high-water-level events threatening

low-lying coastal areas

Source: IPCC AR5 WG2

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Adaptation actions being taken

• Asia – Adaptation is being facilitated through mainstreaming

climate adaptation action into subnational development planning, early warning systems, integrated water resources management, agroforestry, and coastal reforestation of mangroves

• Small Islands – Community-based adaptation has generated large

benefits in conjunction with other development activities.

Source: IPCC AR5 WG2

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Adaptation planning

• National adaptation plan (NAP) or equivalent – Eleven out of 14 countries in the Asia and Pacific

region have already devised (according to IGES survey)

• Regional strategy being adopted in the Pacific – “Strategy for Disaster and Climate Resilient

Development in the Pacific” (Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, 2015)

• One of the key issues these reginal & national initiatives address is flooding.

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• For effective planning and adaptation to flood risk, scientific knowledge is the key.

• This presentation demonstrates concrete use of scientific knowledge, illustrating integrated approach applied for land-use planning in the Philippines as a case study.

Science for effective adaptation

IGES/UPLB PILOT PROJECT ON “MAKING LAND-USE CLIMATE SENSITIVE: A WATERSHED APPROACH FOR INTEGRATED CLIMATE ACTIONS”

CASE STUDY

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IGES/UPLB Pilot project: Target area

Silang-Santa Rosa Subwatershed, Philippines

Area shaded in red (above), topography (right)

Silang

Santa Rosa

Binan

Cabuyao

(Source: Macandog)

Weather-related disasters: Flooding Sa

nta

Ro

sa,

The

Ph

ilip

pin

es

Sep

. 20

06

w

ith

Typ

ho

on

Mile

nyo

(Photos: E. C. Creencia)

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Methodology WATERSHED LAND-USE APPROACH

Climate-sensitive land-use planning

Climate change measure development

Risk assessment

Scenario analysis

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Why basin-scale approach?

• Focusing on only cities does not solve problems.

• More development upriver, more flooding downriver.

• Climate change aggravates flooding. – Certain adaptation and mitigation benefits can be

achieved only if actions are taken at the river basin level (Harvey et al., 2014).

– Conserving upland forests, wetlands, and other riparian environments reduces downstream flood (Brauman et al., 2007).

SCENARIO ANALYSIS

STEP 1

Land Conversion in the Downstream Area

Year 2007 & 2014 Orthophotos in the downstream barangays of Sta. Rosa experiencing Land conversion from Rice fields to Subdivisions

Understanding future development & land-use through stakeholder

consultation & participatory mapping

Scenario analysis

RISK ASSESSMENT

STEP 2

Current Land Use (2014) Future Land Use Plan (BAU)*

*Future land use plan map based on the results of a participatory land use mapping session with representatives from four local government units (LGUs)

Risk assessment More development

Current curve number (2014)

Higher Curve Number values indicate higher stormwater runoff. Values are based on land use and soil type. Curve Numbers are used for flood hazard modeling.

Future curve number (2025)

More flooding

Flood modelling using Hydrologic Engineering Center’s Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) and

River Analysis System (HEC-RAS)

FUTURE SCENARIO (2025) 10 Year Rain Return Period

Portion of Downstream Area experiencing Flooding from a 5 meter increase in the Lake’s water level

CC MEASURE DEVELOPMENT

STEP 3

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

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Countermeasure development

Through participatory rapid appraisal activities e.g., key informant and focus group discussions

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Possible measures for climate change mitigation (CCM) and adaptation (CCA) (example)

Category Measures CCM

CCA

Improved land-use Development control in high-risk areas ● Green space, urban greening ● ●

Flood-tolerant, environment-conscious building

Strengthened building codes in high-risk areas (e.g., embankment, high-floored housing)

●

Roof greening, green building ● ●

Ecosystem-based, integrated watershed management

Maintenance and improvement of watershed protection function (flood alleviation, water retention ability) of ecosystem

Development control in upriver areas ● Afforestation & reforestation ● ● Watercourse management (e.g., riverbank reinforcement, dredging, river cleaning)

●

Change in varieties and cultivation methods of agricultural products to prevent soil runoff

●

Source: Adapted from (IPCC, 2014)

Priority measures (1): Zoning enhancement 1. Development controls are enforced in areas highly susceptible to

flooding, which prevent settlement construction and maintain as much vegetation as possible.

2. Building codes are strengthened in high-risk areas to mandate measures such as the construction of floodwalls and the introduction of elevated flooring to protect buildings and infrastructures against flooding.

3. Where forest and/or agricultural land is converted to residential or commercial areas, runoff mitigation measures such as tree planting, green parking design, water-permeable paving, and vegetated roofs must be taken.

4. Actions for the strict enforcement of zoning ordinances are taken.

5. Land-use is harmonized among the local governments to manage the river basin as a whole to address climate-related disasters such as flooding downstream by collective planning of the development upstream.

Priority measures (2): River rehabilitation

• Upstream – Protection and

improvement through replanting of endemic and indigenous plant species

• Midstream

– Proper zoning and land use

planning/implementation

– Rehabilitation of easement and riverbanks

– Construction of slope protection along

riverbanks

• Downstream

– Control encroachment of settlements in

easement areas

– Dredging of sediments

– Solid and liquid waste management

– Planting of endemic and indigenous plant

species

– Improvement of drainage

• All area: Regular river cleanup

To reduce surface runoff and erosion, and speed the flow of water in rivers (to reduce flooding)

Priority measures (3): Capacity building

• Needs assessments (NA) on CCA, CCM , disaster preparedness and management

– Develop survey/assessment instrument to determine the needs for training and other IEC; Conduct the NA

• Development of campaign materials and training modules for CCA, CCM , disaster preparedness and management

– Develop campaign materials and training modules for CCA, CCM , disaster preparedness and management

• Conduct of trainings and events

– Organize trainings and events to increase awareness and preparedness

Priority measures (4): Inter-city cooperation

Memorandum of agreement (MOA) for cooperation

Establishment of Council for

Integrated Watershed Management

December 2, 2014

Catalyzed by 5-year WWF Hydrology Project

CLIMATE-SENSITIVE LAND-USE

STEP 4

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Improving Comprehensive Land-use Plan (CLUP)

• Update CLUP, paying attention to CCA&M

• Meet integrated watershed ecosystems management (ridge-to-reef) framework suggested by DILG

• Comply with laws and policies, including: – Republic Act 7160 (Local Government

Code of 1991)

– Climate Change Act of 2009 (RA 9729)

– National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act (RA 10121)

(c)

Long-term measure: Designing a city form compact & resilient to disasters

(a)&(b): 3D map of Jakarta, Indonesia (Source: Open Street Map); (c) 3D map of Toyama, Japan (A. Onishi)

(a)

(b)

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For mitigation, design a compact city to reduce the vehicle miles traveled and the energy use for air conditioning and energy transmission and distribution (Hamin & Gurran, 2009).

For adaptation, in the case of flooding, design a city layout to avoid locating settlements within flood-prone areas, and to stop water flowing in built-up areas and dispose excess rainwater rapidly (Pizarro, 2009)

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Expected outcomes • Adaptation & disaster risk reduction will be

mainstreamed into land-use informing development plans.

• The improvement and strict enforcement of zoning will alleviate the likely impact of climate change and contribute to greenhouse gas reduction.

– The preservation of existing vegetation and the development with runoff mitigation measures will slow down rainfall runoff, preventing flash floods and reducing flood areas/intensity.

– Restricting development and/or reinforcing building standards in the areas highly susceptible to floods will lessen the exposure of people to floodwater damage.

– Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can be assimilated by plants through the maintenance of existing vegetated areas.

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Conclusions • As climate change impact on natural and human systems,

adaptation responses increasingly taken.

• As part of such efforts, reginal & national adaptation plans being devised.

• Flooding – One of the key issues the plans address

• For effective adaptation, scientific knowledge is the key.

• Application of systematic process with practical tools (e.g., scenario, risk assessment) help better understand problem & create countermeasures.

• Improvement and harmonization of land-use are useful as a countermeasure to avoid and alleviate probable impact.

• Adaptation & disaster risk reduction can be mainstreamed into policy through land-use planning informing future development.