BRIEFING ON CLIMATE CHANGE BRIEFING ON CLIMATE CHANGE

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

BRIEFING ON CLIMATE CHANGE BRIEFING ON CLIMATE CHANGE

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

DIRECTORATE: CLIMATE CHANGE & DISASTER MANAGEMENT

BRANCH : FORESTRY & NATURAL RESOURCES

28 JUNE 2011

CONTENTS

1. Background

2. Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (agriculture, forestry &

fisheries)

3. Research on Climate Change

4. Collaboration with other Departments & Stakeholders

5. National Committee on Climate Change (NCCC)

6. Conclusion

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Background

• The South Africa’s agriculture sector, is one of the more sensitive sectors of the SA economy likely to feel any impacts of climate change – both positive and negative - from both food security and livelihoods perspectives.

• The sector contributes less than 5% to GDP and approx 13% to national employment (direct contributions).

• Its full contribution, with multipliers, is approx 12% to GDP and 30% to national employment

• Agriculture – source of GHG emissions: 4.6% of total net emissions (GHG inventory 2000) mainly from enteric fermentation and manure management; cropland accounting: 3.7% of total net emissions

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SA Agric GHG inventory:2004

2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories

Carbon stock changes

Biomass burning

Livestock & manure management

N2O from managed soils

Fertilizer application

Only data for: Grasslands remaining grasslands; Croplands remaining croplands

Background conti…

• South Africa – regarded as a low-forest cover country, at least one third of the land area is characterised by some form of forest cover, consisting of natural forests, plantations, and mostly indigenous woodland (savannah) and thicket.

• Much of these natural forests and woodlands have been degraded and transformed over past decades, although the exact extent and nature of this loss and degradation is poorly quantified.

• Natural forest and woodland ecosystems provide vital ecosystem services and forest goods for the benefit of society as a whole and in particular to neighbouring communities.

• Forests - play a pivotal role in livelihoods of the rural poor, and are a vital component of climate change adaptation at household level

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Background conti…

• Climate change can significantly affect forests through changing their health, physiology, structure, and species composition

• Plantation forestry is a long term economic investment that is particularly vulnerable to risks associated with droughts, fires and disease.

• The impact of climate change on Fisheries will be felt through changes in capture, production and marketing costs, sales prices, and potential increases in loss and damage to infrastructure, fishing vessels and tools.

• Research indicates that changes in sea temperature, atmospheric pressure/wind fields, sea level, carbon dioxide concentration, rainfall and Ultra Violet radiation will affect fish stocks in South Africa.

• In South Africa, it has already been observed that there have been changes to the characteristics of water bodies, resulting in decreased availability of resources to the fishing community.

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Background conti…

• The pressures of having to exert more effort to catch greater numbers of scarce resources and travelling farther distances to fish, results in increased fuel usage and emissions from large-scale industrial fisheries and will in turn contribute to GHG emissions.

• Implications for the inland and freshwater fisheries are similar to that posed to marine fisheries. Literature shows that climate change impacts on inland ecosystems are associated mainly with water quantity and quality.

• Temperature changes are likely to affect fish species and result in changes in their natural distribution patterns. Variations in the timing of flooding events may affect fish migration and spawning patterns and aquaculture.

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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (agriculture)

1. Mitigation:

• DAFF developed the agricultural greenhouse gases inventory

• Agricultural inventory report is available and published

• Inventory report – source of inputs into the development of SA’s Second National Communication (SNC)

• DAFF developed the draft Climate Change Sector Plan (CCSP) – approved by DEXCO and will be consolidated into 1 document

• Draft CCSP – provided inputs into national policies e.g. Green Paper

• DAFF – currently developing the agricultural GHG Database ( currently conducting workshops)

• DAFF – currently developing the Integrated Mitigation Plan (2011/12 deliverable)

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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (agriculture)

2. Adaptation:

• Agriculture – highly regarded as an adaptation sector

• DAFF developed the agricultural Atlas of Climate Change (published report available)

• DAFF – currently developing the Integrated Adaptation Plan (2011/12 deliverable)

• Agricultural Atlas of Climate Change – source of inputs into the development of SA’s Second National Communication (SNC) & national policies e.g. Green Paper & White paper

• Awareness programme – Adaptation (coping) strategies developed to assist farming communities

• DAFF - participate in some farming day activities, Land Care programmes e.g. Wetlands, etc

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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (agriculture)

Adaptation:

• Conducting vulnerability assessments – on going project (MTEF period)

• Practicing soil, water and nutrient conservation technologies; conservation agriculture; and other adaptation mechanism such as diversifying, rain water harvesting; minimum fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides; organic fertilizers, formulation of diet for livestock.

• In order to meet the increasing global food demand and guarantee food security for the poorest populations, production systems must be adapted by reducing their vulnerability to climate change, and proposing higher-performance technologies that are more respectful towards soil and water conservation and towards the environment.

• Engaging national, regional and international climate change role players to share knowledge and experiences on climate-smart agriculture;

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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (forestry)

Forestry:

• Modelling for some commercial forestry species has already shown significant future shifts in the geographic ranges that may be optimal for these species – further study.

• There is currently insufficient information about the adaptive capacity of natural forests and woodlands – more research required.

• Forest lands are currently a nett carbon sink in South Africa: Through skilful forest management and rehabilitation of natural forests and woodlands, it is possible to maintain and enhance the climate change mitigation capacity of South Africa’s forest lands

• Development of Policies/plans: Forestry component to be incorporated into DAFF’s Integrated Mitigation and Adaptation Plans

• Awareness programme: to be incorporated into DAFF’s integrated programme 11

Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (forestry)

• Forest ecosystems need to be assessed and monitored to quantify their contributions towards climate change mitigation and the impact of climate change.

• Suitable regulatory systems have to be maintained to ensure adequate protection.

• Adaptive planning also needs to be put in place, based on precautionary principle, to enhance natural adaptation processes.

• Commercial forestry planning has to incorporate long term climate projections and in response implement forest management interventions that builds on diversify of genetic resources and appropriate silviculture with the aim of accommodating divergent future climate scenarios.

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Sectoral Mitigation & Adaptation interventions (fisheries)

• As global warming is considered inevitable, there is a need to continue studying or research more on mitigation measures (techniques to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, forestry and fisheries) and adaptation techniques.

• Government and farming communities to ensure that efforts are made to overcome

the effects of climate change through mitigation and adaptation strategies, technologies, plans/policies including policy implementation.

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Research on Climate Change (agriculture, forestry & fisheries)

• DAFF – collaborated with a number of research institutions e.g. ARC, CSIR, WRC and universities, other stakeholders

• DAFF research projects: 1. Agricultural greenhouse gases inventory; 2. Atlas of Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation options – 1st – 4th order impacts (Vulnerability, etc).

• Investing more resources for climate change programmes including research, to pinpoint main drivers of Climate Change in the sector, etc.;

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Collaboration with other depts & stakeholders

• DAFF is collaborating with the following stakeholders:

1. Organised Agriculture ( AgriSA, NAFU, etc)

2. Farmer Organisations

3. Stakeholders and research institutions such as Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Centre for Scientific I research (CSIR), Water Research Commission (WRC), South African Weather Service (SAWS), etc

4. Universities: University of Free State (UFS), University of Pretoria (UP), University of Witwatersrand (Wits), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), University of Cape Town (UCT), etc

5. National Departments such as Departments of Environmental & Water Affairs, Energy, Transport as well as Provincial Departments

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National Committee on Climate Change (NCCC)

• DAFF regularly participate in National Committee on Climate Change (NCCC), Intergovernmental Committee on Climate Change (IGCCC) (representation at Director level), etc

• DAFF – form part of the SA delegation Team (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations)

• Minutes from these committees are recorded

• DAFF – ensure compliance on the needs / request from these committees e.g. sectoral inputs on SNC, national climate change policies (Green/White papers)

• Draft CCSP – presented to DEA (adhered to the national framework provided by DEA)

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Conclusion

• Climate Change treated not only a national priority but a sectoral top priority by DAFF –

more resources are now being channeled towards implementing an efficient and effective climate change programme

• Investing more resources for climate change programmes including research, to pinpoint main drivers of Climate Change in the sector – great necessity.

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THANK YOU!!