Environmental Conservation and Livelihood Improvement - Local Initiatives to Respond to Climate Change A view from the Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Ho Thi Yen Thu MCD Deputy Director LIGCC training, 29/10/2008 These initiatives are co-financed by European Union, Oxfam Novib and McKnight Foundation

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Contents About MCD Why care about Climate Change Climate Change responses at MCD Levering actions

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Vietnamese NGO - marine conservation and coastal community development Interdependency of coastal communities and coastal & marine ecosystems Concerns and challenges of the coastal zone Local needs - available support Policy making - different levels About MCD – who we are

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Coastal zone highly vulnerable Coastal ecosystems & biodiversity badly damaged Poverty concentrated Fisheries communities less represented Community conflicts and tensions increasing About MCD – what drives us

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Fish density T / km Where have all the fish gone? About MCD – what drives us

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Mangroves and aquaculture? About MCD – what drives us

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ About MCD – what drives us

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Site selection: people & ecosystems strongly impacted 3 coastal communities: important coastal nature reserves, poor fishers and women, most vulnerable, low livelihood resilience:  Giao Xuan Commune, Xuan Thuy National Park, Nam Dinh Province (Red River Delta) ‏  Nam Phu Commune, Tien Hai Natural Reserve, Thai Binh Province (Red River Delta) ‏  Van Hung Commune, Trao Reef Protected Area, Khanh Hoa Province (South Central Coast) ‏ About MCD – where we work

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ About MCD – where we work

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Trao Reef Protected Area, Khanh Hoa

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Xuan Thuy National Park, Nam Dinh

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Tien Hai Nature Reserve, Thai Binh

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ About MCD – approaches Improve & sustain the quality of life in coastal communities and marine ecosystems through:  Enhancing coastal resource management  Supporting community development  Promoting applied sciences  Coordinating education and advocacy  Applying community based co-management and integrated coastal zone management

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Why does MCD care about CC? Coastal ecosystems & the services - threatened by CC All three communities are at risk from CC Unhealthy coastal ecosystems & poor local people - less resilient to CC CC impacts may weaken/eliminate impacts of conservation & livelihood improvement CC impacts can be reduced by conservation & livelihood improvement

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Sea Level Rise in the Communities Less of a challenge for Van Hung More of a challenge for Giao Xuan and Nam Phu Carew-Reid, 2008

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Climate Change at MCD Internal capacity building Integration of CC mitigation & adaptation into development activities Leverage of action effectiveness & efficiency via cooperation & networking

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Climate Change at MCD Internal capacity building Internal staff survey conducted, 20 staff Series of CC training seminars to educate staff CC workshop participation Implications of CC discussed in research efforts

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Climate Change at MCD – mitigation Mitigation: Conservation efforts: Healthy mangrove forests, coral reefs, sea grass fields - carbon sinks Community development efforts: Sustainable fisheries practices & livelihood alternatives – reduction of GHG emission

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Climate Change at MCD – adaptation Conservation efforts: to increase the resistance and resilience of coastal ecosystems  maintain fisheries resources & good environment for alternative livelihoods  protect coastline from sea level rise and storm surges  moderate climate conditions Community development efforts: to empower communities to reduce their vulnerability to environmental, social and economic changes  Sustainable aquaculture demonstration  Non-destructive fishing promotion  Alternative livelihood development (ecotourism) ‏  Sustainable financial resources (microfinance and microbusiness) ‏  Capacity building, gender mainstreaming, advocacy Adaptation:

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Climate Change at MCD – local models Locally Managed Marine Protected Area model: Trao Reef, in Van Hung commune, Van Ninh district, Khanh Hoa province Near shore coral reef of 40 ha, with high biodiversity in species, at risk of degradation Area with heavy pressure from aquaculture (lobster-culture) and fishing Community of people, 70% depend on fisheries Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) model: Xuan Thuy National Park, Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province The first Ramsar site in Vietnam (1989), National Park (2003) ‏ Significant values in biodiversity, wetlands and mangroves, especially ground for migratory birds Heavy pressure from aquaculture (clam farming) and fishing Community of people, 60 % depend on fisheries

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Fishery co-management in Trao Reef Locally-managed Marine Protected Area

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Ecotourism at buffer zone of Xuan Thuy National Park

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ These initiatives are conducted with financial support from European Union, Oxfam Novib and McKnight Foundation

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Climate Change at MCD – more to do MCD’s activities - potential to enable climate change mitigation and adaptation Magnitude of projected changes, observed reality of certain effects - additional efforts required Capacity of MCD & its project partners - to be strengthened CC responding initiatives should be well coordinated & streamlined

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Levering Actions Collaborating with NGO- CCWG Co-Initiating and Participating in a Vietnam Network for Civil Society Organisations and Climate Change Connecting local needs with global & national supports

Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) ‏ Thank-you “Think globally act locally”