Risk Wise

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actual dollar values are case-specific, mostly comparing to alternative

manmade structural measures to achieve somewhat definitive price

tags for a particular ecosystem service, it is conclusive that changes in

these services affect human well being in many ways.

Often the ecosys-

tem services are undervalued, particularly when considering the

disproportionate value to local and poorer communities.

Environment-sustainable development practitioners certainly

benefit from growing demand for maintaining the ecosystem services

that accompany efforts to promote community resilience in a chang-

ing climate; they also benefit from the refined instruments, methods

and field-based actions prompted by the disaster risk reduction and

climate change adaptation communities. But perhaps the greatest

benefit of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation to

the goals of environmental and sustainable development is the

increased likelihood that these development programmes will not

be derailed by costly diversions of human, natural and financial

resources that inevitably accompany disasters.

Climate change adaptation

Efforts to mitigate or reduce greenhouse gas emissions need to be

complemented by efforts to adapt to climate change. The IPCC

defines adaptation as ‘adjustment in natural or human systems in

response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which

moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities.’

Other defin-

itions treat an adaptation as a process or the outcome of a process that

leads to a reduction in harm or risk of harm associated with climate

change and variability

or efforts to ‘moderate, cope with and take

advantage of the consequences of climatic events.’

Because the consequences of climate change, in some regions, will

include increased damages from sea-level rise, flooding, drought and

other climate-related hazards, the capacity to reduce disaster risk

provides governments with a first line of defence in adapting to a

changing climate. Similarly, efforts to protect ecosystems

services, particularly those efforts that anticipate the

impacts of climate change on ecosystems and design their

interventions accordingly, are a second cornerstone of

adaptation. Ecosystems are essential to human well being,

and the demand for these services will continue to grow

as communities around the world take steps to moder-

ate, cope with and take advantage of new conditions.

Concluding thoughts

The considerations presented in this chapter offer an

initial view of benefits derived from adopting an inte-

grated, partnership based approach. Ecosystems are our

lifeline; the changes that have been made to them have

contributed to overall improvements in human well

being and economic development, but these improve-

ments have been achieved at a cost. The degradation of

ecosystem services has not only exacerbated poverty for

some groups of people, it has also exacerbated their

vulnerability to natural hazards.

The target population for development assistance

often coincides with the population facing the most loss

in times of disaster; so partnering knowledge and capac-

ities and visibly integrating disaster risk reduction as

one distinct but increasingly important ecosystem

service adds significantly to the economic rationale for

the maintenance of healthy ecosystems. Disaster risk

reduction, environment, sustainable development and

climate change adaptation all need an inter-sectoral

approach. There are many co-benefits that can be

achieved through creating partnerships; there are many

collateral costs of not doing so.

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme climate events, including prolonged dry periods and, in many areas, increased risk of wild land fires

Image: UNEP