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NORGLOBAL2-Norge - global partner

Towards a climate-smart policy and management framework for conservation and use of dry forest ecosystem services and resources in Ethiopia

Alternative title: Klimasmart policy og forvaltning for bruk og bevaring av Etiopias nedbørfattige skoger

Awarded: NOK 12.0 mill.

Project Number:

303600

Application Type:

Project Period:

2020 - 2025

Funding received from:

Partner countries:

Dry forests, on which millions of the world’s poorest and most marginalized people depend, are among the most threatened and neglected ecosystems globally. On the other hand, the demands for their land and ecosystem services have been increasing with increasing conflict with each other. While addressing some demands such as forest-based CO2 emissions reductions require forest conservation, other demands such as meeting domestic energy needs require utilization of different forest products and services. Making decisions to meet these conflicting demands while addressing the problems of deforestation/forest degradation and subsequent loss of important ecosystem services is very complex. The implementation of forest policies at multiple levels (global, national, and local) extends the complexity of the problem. Consequently, there is a growing demand for tools that enable decisions related to sustainable management of forest land and resources given the complexity of the above-mentioned problems. In this project, we are conducting interdisciplinary and policy-relevant research in selected areas of Ethiopia, where dry forests make up 80% of the country’s forests and woodlands. We are particularly focusing on dry Afromontane forests, which form the largest part of the natural vegetation of the Ethiopian highlands. The main goal has been to address key knowledge gaps and to develop decision support tools that are essential for devising national and international policies and management frameworks that can support the sustainable management of dry forest resources and ecosystem services in an era of climate change. We are employing multiple research approaches and data collection tools, including remote sensing, vegetation inventory, household survey and focus group discussions. We have been conducting both biophysical and socio-economic surveys in and around two dry Afromontane forests, Desa’a and Degaga Gambo, in the Tigray and Oromia regions, respectively. Currently, one PhD candidate and one post doc are addressing parts of the project objectives through the following PhD and post doc projects. 1. Climate Smart Management of Dry Forest Ecosystem Services in Ethiopia (phD) 2. Bio-economic modeling for a sustainable and climate smart management of dry forest ecosystem services (post doc)

This project represents a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and improving policy and management decisions for dry forestland and resources in the face of climate change in selected regions of Ethiopia. Dry forests, on which millions of the world’s poorest and most marginalized people depend, are among the most threatened and neglected ecosystems globally. These forests, which occur in tropical regions with several months of severe or absolute drought, are the dominant features of the landscapes of most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including Ethiopia. Dry forests and the ecosystem services they provide are under constant threat due to both natural and human-induced factors. Climate change scenarios for East Africa indicate a dramatic rise in the frequency, duration, and/or severity of drought and heat stress that are likely to amplify the vulnerability of dry forest ecosystems and the people who depend on the services that such ecosystems support. At the same time, the use of these forests is likely to play a crucial role in achieving many of the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). National and international goals of poverty alleviation and economic growth through sustainable utilization of forest resources on the one hand, and conservation efforts aimed at combating climate change through forest-based mitigation, on the other, are potentially conflicting and could create trade-offs in policy and in practice. The combination of the aforementioned issues extend the existing challenge in planning sustainable development in Ethiopia and SSA more broadly. This project responds to the urgent need for integrative policies and management approaches and decision-support tools that can enhance resilient and sustainable utilization of dry forest ecosystem services and resources by conducting research aimed at filling key knowledge gaps linked to a lack of necessary data, models and actionable methods for linking research, policy and practice.

Funding scheme:

NORGLOBAL2-Norge - global partner