  Credit: UNEP
By Jerome Mwanda
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis
NAIROBI (IDN) - Ruthless exploitation of nature has triggered a situation that dwarfs the impact of the financial and economic crisis that continues to hold the world economy to ransom. But there is a way out, says a new report compiled by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
The report says that restoring lost and damaged ecosystems -- from forests and freshwaters to mangroves and wetlands -- can trigger multi-million dollar returns, generate jobs and combat poverty.
Launched on the eve of World Environment Day (WED) on June 3, the report draws on thousands of ecosystem restoration projects world-wide and showcases over 30 initiatives that are transforming the lives of communities and countries across the globe.
Entitled 'Dead Planet, Living Planet: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration for Sustainable Development', the report underlines that far from taxing growth and development, many environmental investments in degraded, nature-based assets can generate substantial and multiple returns.
These include restoring water flows to rivers and lakes, improved soil stability and fertility vital for agriculture and combating climate change by sequestrating and storing carbon from the atmosphere.
Maintaining and managing intact ecosystems must be the key priority, says the report. But in view of the fact that more than 60 per cent of ecosystems -- ranging from marshes and coral reefs to tropical forests and soils -- are already degraded, restoration must be regarded as an equal priority.
The rationale is simple: Repairing and rehabilitating ecosystems also generates jobs in a world where currently 1.3 billion are unemployed or underemployed while supporting international goals to substantially reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity, a key theme of 2010.
WORTHWHILE
Arguing that the ecosystem restoration is indeed worthwhile, the report cites evidence that well-planned, science-based, community supported programmes can recover 25 to 44 per cent of the original services alongside the animals, plants and other biodiversity of the former intact system.
This is highlighted by a study on restoring degraded grasslands and lands around river systems in South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains.
The project is expected to bring back winter river flows to vulnerable communities amounting to close to 4 million cubic metres of water, cut sediment losses and store carbon. The project will cost $4.5 million (Euro 3.6 million) over seven years and annual management costs will amount to Euro 800,000.
But the return will be up to $7.4 million (Euro 6 million) a year while generating over 300 permanent, natural resource management jobs and 2.5 million person-days of work during the restoration phase.
NOT ALWAYS SO SIMPLE
The report however cites cases were often well-intentioned restorations have back-fired underlining that such projects should be carried out with care and planning.
The report cites the introduction into European waters of North American signal crayfish after over harvesting had reduced catches of native species to in some cases 10 per cent of the original catch.
Unfortunately the imports, initially into Swedish waters, carried a crayfish plague that appears to have spread to native populations in 21 countries -- some are trying to establish 'ark-sites' or secure sites to save the remaining indigenous populations.
Emphasizing the importance of restoration, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said: "The ecological infrastructure of the planet is generating services to humanity worth by some estimates over $70 trillion a year, perhaps substantially more. In the past these services have been invisible or near invisible in national and international accounts. This should and must change."
TWO MESSAGES
He added: "This report is aimed at bringing two fundamental messages to governments, communities and citizens on World Environment Day and in 2010 -- the UN's International Year of Biodiversity: Namely that mismanagement of natural and nature-based assets is under cutting development on a scale that dwarfs the recent economic crisis."
"Two: that well-planned investments and re-investments in the restoration of these vast, natural and nature-based utilities not only has a high rate of return. But will be central, if not fundamental, to sustainability in a world of rising aspirations, populations, incomes and demands on the Earth's natural resources."
Steiner was in Kigali, Rwanda, which is the main host for this year's global WED events.
The theme of ecosystem restoration underpins the Projeto Agua Limpa or Clean Water Project co-launched by UNEP Goodwill Ambassador Gisele Buendchen and her father in 2008 in her hometown of Horizontina.
The project is aimed at restoring the health of water supplies alongside a boost to biodiversity by restoring forests and rehabilitating river banks and riverside vegetation alongside river basins.
Buendchen said: "UNEP's report on ecosystem restoration spotlights the enormous opportunities for communities to invest in their future development."
Restoring degraded environments is indeed "among the best gifts we can give and hand on to current and future generations", she said, adding: "We need to bring to the attention of everyone the central link between forests, wetlands and other natural systems and our survival and prosperity in this extraordinary world."
"Restoration pays off: Wetlands and forests can be up to 22 times more effective than investing in water treatment plants," says Christian Nellemann of UNEP's GRID-Arendal in Norway, who headed up the Rapid Response Report launched on June 3.
The report pleads for urging overseas development agencies, international finance agencies and other funders such as regional development banks to factor ecosystem restoration and long term management assistance into development support, food security initiatives, job creation and poverty alleviation funding.
It also proposes that one per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) should be set aside annually for conservation, management and restoration of the environment and natural resources, with the precise amount linked to national circumstances. (IDN-InDepthNews/05.06.2010)
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Copyright © 2010 IDN-InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters
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External links:
http://www.unep.org
http://www.grida.no
http://www.unep.org/wed/2010/english
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