CCDSEC LAC

Slide1: 

United Nations Convention to Combat desertification Latin America and Caribbean Unit Heitor Matallo “General approach to the costs of desertification” Rome December 4 - 5 2006

The Drylands: 

The Drylands

World drylands: 

World drylands

Some general data on drylands: 

Some general data on drylands 30% of the earth surface More than 1 billion people live in the drylands Low level of water availability (drought and irregular precipitation in space and time) Deep levels of poverty (it is estimated almost 70% of total population) High level of economic and environmental vulnerability 20% of the world food production

Specifically: 

Specifically Physical loss of soils Affects Agricultural productivity (irrigation and dry farming) Affects water dams, reservoirs and riverbeds Affects the energy production (turbine corrosion) Sand storms (spreading out viruses and other microscopic fungi and insects – cactoblastis cactorun, Nile virus) or affecting productive soils (deposition) Contribution to climate change/variations (drought, flood, heat waves) – urban impacts Deterioration of water resources Losses in: Biodiversity Forest and timber production Contribution to poverty, migration and changes in the social structure (social costs) The idea is to develop an “economy of desertification” integrating all these factors

Economic concerns on drylands : 

Economic concerns on drylands During the 1980´s – economic issues were part of the Agenda of Desertification But suddenly….were removed from the agenda. This is reflected in the UNCCD text. There are only two articles where economic issues can be identified (both of them in a very week sense). The result is that the Convention has no approach or methodology for approaching economic issues

Background (from the 80´s): 

Background (from the 80´s) Harold Dregne and UNEP Costs of land degradation – economic losses 1st Hypothesis – 40% loss of productivity 2nd hypothesis – degradation has the same intensity wherever it is considered research based on small data from Australia and USA Direct losses are: Irrigated land – USD 250.00 ha/year Rainfed cropland – USD 38.00 ha/year Rangeland – USD 7.00 ha/year Indirect costs are not considered b) Costs of rehabilitation Irrigated areas – USD 2,000.00/ha Rainfed cropland – USD 400.00/ha Rangeland – USD 40.00/ha Difficulties to apply at global level – no reliable data available, no precise diagnosis available The figures are referred mainly to US and Australia

Slide8: 

The information base upon which the estimates in this report were made is poor. Anecdotal accounts, research reports, travelers' descriptions, personal opinions, and local experience provided most of the evidence for the various estimates. Some data were available for Australia and the United States. Both of these countries have conducted comprehensive assessments of land degradation on irrigated, rainfed farming, and range lands. For the country data, it is impossible to estimate the error in the numbers of hectares in each degradation class because there are no accepted values against which to make comparisons. To our knowledge, no one except the senior author has ever attempted a global assessment, and very few have published national assessments. An earlier evaluation was published in 1983 (Dregne 1983).

Methodological constraints for an economic approach to desertification: 

Methodological constraints for an economic approach to desertification There is no comprehensive methodology to integrate all mentioned factors (physical, biological, socio-economic) There is no reliable diagnosis at national level (National Action Programmes) on the different levels of land degradation Poor quantitative data (Global and national level) Conceptual terms - environment and natural resources are (almost always) seen as economic externalities (not integrated in economy).

This approach: 

This approach To be applied in a global scale Based on an estimation of soil loss - Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) Why the USLE? Allows us to work with some quantitative data

Assumptions : 

Assumptions First hypothesis: Considering the slight rate of erosion (10 tons/ha/year) or just 1 mm of topsoil/ha/year – USD 10.00 Second hypothesis Each ton of soil means at least the reduction of 0,2 m3 of water availability – USD 0.5 Third hypothesis biodiversity and timber production loss – 50%

Situation of Desertification in LAAccording to countries: 

Situation of Desertification in LA According to countries

Summary: 

Summary USD 36.0 billion (soils and water resources) USD 18.0 billion (biodiversity loss) Total loss = USD 54 billion annually in 11 Latin American countries This is the cost of inaction!!!! (not restoration)

Impacts on the GNP: 

Impacts on the GNP

Ecological GNP: 

Ecological GNP Mexico is the only LAC country that has calculated the ecological GNP 1994 Ecological account system – 7.0 % negative GNP – 4,0 % EGNP = 3,0 % negative

Desertification is a process: 

Desertification is a process Losses in the last twelve years (since the UNCCD Approval in 1994) – 3% of growth degradation rate per year In the last twelve years means USD 450 billion Only for eleven LA countries

At National level or local scale - advantage of the method An example: 

At National level or local scale - advantage of the method An example

Production and productivity in rural Brazilian drylands 1977 - 1994: 

Production and productivity in rural Brazilian drylands 1977 - 1994 Drought and desertification Decreasing of 46%

Types of soils: 

Types of soils PE- Podzólicos Eutroficos; TER - Terras Roxas Estruturadas; CE-Cambisoils; BNC - Bruno Não Cálcicos; LI - Litólicos; Tons/ha/year

Erosion by type of soils: 

Erosion by type of soils

Financial Resources to combat desertification since 1994 by international cooperation: 

Financial Resources to combat desertification since 1994 by international cooperation All the GEF Operational Programmes Areas since 1991 to 2006 - 5.23 billion dollars allocation Africa 23 % 1.2 billion Asia 25 % 1.3 billion Latin America and Caribbean 20 % 1.05 billion Central Europe 18 % 0.945 million Others (global and regional) 14 % 0.735 million Total 5.23 billion

Toward an “economy of desertification”: 

Toward an “economy of desertification” Producing reliable data on land degradation Integrated methodology for economic assessment of desertification – including agricultural, soil, water, forestry losses and social impacts (quantitative data) Conventions X Commodities Climate change – CO2 Biodiversity – fauna & flora species (genetic heritage) Desertification – soils ?

Strategy: 

Strategy Changing traditional policies based on command/control (market mechanisms) New strategies and alternatives for drylands development in developing countries not based on agricultural activities Source:Molden &Fraiture, 2004 Amount of water to grow food (liters per kg)

Slide25: 

Thank you!

It is possible to estimate the erosion processes: 

It is possible to estimate the erosion processes For each type of soils More precise data on land degradation (amount) Using realistic “prices” for soils, water and timber production losses Losses in production and productivity Other local factors