Water Management and Environment Environmental Equity: Striking the Right Balance between Agricultural Expansion and Ecosystem Health
Agricultural systems depend greatly on ecological processes and the services provided by wetlands, lakes and rivers, as well as agro-ecosystems such as rice fields, forests and coastal areas. Ecosystems support agriculture, produce fiber and fuel, regulate freshwater and purify wastewater. They regulate the climate, provide protection from storms, mitigate erosion and provide opportunities for recreation and tourism. As stated in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA 2005) the wellbeing of people is intimately linked to the capacity of ecosystems to provide these services. Research also emphasizes the importance of biodiversity which strengthens ecosystem resilience.
Under Theme 4 research, “Water Management and the Environment”, IWMI developed and tested best practice frameworks that took stock of environmental water needs. The Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agricultureprovided opportunities for Theme 4 research to assess past activities, identify new opportunities and close knowledge gaps. One priority was to examine how wetlands could be used in a sustainable way for livelihoods. IWMI continued its work on integrated analyses of the impacts of uses of wetlands on livelihoods and wetland functioning. IWMI developed an inventory of information on wetlands (link to inventory) and the many ecosystem services they provide. IWMI also conducted the first ever global assessment of environmental water needs and how these requirements (environmental flows) can be implemented.
IWMI contributed to Chapter 6 of the Comprehensive Assessment Synthesis Book. This chapter, titled “Agriculture, water and ecosystems: avoiding the costs of going too far” examines the wide scale changes in land cover, water courses and aquifers which have contributed to ecosystem degradation and the undermining of ecosystem services.
The impact of IWMI’s research is extended through formal agreements in place between RAMSAR (www.ramsar.org) and other international bodies such as IUCN , Wetlands International and FAO-GTOS.
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Priorities for action
- Improve agricultural technology and practices to enhance a range of ecosystem services
- Align support for improving ecosystem services by ensuring that the rural poor benefit from these services
- Improve land and water management for biodiversity which underpins ecosystem services.
- Manage ecosystems to mimic their natural state and character
- Raise awareness of the role and value of ecosystem services through dialogue and dissemination with different stakeholders
- Improve inventories, assessments and monitoring of factors related to ecosystem resilience and thresholds.
Related websites:
Global Environment Outlook
www.unep.org/geo/
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
www.MAweb.org
Nature valuation network
topshare.wur.nl/naturevaluation
The ALOS Kyoto & Carbon Initiative
www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/kyoto/KC-Science-Plan_v2.pdfEuropean Space Agency – Globwetlands www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMT952DU8E_environment_0.html
