Climate Change Adaptation Highlight: SDF MFF Large Project

Highlighting climate change adaptation actions Ecosystem-based Integrated Coastal Resource Management through Multi-stakeholder Participation in Southern Thailand Project Grantee and Partners: Sustainable Development Foundation, UNDP, DMCR,START

Project Background Fishing is one of the main occupations in the South and majority of the poor are fisher people and peasants. One of the factors causing poverty is the depletion of resources that are the basis for food security and income from livelihood. Also, the rate of coastal erosion is becoming more and more alarming that resulted in strong wind and waves during monsoon season, which impacts livelihood infrastructures along the coastline.

This SDF project, aims to create knowledge within and cooperation between a wide variety of partner organizations (Sustainable Development FoundationSDF, Department of Marine Coastal Resource, Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training, United Nations Development Programme), and to establish ecosystem-based management of marine and coastal resources as demonstrated by the concrete conservation and protection of coastal ecosystems,

through a process which puts communities at the heart of both planning and management. It also seeks to guarantee livelihood security as well as general safety, and wellbeing for coastal communities, and restoration of the abundance and diversity of marine and coastal resources. Meaningful partnerships from a coalition of high-level national institutions in championing the initiative for national endorsement and campaigning for state policy incorporation will also be demonstrated.

Local partner CSOs will contribute on livelihood and community networking, while the national-level partners will provide technical and management backstopping to substantiate community measures in managing the ecosystem in a sustainable manner including measures to address the potential impacts of climate change and other climate related disaster risks.

Content prepared by MFF Thailand Programme with support Oliver Abrenilla, UNEP Seconded Consultant/Photo and layout: Sriaram S.

Climate change adaptation considerations

During the site visits conducted, the study team gathered the following observed impacts of climate change in the project sites: • Coast line erosion.

• Sand dune disappearance.

• Increasing fresh water scarcity.

• Sudden disappearance of mantis shrimp and the sudden change of landscape around the canal inlet.

Through this project, START will analyse the interactions between the beneficiaries and the environmental systems, their vulnerabilities to from the variability in the environment and their capacities and options to cope with, recover from and respond to environmental change. This integrative research will bring together physical, natural and social sciences, participatory approaches that engage stakeholders with scientists and decision support methods that focus on information that is needed to make better decisions. Consequently, the target sites will learn how to assess the gradual or sudden changes in environment, the observation of critical signs and the precautions/preventive measures to cope with these changes. These measures will be incorporated into relevant local plans and will be submitted for endorsement to appropriate government units at the local and provincial levels.

Progress made to implement climate change adaptation • An information system has been developed on the local effects of climate change and the impacts that may occur with coastal communities in the project sites.

• On-going study to document the relationship between food security and the management of marine and coastal resources in the context of climate change to form part of the ecosystem rehabilitation, conservation and protection strategy that will be included in relevant plans.

• Development of the action plan for Thai Sea Fisheries, and promoted the participation of small-scale fisher-folk in establishing the process for reducing the problems of global warming and climate change, linking to the issue of coastal community adaptation.

• Continuous awareness building and advocacy to strengthen community appreciation and support for the project.

Contact person: Ms. Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk Director, Sustainable Development Foundation Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) 86 Ladpraw 110 (Yaek 2) Ladpraw Road, Wangtongland, Bangkok 10310 Tel: +66 2935 3560 -62 Fax: +66 2935 2721 Email: ravadee@sdfthai.org

Produced by MFF secretariat with financial support of NORAD and SIDA