• Energy Research

Los escenarios se han convertido en una herramienta clave para apoyar la investigación de sostenibilidad sobre el cambio regional y global. En este estudio evaluamos cuatro evaluaciones de escenarios regionales: primero, para explorar una serie de desafíos de investigación relacionados con la ciencia de la sostenibilidad y, segundo, para contribuir a la investigación de sostenibilidad en los estudios de casos específicos. Los cuatro estudios de casos utilizaron enfoques de escenarios comúnmente aplicados que son (i) un enfoque de historia y simulación con participación de las partes interesadas en la cuenca hidrográfica de Oum Zessar, Túnez, (ii) una exploración participativa de escenarios en la región de Rwenzori, Uganda, (iii) un estudio de prepolíticas basado en modelos en el Delta Interior del Níger, Malí, y (iv) un análisis de escenarios basado en modelos de acoplamiento en la cuenca alta de Thukela, Sudáfrica. Las evaluaciones de escenarios se evalúan frente a un conjunto de desafíos conocidos en la ciencia de la sostenibilidad, con cada desafío representado por dos indicadores, complementados por una encuesta realizada sobre la percepción de las evaluaciones de escenarios dentro de las regiones de estudio de caso. Los resultados muestran que todos los tipos de evaluaciones de escenarios abordan muchos desafíos de sostenibilidad, pero que los más complejos basados en la historia y la simulación y el acoplamiento de modelos son: el más completo. El estudio destaca la necesidad de investigar los cambios abruptos del sistema, así como los factores gubernamentales y políticos como fuentes importantes de incertidumbre. Para un análisis en profundidad de estos problemas, se sugiere el uso de enfoques cualitativos y una participación activa de las partes interesadas locales. Se recomienda estudiar los umbrales ecológicos a escala regional para apoyar la investigación sobre la sostenibilidad regional. La evaluación de los procesos y resultados de los escenarios por parte de los investigadores locales indica que las evaluaciones de escenarios más transparentes son las más útiles. Las evaluaciones de escenarios centradas, directas e iterativas pueden ser muy relevantes al aportar información a los problemas de sostenibilidad seleccionados. Les scénarios sont devenus un outil clé pour soutenir la recherche sur la durabilité des changements régionaux et mondiaux. Dans cette étude, nous évaluons quatre évaluations de scénarios régionaux : premièrement, explorer un certain nombre de défis de recherche liés à la science de la durabilité et, deuxièmement, contribuer à la recherche sur la durabilité dans les études de cas spécifiques. Les quatre études de cas ont utilisé des approches de scénarios couramment appliquées qui sont (i) une approche d'histoire et de simulation avec la participation des parties prenantes dans le bassin versant d'Oum Zessar, en Tunisie, (ii) une exploration participative de scénarios dans la région de Rwenzori, en Ouganda, (iii) une étude pré-politique basée sur des modèles dans le delta intérieur du Niger, au Mali, et (iv) une analyse de scénarios basée sur le couplage de modèles dans le bassin supérieur de Thukela, en Afrique du Sud. Les évaluations de scénarios sont évaluées par rapport à un ensemble de défis connus en science de la durabilité, chaque défi étant représenté par deux indicateurs, complétés par une enquête réalisée sur la perception des évaluations de scénarios dans les régions d'étude de cas. Les résultats montrent que tous les types d'évaluations de scénarios répondent à de nombreux défis de durabilité, mais que les plus complexes basés sur l'histoire et la simulation et le couplage de modèles sont la plus complète. L'étude souligne la nécessité d'enquêter sur les changements brusques du système ainsi que sur les facteurs gouvernementaux et politiques en tant que sources importantes d'incertitude. Pour une analyse approfondie de ces questions, l'utilisation d'approches qualitatives et un engagement actif des parties prenantes locales sont suggérés. L'étude des seuils écologiques à l'échelle régionale est recommandée pour soutenir la recherche sur la durabilité régionale. L'évaluation des processus et des résultats des scénarios par les chercheurs locaux indique que les évaluations de scénarios les plus transparentes sont les plus utiles. Des évaluations de scénarios ciblées, simples, mais itératives peuvent être très pertinentes en fournissant des informations à des problèmes de durabilité sélectionnés. Scenarios have become a key tool for supporting sustainability research on regional and global change.In this study we evaluate four regional scenario assessments: first, to explore a number of research challenges related to sustainability science and, second, to contribute to sustainability research in the specific case studies.The four case studies used commonly applied scenario approaches that are (i) a story and simulation approach with stakeholder participation in the Oum Zessar watershed, Tunisia, (ii) a participatory scenario exploration in the Rwenzori region, Uganda, (iii) a model-based prepolicy study in the Inner Niger Delta, Mali, and (iv) a model coupling-based scenario analysis in upper Thukela basin, South Africa.The scenario assessments are evaluated against a set of known challenges in sustainability science, with each challenge represented by two indicators, complemented by a survey carried out on the perception of the scenario assessments within the case study regions.The results show that all types of scenario assessments address many sustainability challenges, but that the more complex ones based on story and simulation and model coupling are the most comprehensive.The study highlights the need to investigate abrupt system changes as well as governmental and political factors as important sources of uncertainty.For an in-depth analysis of these issues, the use of qualitative approaches and an active engagement of local stakeholders are suggested.Studying ecological thresholds for the regional scale is recommended to support research on regional sustainability.The evaluation of the scenario processes and outcomes by local researchers indicates the most transparent scenario assessments as the most useful.Focused, straightforward, yet iterative scenario assessments can be very relevant by contributing information to selected sustainability problems. أصبحت السيناريوهات أداة رئيسية لدعم أبحاث الاستدامة حول التغيير الإقليمي والعالمي. في هذه الدراسة، نقوم بتقييم أربعة تقييمات للسيناريوهات الإقليمية: أولاً، لاستكشاف عدد من تحديات البحث المتعلقة بعلوم الاستدامة، وثانياً، للمساهمة في أبحاث الاستدامة في دراسات الحالة المحددة. استخدمت دراسات الحالة الأربع مناهج السيناريوهات المطبقة بشكل شائع والتي هي (1) نهج القصة والمحاكاة بمشاركة أصحاب المصلحة في مستجمعات مياه أم زسار، تونس، (2) استكشاف سيناريو تشاركي في منطقة روينزوري، أوغندا، (3) دراسة سياسة مسبقة قائمة على نموذج في دلتا النيجر الداخلية، مالي، و (4) تحليل سيناريو قائم على نموذج الاقتران في حوض ثوكيلا العلوي، جنوب أفريقيا. يتم تقييم تقييمات السيناريو مقابل مجموعة من التحديات المعروفة في علم الاستدامة، مع تمثيل كل تحدٍ بمؤشرين، يكملهما مسح تم إجراؤه على تصور تقييمات السيناريو داخل مناطق دراسة الحالة. تظهر النتائج أن جميع أنواع تقييمات السيناريو تعالج العديد من تحديات الاستدامة، ولكن التحديات الأكثر تعقيدًا القائمة على القصة والمحاكاة واقتران النموذج هي الأكثر شمولاً. تسلط الدراسة الضوء على الحاجة إلى التحقيق في التغييرات المفاجئة في النظام وكذلك العوامل الحكومية والسياسية كمصادر مهمة لعدم اليقين. للحصول على تحليل متعمق لهذه القضايا، يُقترح استخدام النهج النوعية والمشاركة النشطة لأصحاب المصلحة المحليين. يوصى بدراسة العتبات البيئية على المستوى الإقليمي لدعم البحوث المتعلقة بالاستدامة الإقليمية. يشير تقييم عمليات ونتائج السيناريو من قبل الباحثين المحليين إلى أن تقييمات السيناريو الأكثر شفافية هي الأكثر فائدة. يمكن أن تكون تقييمات السيناريو المركزة والمباشرة والمتكررة ذات صلة كبيرة من خلال المساهمة بالمعلومات في مشاكل الاستدامة المختارة.

AbstractAgriculture is the largest single source of environmental degradation, responsible for over 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 70% of freshwater use and 80% of land conversion: it is the single largest driver of biodiversity loss (Foley JA, Science 309:570–574, 2005, Nature 478:337–342, 2011; IPBES. Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. IPBES Secretariat, Bonn, 2019; Willett W et al. The Lancet 393:447–492, 2019). Agriculture also underpins poor human health, contributing to 11 million premature deaths annually. While too many still struggle from acute hunger, a growing number of individuals, including in low to middle-income countries (LMICs), struggle to access healthy foods. Greater consideration for, and integration of, biodiversity in agriculture is a key solution space for improving health, eliminating hunger and achieving nature-positive development objectives.This rapid evidence review documents the best available evidence of agriculture’s relationships with biodiversity, drawing on the contributions of leading biodiversity experts, and recommends actions that can be taken to move towards more biodiversity/nature-positive production through the delivery of integrated agricultural solutions for climate, biodiversity, nutrition and livelihoods. The analysis, which takes a whole-of-food-system approach, brings together a large body of evidence. It accounts for aspects not typically captured in a stand-alone primary piece of research and indicates where there are critical gaps.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are high on the agenda for most countries of the world. In its publication of the SDGs, the UN has provided the goals and target descriptions that, if implemented at a country level, would lead towards a sustainable future. The IAEG (InterAgency Expert Group of the SDGs) was tasked with disseminating indicators and methods to countries that can be used to gather data describing the global progress towards sustainability. However, 2030 Agenda leaves it to countries to adopt the targets with each government setting its own national targets guided by the global level of ambition but taking into account national circumstances. At present, guidance on how to go about this is scant but it is clear that the responsibility is with countries to implement and that it is actions at a country level that will determine the success of the SDGs. Reporting on SDGs by country takes on two forms: i) global reporting using prescribed indicator methods and data; ii) National Voluntary Reviews where a country reports on its own progress in more detail but is also able to present data that are more appropriate for the country. For the latter, countries need to be able to adapt the global indicators to fit national priorities and context, thus the global description of an indicator could be reduced to describe only what is relevant to the country. Countries may also, for the National Voluntary Review, use indicators that are unique to the country but nevertheless contribute to measurement of progress towards the global SDG target. Importantly, for those indicators that relate to the security of natural resources security (e.g., water) indicators, there are no prescribed numerical targets/standards or benchmarks. Rather countries will need to set their own benchmarks or standards against which performance can be evaluated. This paper presents a procedure that would enable a country to describe national targets with associated benchmarks that are appropriate for the country. The procedure builds on precedent set in other countries but in particular on a procedure developed for the setting of Resource Quality Objectives in South Africa. The procedure focusses on those SDG targets that are natural resource-security focused, for example, extent of water-related ecosystems (6.6), desertification (15.3) and so forth, because the selection of indicator methods and benchmarks is based on the location of natural resources, their use and present state and how they fit into national strategies.

Stakeholders of the small-scale (<50 MW generation capacity) hydropower sector in Uganda recognise the importance of sustainable development of the resources that have social and ecological importance. Uganda is experiencing a boom in hydropower projects resulting in over generation of electricity and its exportation to neighbouring nations. Limited policies are currently available in Uganda to direct the sustainable development of this sector. Environmental flows (e-flows) practices established for the Nile Basin region and international good e-flows practices can contribute to sustainable management of hydropower developments in Uganda. The paper defines and explains e-flows, identifies water resource attributes of importance for e-flows determination associated with hydropower and threat associated with this activity in Uganda, and provides good e-flows determination and management practices based on regional and international information. The determination and management of e-flows in the hydropower sector in Uganda is largely dependent on the availability of and quality of hydrology, hydraulic and flow-ecosystem and flow-ecosystem service relationship information. This review of good-practice e-flows practice for the small hydropower sector in Uganda provides guidance to support multiple stakeholders of water resources in Uganda for a better future for all of its vulnerable communities and the environments they depend on.

Floodplains are particularly important in the semi-arid region of the Sub-Sahelian Africa. In this region, water governance is still being developed, often without adequate information and technical capacity for good, sustainable water resource management. However, water resources are being allocated for use with minimal sustainability considerations. Environmental flows (e-flows) include the quantity and timing of flows or water levels needed to meet the sustainable requirements of freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. Holistic regional scale e-flows linked to floodplain management can make a noticeable contribution to sustainable floodplain management. The Inner Niger Delta (IND) in Mali is an example of a vulnerable, socio-ecologically important floodplain in the Sahel region of North Africa that is being developed with little understanding of sustainability requirements. Although integrally linked to the Upper Niger River catchment, the IND sustains a million and half people within the region and exports food to surrounding areas. The flooding of the Delta is the engine of the socio-economic development as well as its ecological integrity. This paper aims to demonstrate the contribution that holistic regional e-flow assessment using the PROBFLO approach has to achieving floodplain sustainability. This can be achieved through the determining the e-flow requirements to maintain critical requirements of the ecosystems and associated services used by local vulnerable human communities for subsistence and describing the socio-ecological consequences of altered flows. These outcomes can contribute to the management of the IND. In this study, the socio-ecological consequences of altered flows have been evaluated by assessing the risk of alterations in the volume, duration, and timing of flows, to a number of ecological and social endpoints. Based on the risk posed to these endpoints by each scenario of change, an e-flow of 58% (26,685 million cubic meters (MCM) of water annually) was determined that would protect the ecosystem and maintain indicator components at a sustainable level. These e-flows also provide sustainable services to local communities including products for subsistence and limit any abnormal increases in diseases to the vulnerable African communities who live in the basin. Relative risk outputs for the development scenarios result in low-to-high-risk probabilities for most endpoints. The future development scenarios include insufficient flows to maintain sustainability during dry or low-flow periods with an increase in zero flow possibilities. Although unsuitable during the low-flow or dry periods, sufficient water is available through storage in the basin to meet the e-flows if these scenarios were considered for implementation. The IND is more vulnerable to changes in flows compared to the rivers upstream of the IND. The e-flow outcomes and consequences of altered flow scenarios has contributed to the management of vulnerable IND floodplains and the requirements and trade-off considerations to achieve sustainability.

Environmental flows (e-flows) aim to mitigate the threat of altered hydrological regimes in river systems and connected waterbodies and are an important component of integrated strategies to address multiple threats to freshwater biodiversity. Expanding and accelerating implementation of e-flows can support river conservation and help to restore the biodiversity and resilience of hydrologically altered and water-stressed rivers and connected freshwater ecosystems. While there have been significant developments in e-flow science, assessment, and societal acceptance, implementation of e-flows within water resource management has been slower than required and geographically uneven. This review explores critical factors that enable successful e-flow implementation and biodiversity outcomes in particular, drawing on 13 case studies and the literature. It presents e-flow implementation as an adaptive management cycle enabled by 10 factors: legislation and governance, financial and human resourcing, stakeholder engagement and co-production of knowledge, collaborative monitoring of ecological and social-economic outcomes, capacity training and research, exploration of trade-offs among water users, removing or retrofitting water infrastructure to facilitate e-flows and connectivity, and adaptation to climate change. Recognising that there may be barriers and limitations to the full and effective enablement of each factor, the authors have identified corresponding options and generalizable recommendations for actions to overcome prominent constraints, drawing on the case studies and wider literature. The urgency of addressing flow-related freshwater biodiversity loss demands collaborative networks to train and empower a new generation of e-flow practitioners equipped with the latest tools and insights to lead adaptive environmental water management globally. Mainstreaming e-flows within conservation planning, integrated water resource management, river restoration strategies, and adaptations to climate change is imperative. The policy drivers and associated funding commitments of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework offer crucial opportunities to achieve the human benefits contributed by e-flows as nature-based solutions, such as flood risk management, floodplain fisheries restoration, and increased river resilience to climate change.