project
Apr. 26 2012
Activity
RIVAMP Methodology
Project description
Description of the RiVAMP methodology
To identify and quantify the role of ecosystems, a RiVAMP study should include the following steps:
a) Scoping mission: A scoping mission for identifying the issue, past reports on studies conducted on the subject are collected and reviewed.
b) Review of existing knowledge and data: all useful data generated in the past are being collected, prepared for integration into a centralised database.
Generation of missing data: Missing data are generated using on-ground collection or remote sensing analysis.
c) Local consultations: consultations of local experts and local community are run to i) identify local knowledge on ecosystems services; ii) identify threats to the ecosystems; iii) understand historical processes which led to the decline of the ecosystems; iv) identify potential solutions to reduce threats to the ecosystems; v) review bottlenecks and blockage on past solutions; vi) identify collaborations, potential co-benefit from existing projects amongst different stakeholders.
Description of the RiVAMP methodology
To identify and quantify the role of ecosystems, a RiVAMP study should include the following steps:
a) Scoping mission: A scoping mission for identifying the issue, past reports on studies conducted on the subject are collected and reviewed.
b) Review of existing knowledge and data: all useful data generated in the past are being collected, prepared for integration into a centralised database.
Generation of missing data: Missing data are generated using on-ground collection or remote sensing analysis.
c) Local consultations: consultations of local experts and local community are run to i) identify local knowledge on ecosystems services; ii) identify threats to the ecosystems; iii) understand historical processes which led to the decline of the ecosystems; iv) identify potential solutions to reduce threats to the ecosystems; v) review bottlenecks and blockage on past solutions; vi) identify collaborations, potential co-benefit from existing projects amongst different stakeholders.
d) Scientific assessment: the scientific assessment follows, providing a quantification of the role of ecosystems in mitigating the issue and allowing to run scenarios on future developments. Scenarios can be run according to different options of decisions and/or different scenarios of climate change.
e) Economic assessment: the role of ecosystems are translated into monetary value and/or in percentage of livelihood to allow comparison with range of solutions (e.g. engineered solutions versus ecosystems based, or costs of inaction versus costs/benefice of ecosystems restoration). Lack of financial resoources prevented from developing this component in the RiVAMP study in Negril. However, it was assessed that the Negril beaches related economy, provide 4-5 % of Jamaican GDP. It is recommended that this component should be performed.
f) Reporting and hand over of the results and data: the data and results (maps, graphs, analysis) are compiled and provided to the local partner (in this case PIOJ) in order to provide full access to all collected material. Results and recommendations are provided in a report which is launched with the presence of the highest level of policy makers to ensure political buy in. Results are also presented to local stakeholders.
g) Evaluation: an internal and independent evaluation of the RiVAMP project is held. Review includes both local experts (in this case Jamaican experts), evaluation of the local partner (here PIOJ), external experts review. An internal evaluation of RiVAMP was performed (in May 2010). Incidently, RiVAMP was also chosen for an external audit, results are pending.
h) RiVAMP Training: to ensure replicability and for building capacity, the methodology is transferred to specialists of the country in a training. To avoid dependencies on expensive software, the methodology is replicated with all necessary analytical functions on professional quality free OpenSource software.
i) Scientific publication: a scientific article is written to benefit from full scientific review and credit as well as for touching the scientific community. This provides also additional ground for demonstrating the value of ecosystems, this can be used for advocacy and awareness at global, national and local levels.
j) Achieving sustainability and future developments: by connecting with local stakeholders, other UNEP programmes, other UN agencies and potential other financial and scientific partners, the recommendations of RiVAMP on a specific issue should be followed by local actions in improving land planning and being translated into actions aiming to more sustainable practices and ecosystems restoration/protection. RiVAMP methodology can be used in different locations affected by similar issues and be expended to other issues in other types of ecosystems. This part is not yet achieved, although steps were taken toward this aim.
