Presentation by Kaoru Ichikawa from UNU-IAS and the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI). This was presented during a seminar hosted at Bioversity International on 'The Indicators of Resilience in Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS)' in January 2014. Find out more: http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/agricultural-ecosystems/landscapes/

1. Seminar on Indicators Research
29 January 2014
Bioversity International, Rome, Italy
Indicator Approach to
Understanding Resilience of
Socio-ecological Production
Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS)
Kaoru Ichikawa and Wataru Suzuki
United Nations University
Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability

2. Contents
1. Socio-ecological production
landscapes and seascapes
2. The Satoyama Initiative
3. Indicators for resilience of SEPLS
2

3. Socio-Ecological
Production Landscapes
and Seascapes (SEPLS)
 Harmonious interaction
between people and nature
 Support biodiversity while
providing humans with the
goods and services
needed for their well-being
 Dynamic mosaics of
habitats and land uses
 Deeply linked to local
culture and knowledge
3

4. Satoyama
landscapes
 Traditional agricultural
landscape of Japan
 Mosaics of
farmlands, forests, grassla
nds, irrigation canals and
ponds, settlements, etc.
 Nurtured habitats
maintained through
appropriate management
 Multifunctional landscape
produces a bundles of
ecosystem services
4
Source: JSSA

5. Socio-ecological production landscapes
and seascapes (SEPLS) around the world
Korea (Mauel)
Spain (Dehesa)
Philippines (Muyong)
Cambodia
(Srair-Chamkar)
Malawi (Chitemene)
© Setsuko Nakayama
Home gardens
© BM Kumar
5

6. 6

7. The Satoyama Initiative
 Aims to realize “societies in harmony
with nature” through mainstreaming
biodiversity into production landscapes
and seascapes
 Promotes broader global recognition
of the value of “Socio-Ecological
Production Landscapes and Seascapes”
(SEPLS)
 Initiated by Ministry of
Environment, Japan, and UNU-IAS
 Recognized by CBD COP in the area of
sustainable use of biodiversity (Decisions
of CBD COP10 and 11 X/32 and XI/25)
7

8. International Partnership for
the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI)
 Established in 2010 at CBD
COP10 in Japan
 A global network to serve as a
platform for sharing knowledge
and fostering synergies among
organizations working on SEPLS
 A multi-stakeholder
partnership consisting of
organizations from national and
local
governments, NGOs, indigenous
communities, private
sector, academic, and international
and UN organizations
 Promotes and implements a wide
range of activities at various
levels
8

9. IPSI Collaborative Activity on
Indicators for Resilience of SEPLS
o Resilience
o Changes and shocks are inherent in
ecosystems and societies
o To minimize and avoid critical damage
could be more reasonable and pragmatic
o “The capacity of a system to absorb
disturbances and reorganize while
undergoing change so as to still retain
essentially the same
function, structure, identity, and
feedbacks” (Walker et al. 2004)
 Strengthening the resilience of
SEPLS will contribute to the wellbeing of local communities.
9

10. Indicator approach at national and
global levels

Indicator approach plays an important
role in monitoring progress toward
specific targets and goals at
national and global levels
E.g. Aichi Biodiversity Targets, MDGs.
Quantitative and scientifically valid
indicators
 Can be compared across space and
time and aggregated into global data
 Assessment conducted by experts

10

11. The resilience indicators of SEPLS
 Indicators to measure resilience of SEPLS at the
local level
 Measure different aspects that are entailed by and
essential for sustaining resilient landscapes
 A tool for local communities
 to understand the status of their landscapes/seascapes
 to identify ways to enhance resilience
 to enhance participation and communication with different
stakeholders
 Assessment based on the local community’s
understanding and perception
11

12. Development of indicators (2011-)
•
A set of 20 indicators was developed by
Bioversity International and UNU-IAS
– Ecosystems protection and the
maintenance of biodiversity
– Agricultural biodiversity
– Knowledge, learning, and innovation
– Social equity and infrastructure
•
The indicators have been applied/tested
– By Bioversity International in
Cuba, Kenya, Nepal, and Bolivia
– By UNDP at COMDEKS sites in
Brazil, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, India, M
alawi, Nepal, Slovakia, and Turkey
•
Discussed during previous IPSI global conferences
12

13. Toolkit development (2013-)
 To promote widespread use of the
indicators in different contexts
 Toolkit on practical application of
indicators is being developed by
Bioversity
International, UNDP, IGES, and UNUIAS
 Revision of indicators based on
experiences of testing is also being
undertaken
Scoping workshop (Apr 2013)
Expert workshop (Jul 2013)
SBSTTA side event (Oct 2013)

14. Toward achievement of global targets
 Use of the indicators will contribute to
 Understanding the resilience of SEPLS
 Development of resilience-strengthening strategies
 Enhancing communication among relevant stakeholders
 Empowering local communities
 Participatory approach
 Local communities can engage in the whole process
from monitoring, assessment, and strategy
development, to actions.
 Actions that are suitable and beneficial to the local
context can be made.
 Ultimately contribute to achievement of global targets
such as Aichi Biodiversity Targets and MDGs/SDGs.

15. Thank you for your attention!