Waste to-energy & biodiversity conservation efforts to aid adaptation

Waste-to-Energy & Biodiversity

Conservation efforts to aid

adaptationadaptation

Nature Palace Foundation’s experience

David K. Nkwanga,

Nature Palace Foundation

P.O. Box 29455, Kampala, Uganda

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.naturepalaceug.net

Blending Conservation with Development

Outline

• Key determinants of adaptation – the relationship between Food, Water and Energy

• The Cooking Energy paradox in Uganda

• The waste problem

• Waste to Energy: turning a problem into a solution • Waste to Energy: turning a problem into a solution

• The multi-benefits from a WtE Program

• Other Innovative Biodiversity Conservation approaches

• Challenges to adaptation projects in Uganda

• Recommendations


Key determinants of grassroots

adaptation

Food

Food Production is influenced by water availability

Climate change impacts like droughts,

Water

Water availability is influenced by vegetation changes/deforestation

Destruction of water catchments is leading to

Energy

Energy needs are a major driver of deforestation

Provision of an alternative energy source Climate change impacts like droughts, variability in seasons, increased incidence of disease & pests etc lead to low productivity

leading to food insecurity.

Destruction of water catchments is leading to drying up of springs and changes in

microclimates that make communities more vulnerable

Provision of an alternative energy source lowers deforestation rates, promotes

conservation of catchments & environmental sustainability


Addressing key drivers of biodiversity loss/deforestation is animportant step in promoting adaptation capacities of local

communities

Cooking Fuel Situation in Uganda – a

paradox• Uganda is losing its natural forest

estate at a rate of 2.3% pa, and overall forest cover dropped from 24% - 18% between 1990 and 2005, respectively (FSSD, 2009).

• The country was already wood fuel deficit by 2.7 million cubic metres in 1986 (NEMA, 2008). 1986 (NEMA, 2008).

• Wood fuel; firewood and charcoal remain the main sources of cooking energy available for the majority of Ugandans, providing about 93% of the country’s total cooking energy needs.

• The country’s population growth stands at 3.1 while the world’s average is 1.2 and the country in a few decades is likely to have the worlds’ highest popn growth (PRB, 2011).


Waste Situation in Uganda

��70% is bio70% is bio--wastewaste��70% is bio70% is bio--wastewaste��NoNo proper system of collection, proper system of collection, management and disposalmanagement and disposal��OnlyOnly 4040--50% is collected (NEMA,2008)50% is collected (NEMA,2008)��MajorMajor contributor to pollution, clogging of contributor to pollution, clogging of water channels and proliferation of diseasewater channels and proliferation of disease


Waste-to-Energy: Turning a problem into a

solution

•Utilizes abundant bio-waste•Saves biodiversity/controls deforestation

•Provides a more effective, economic and cleaner energy source•Improves peoples’ Health through improved Hygiene & Sanitation

•Improves peoples’ livelihoods through Poverty reduction•RAISES PEOPLES’ CAPACITY TO ADAPT


Existing Opportunities

• Abundance of bio-waste that is readily

available free or at minimal cost;

• Ready market for fuel briquettes – people are

already stressed with high prices of charcoal already stressed with high prices of charcoal

and firewood;

• Potential for voluntary carbon markets for

long-term financing


Potential of WtE in Biodiversity

Conservation & Carbon Trade

•• One briquette (2kg) cooks for approximately 5 One briquette (2kg) cooks for approximately 5 hrs, saving approximately 10 kg of charcoal or hrs, saving approximately 10 kg of charcoal or firewoodfirewood

•• 30 tones of processed bio30 tones of processed bio--waste (char) equals waste (char) equals 15,000 briquettes, equivalent to 75,000 cooking 15,000 briquettes, equivalent to 75,000 cooking 15,000 briquettes, equivalent to 75,000 cooking 15,000 briquettes, equivalent to 75,000 cooking hourshours

•• 75,000 cooking hours are estimated to save an 75,000 cooking hours are estimated to save an equivalent of one hectare of tropical forest.equivalent of one hectare of tropical forest.

•• 75,000 hours = 3,125 days =446 weeks = 111 75,000 hours = 3,125 days =446 weeks = 111 months = 9 years.months = 9 years.


Conserved

forest

Briquette

(Fixed

Carbon:

81.0%-83.0%)

Energy

Saving stove

Carbon capture at three levelsPotential for Carbon Trade


The multi-benefits of the WtE Strategy

• A promising Income Generating Project for community groups and un-employed youth;

• Control of respiratory problems, especially among women and children that are associated with excess inhaling of smoke;with excess inhaling of smoke;

• Enhancement of hygiene and sanitation conditions in communities and households;

• Contribution to food security;

• Reduces work-load and other gender-based vulnerabilities


Other Innovative Biodiversity Conservation approaches1. A community botanic garden

• promoting conservation of important species, with special

emphasis on those that are very essential to the welfare of

local and generally poor communities,;

• Maintains a close link with the community which has

enabled it remain relevant to the neighbouring community

through propagating and availing planting materials and

information on essential medicinal and Food Plants.

2. Home Herbal Gardens

• An initiative aimed at counteracting the rapid loss of plant • An initiative aimed at counteracting the rapid loss of plant

resources through habitat destruction and also promoting

participation of community members in conservation of

species while upholding their knowledge and appreciation

of medicinal plants.

• The initiative involves growing of medicinal plants in

households as home or backyard gardens.

• Species that community members use most in treatment of

common ailments are targeted so that next time they need

them they do not go out looking for them in the wild –

where chances are that they may fail to get them when

they need them.

• People conserve what they know and need, if the

knowledge is lost then the plants, many of which are

endemic may also be lost


Innovative Biodiversity Conservation

approaches – cont’diii) Ssese Nature School

Goal: To be a centre of excellence in Conservation Education, Educational Tourism and Scientific research about Ssese Island plant genetic resources.

Objectives of SNS

• Manage living collections of plants genetic resources of Ssese Island system, document their conservation, medicinal, scenic and their conservation, medicinal, scenic and economic values;

• Manage an educational program about plant genetic resources integrated into eco-tourism

• Promote technologies that limit the threat to plant genetic resources like waste-to-energy recycling technologies;

• Develop a system for self-sustenance through income generation, partnership building and resource mobilization.


Challenges to adaptation projects in

Uganda• Many Climate Change Impacts among the

heavily natural-resource-dependant poor and ways they struggle to adapt go un-documented and therefore remain unknown.

• There is limited support to many grassroots’ adaptation projects

• Extreme poverty and high dependence on natural resources by the most vulnerable of society.


Recommendations

• Collaborations and Partnerships for improved communication and scaling up adaptation and biodiversity conservation projects.

• Supportive Policy frame-works for improved • Supportive Policy frame-works for improved financing of adaptation projects

• Explore more carbon Trade Opportunities for sustainable financing to support adaptation.

• Support for Increased innovation and research in Appropriate Technology


Thank You!

www.naturepalaceug.net

Date post:	18-Nov-2014
Category:	Technology
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