An Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability in Watershed Areas and Communities in Southeast Asia (Rodel Lasco, University of the Philippines at Los Baños College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Philippines)

Watersheds are critical to economic development and environmental protection in Southeast Asia, and are likely to be affected by future climate change. This project will assess the impacts of climate change and associated land use and cover change on water resources, forest ecosystems, and social systems of watersheds in Southeast Asia. The project leaders will conduct studies in selected watersheds of Philippines and Indonesia, respectively, and will provide training and technical assistance to scientists from Indo-China on research methods to be implemented in their watersheds. Future climate scenarios will be developed and downscaled, and the results will be used in conjunction with a climate-vegetation model to predict future land use and cover change. The impacts of climate and land use/cover change will be assessed with measures of change in biodiversity, carbon and water budgets, livelihood, health, demographic shifts, and changes in social structure resulting from climate and land use/cover change. The project team will conduct an integrated vulnerability assessment of natural and social systems in the watershed, and will develop and evaluate adaptation strategies. Research findings and policy implications will be presented to policy makers and development workers.

Countries and sectors: Philippines, Indonesia, and Indo-China (Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia). Water resources, forest ecosystems.