349
and finally is used for the production of artisanal beer: the only one in the world
with fog water.
Given the results, Cerro Grande is an excellent site for fog harvesting and there
are all the conditions to improve: e.g., support of a local organization, community
involvement. The project Atrapaniebla Comuneros proves that fog harvesting at
community scale certainly succeeds in restoring the economic impulse and providing environmental and social support, without requiring unsustainable costs for the
community. Finally, fog water collection is an environmentally friendly intervention
that does not rely on energy consumption: fog water harvesting is a green technology. Such water collection option provides ecosystem services as well, thus increasing the climatic resilience of the context in which is used (on all this case study, see
widely Dall’Osteria 2018).
Conclusions
The survival of drylands and of populations that inhabit them depends on crosscutting and transversal factors, which often underlie socio-environmental conflicts.
Scarcity creates competition and conflict, as revealed by the Nobel Prize, Wangari
Maathai: “When resources are degraded, we start competing for them. [...] So one
way to promote peace is to promote sustainable management and equitable distribution of resources.”
The approach to sustainable development of drylands must be equally transversal, both at a strategic and operational level. In this sense, EM techniques, if applied
methodically, can constitute a more complete and lasting response over time, in
particular by the local government authorities. Environmental mainstreaming is a
driver to improve governance in drylands because it suggests a cross-cutting work
method and a road map for decision makers, also helping them analyze problems
and plan solutions with a wider perspective. Furthermore, EM stimulates an interand trans-disciplinary approach even in non-environmental experts.
But from this perspective it is necessary to invest in specific EM training to all
stakeholders, not only to policy-makers: by spreading the basic culture of EM, by
training trainers at both national and local level and perhaps even by making a basic
path for local administrators mandatory and following some steps who were just
sketched in this article.
References
Bass S (2008) Brief review of UNDP environmental mainstreaming in relation to the UNDPUNEP poverty-environment initiative. IIED, London
Bass S, Roe D, Smith J (2010) Look both ways: mainstreaming biodiversity and poverty reduction.
IIED, London
19 Governing Drylands Through Environmental Mainstreaming: How to Cope…
and finally is used for the production of artisanal beer: the only one in the world
with fog water.
Given the results, Cerro Grande is an excellent site for fog harvesting and there
are all the conditions to improve: e.g., support of a local organization, community
involvement. The project Atrapaniebla Comuneros proves that fog harvesting at
community scale certainly succeeds in restoring the economic impulse and providing environmental and social support, without requiring unsustainable costs for the
community. Finally, fog water collection is an environmentally friendly intervention
that does not rely on energy consumption: fog water harvesting is a green technology. Such water collection option provides ecosystem services as well, thus increasing the climatic resilience of the context in which is used (on all this case study, see
widely Dall’Osteria 2018).
Conclusions
The survival of drylands and of populations that inhabit them depends on crosscutting and transversal factors, which often underlie socio-environmental conflicts.
Scarcity creates competition and conflict, as revealed by the Nobel Prize, Wangari
Maathai: “When resources are degraded, we start competing for them. [...] So one
way to promote peace is to promote sustainable management and equitable distribution of resources.”
The approach to sustainable development of drylands must be equally transversal, both at a strategic and operational level. In this sense, EM techniques, if applied
methodically, can constitute a more complete and lasting response over time, in
particular by the local government authorities. Environmental mainstreaming is a
driver to improve governance in drylands because it suggests a cross-cutting work
method and a road map for decision makers, also helping them analyze problems
and plan solutions with a wider perspective. Furthermore, EM stimulates an interand trans-disciplinary approach even in non-environmental experts.
But from this perspective it is necessary to invest in specific EM training to all
stakeholders, not only to policy-makers: by spreading the basic culture of EM, by
training trainers at both national and local level and perhaps even by making a basic
path for local administrators mandatory and following some steps who were just
sketched in this article.
References
Bass S (2008) Brief review of UNDP environmental mainstreaming in relation to the UNDPUNEP poverty-environment initiative. IIED, London
Bass S, Roe D, Smith J (2010) Look both ways: mainstreaming biodiversity and poverty reduction.
IIED, London
19 Governing Drylands Through Environmental Mainstreaming: How to Cope…