The document discusses the role of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Reserves in climate change adaptation, using the example of Palawan Biosphere Reserve in the Philippines. It provides an overview of Palawan BR, including its characteristics, natural resources, population, and zoning system called ECAN. It describes challenges like deforestation, mining, and climate impacts. Finally, it discusses how ECAN zoning and the biosphere reserve concept can help balance environmental protection and sustainable development in Palawan.

1. PALAWAN COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STAFF & PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY
The Role of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Reserves in
Climate Change Adaptation: Experience from Palawan
Biosphere Reserve in the Philippines
RYAN T. FUENTES
JOHN FRANCISCO A. PONTILLAS
MICHAEL D. PIDO
Presented by:
JOHN FRANCISCO A. PONTILLAS

2. Aims
 Present the ongoing initiatives of Palawan
Biosphere Reserve with respect to climate
change issue, and
 the challenges and opportunities encountered
by Palawan BR managers in the pursuit of
sustainable development
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

3. PALAWAN BIOSPHERE RESERVE

4. Characteristics of Palawan BR
 666,338 has. of terrestrial
forest cover (2005), or 9.5%
of the forest cover of the
Philippines
 58,400 has. mangrove forest
(2005), the highest mangrove
assemblage in the country, or
40% of the extent of
mangroves in the Philippines
 high concentration of
endemic plants and animals
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

5. New species are still being discovered …
New forest gecko
(Luperosaurus gulat),
Brown et al. 2010
Spectacular species of pitcher plant
(Nepenthes attenboroughii),
Robinson et al. 2009
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

6. Natural resources
 rich fishing grounds
 outstanding ecosystems –
limestone formations, long
beaches, coral reefs
 onshore mineral deposits –
nickel, gold, manganese
 fossil fuels in offshore areas –
oil, natural gas
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

7. …and Our PEOPLE
• 970,232 (2007) projected population
• 3.64% Annual population growth rate
(1995-2000)
• Approximately 12 in-migrants in every 36
individuals added to our population
annually
• 53 ethnolinguistic groups
• 3 indigenous peoples group

8. The Road to UNESCO MAB and
SEP Law
1982 – Integrated Environmental Program under Palawan
Integrated Area Development Project Office with
funding from EEC (EU); a province-wide study on the
appropriate course of development for Palawan was
undertaken
1983, 1985 – formulation of a comprehensive plan to
balance development and environmental protection
1987 – Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) Draft was
finalized
1990 – Palawan was inscribed as one of the biosphere
reserves of UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program
1992 – passage of the SEP Law in Congress
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

9. Method / Primary strategy: ZONING
 The central strategy of the SEP Law is a zoning
strategy called the ECAN: Environmentally Critical
Areas Network
 ECAN is a graded system of protection and
development control over the whole province
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

10. Terrestrial Core Zone ECAN zones
Restricted Use Area
Buffer
Controlled Use Area Zone
Traditional Use Area
Multiple Use Zone
Coastal Core Zone
Transition/Buffer Area
Multiple
use Zone
Sustainable/General Use Area

11. Topography
Elevation and slope are used as parameters in the
mapping of ECAN zones
1,000 meters 100 m
500 – 1000 m 100 – 300 m
& above 300 – 500 m & below
Restricted Controlled Traditional Multiple
Core zone use use use use
area area area zone
50% slope 18 – 36% 0 – 8%
& above 36 – 50% (Rugged) 8 – 18% (Flat to
(Broken) (Steep) (Moderate) Gentle)
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

12. Overlay analysis using GIS
The “ecanization” of Palawan is defined
as “the process of delineating and
marking the boundaries of the different
zones in both land and sea, the
identification of prescribed activities
and resource use for each zone,
together with the enforcement of
regulatory measures to prevent
practices that are destructive of the
environment” (1994 PCSD Resolution)
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

13. Terrestrial
ECAN zones
map of
Palawan*
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

14. ECAN helps cushion the adverse impacts
of climate change
 Mapping of ECAN zones is compatible with identifying
ecological/biodiversity “hotspots” because “habitat of
endangered species” is one of the criteria or areas in
need of immediate protection and conservation.
 ECAN zoning is a way of identifying hazard-prone
areas as physical parameters are used in its mapping.
 ECAN zones can be an indicator of suitability for land
use activities and a decision-support framework in
determining the optimal location for various
development options, such as ecotourism, agriculture,
and housing.
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

15. State of Palawan forests
In the span of 60 years (from 1946 to 2005), the forest
cover of Palawan was reduced in half!
YEAR FOREST COVER PERCENTAGE
OF PALAWAN
(hectares)
1946 1.3 million 89%
1983 779,600 68%
2005 666,338 46%
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

16. State of Palawan forests
YEAR FOREST Hectares % Average Annual
COVER Loss Loss Rate of
OF (Total) Between Loss
PALAWAN years (hectares)
(hectares)
1946 1.3
million
1992 738,886 561,114 43.16% 12,198
2005 666,338 72,500 9.81% 5,577
 The IEP reported an alarming decline
of 19,000 hectares per year from 1979
to 1984. BIOSPHERE RESERVE

17. Carbon sequestration in Palawan forests
Carbon stock values of different forest cover
in Palawan Province (2010)
Forest cover Carbon Area Total Carbon Value at
density* (hectares) stock US$15/tC
(tC/ha) (million tons) (trillion
pesos)**
Old growth 349.81 189,771.8 66.4 41.8
forest
Mossy forest 204.25 21,600.8 4.4 2.8
Residual forest 336.4 373,278.2 125.6 79.1
Mangrove 174.9 58,399.6 10.2 6.4
643,050.4 206.6 130.1
* Values from Lasco et al. 1999 as cited in Cruz et al. 2008.
** 1 US$ : PhP 42 BIOSPHERE RESERVE

18. Economic
industries co-
existing
with protected
areas

19. Challenge to ECAN: Highly Extractive
Industries…Mining

20. Challenge to ECAN: Highly Extractive
Industries…Live Reef Fish Industry

21. Management implications:
ECAN as a spatial strategy
 Resilience, representativenes and protection of
ecosystems are some of the benefits that the zonation
of ECAN bestows upon the environment.
 In the Palawan BR, the connectivity cycle can be
extended to the linkage of the economy and
environment as both are not mutually exclusive but
rather mutually reinforcing concerns.
 ECAN then acts as a dual blanket of protection to life-
support and economic systems.
 As an evolving zoning strategy, it has the adaptability
to be integrated into any planning and regulatory
frameworks and management schemes. It is scalable
since it can be adapted from small areas to large scale
ones.
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

22. Management implications:
ECAN as a spatial strategy
 A key consideration is the island character of the
Palawan BR that makes it susceptible to sea level rise
and storm surges.
 Conflicts in land use and natural resource utilization
are foreseen to escalate given the increasing national
and international demand for both renewable and non-
renewable resources.
 The challenge remains in the governance aspect. The
primary need of governance in Palawan is the
maximization of political will to continue to develop
industries that are environment-friendly and
economically attractive.
 Protected areas should be acknowledge as part and
parcel of economic
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

23. Management implications:
ECAN as a spatial strategy
Two major constraints to the sustainable development of
Palawan:
 heavy reliance on activities that are extractive of
natural resource base, and
 the kind of priorities and utilization that the
government pursues in terms of public sector
investments.
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

24. Management implications:
Four main sectors of economic activities
Creation and marketing
of carbon sinks Ensure that
Promote tourist CLWUPs contain
destinations specialized
macro-industries
Primary for each
sector municipality.
Prevent the creation of Secondary
passive service areas or the Develop air and
economically “dead zones.”
sector seaport facilities
in Palawan
Tertiary
sector Sourcing of
renewable energy;
building of energy
Assessment of urban Quaternary efficient facilities
centers
Building information and sector
communication technology
(ICT) highways BIOSPHERE RESERVE

25. FINAL WORDS
 Biosphere reserves and the strategy
of ECAN zoning are established to
demonstrate the harmonious co-
existence between humans and their
environment especially in the face of
the negative impacts of unequivocal
climate change.
 This co-existence is already
happening in Palawan BR, to some
extent.
 The optimal functionality of ECAN
still requires a more efficient
allocation of political will and the
build-up and strengthening of its
social capital – its people.
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

26. FINAL WORDS
Socio-Economic
System
CC ADAPTATION
AND
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
FOR
PALAWAN BR
Ecological Political
System System
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

27. International Conference on Biodiversity and Climate Change, 01-03 February 2010, Manila, Philippines
The Role of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Reserves
in Climate Change Adaptation: Experience from
Palawan Biosphere Reserve in the Philippines
Ryan T. Fuentes1, John Francisco A. Pontillas1,
and Michael D. Pido2
john_pontillas2001@yahoo.com/oed@pcsd.ph/www.pcsd.ph
1Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff, 2Palawan State University

28. Land cover
Land cover is derived from
interpretation of satellite imageries
Brushland, Brushland,
Primary Residual Built-up &
forests & Residual Grassland,
forests Settlements
Mangroves forests Agricultural
(A & D lands)
areas
Restricted Controlled Traditional Multiple
Core zone use use use use
area area area zone
Maximum Controlled Sustainable
Area of Watershed Logging & Stable Projects;
Protection Protection Mining Agriculture Industrialization
BIOSPHERE RESERVE

29. Management implications:
Four main sectors of economic activities
Production and extraction
of raw materials
Manufacturing
and utilizing raw
materials derived
Primary from the primary
sector sector
Secondary
sector
R & D needed to
Tertiary produce products
sector from raw materials
Service sector Quaternary
sector
BIOSPHERE RESERVE