NORTH-SOUTH CENTRE - ETH - North-South Centre North-South ...

top-down approach using globally available datasets, remote
sensing and groundwater modelling, and (ii) a bottomup
approach consisting of several case studies for deriving
impact factors in detail. One case study will be located in
Peru, investigating the impact of agricultural water use on
wetlands in the coastal area.
loss and gain might be quantified in selected case studies,
aiming for a robust framework that adapts to the region.
The loss models will be based on the results of the abovementioned
doctoral studies. However, the challenge will be
to match these estimates with the achievements of conservation
interventions in the region where the impact occurs.
A global framework for compensating the biodiversity impacts
of agricultural products in the North-South context
(Michael Curran)
The developed world is straining ecosystems in the developing
world with increasing demands for agricultural commodities
and raw materials. This doctoral study aims at
investigating the potential of a North-South compensation
scheme to mitigate or offset such impacts, for example, an
added premium to be invested into local land stewardship
and conservation. First, we will establish global guidelines
to target payments and to estimate the likelihood of success
given prevailing regional conditions – both biological
and socio-political conditions. This will involve mapping
global conservation priorities, thus establishing the potential
for habitat restoration to contribute to biodiversity
recovery. Second, we will illustrate how the balance between
Local decision-making in agriculture: An example of dairy
products and beef production in Peru (Karin Bartl)
Milk and beef production are important activities for smallholder
farmers in Peru, providing a regular and secure income.
Earlier results of an LCA of typical milk production
systems in Peru showed a comparably high environmental
burden of milk produced in a smallholder system in the
highlands in comparison to both smallholder and semiindustrial
systems in the coastal region. However, only
climate change and pollution impacts were considered. As
is typical in LCA, biodiversity damages have yet to be included.
Water is a scarce resource in all three production
systems. Furthermore, it is used to irrigate fodder crops in
the coastal region. The “downstream” effects on biodiversity
due to water and land use may reveal an intriguing new
dynamic to the system.
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Research collaboration
UNEP
A snowy egret (Egretta thula) is reliant on wetlands
and other freshwater bodies such as lakes and bogs for
breeding and reproduction.
Landscape and village of Canchayllo
in the central Andes of Peru