Abstract
Climate change is a global problem that particularly impacts the poorest people in developing countries. As efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change increasingly flounder, the need to adapt to the impacts of climate change become more pressing and urgent. This thesis presents a case for a closer integration of climate change adaptation and mitigation policy and programming in the Timor-Leste context as a more effective approach to achieving both adaptation and mitigation objectives as well as enhancing rural livelihoods and natural resources management.In the Timor-Leste context, policies and programs around sustainable land management and climate change adaptation are shown to be largely complementary. Communities are acknowledged as playing a key role in local level resource management and adaptation. Climate change mitigation policy and programming is largely undeveloped in Timor-Leste and a conceptual separation of adaptation and mitigation should be avoided. An effective integration of climate change mitigation and adaptation is presented through the examination of community level case studies.
Income generation from carbon credits is examined using WAFMA in the Northern Territory as a reference. Reforestation and agroforestry are shown to have the greatest potential for mitigation outcomes as well as being consistent with policies and programs for sustainable land management and climate change adaptation. How this would look in practice is demonstrated in a catchment management approach that achieves livelihood, adaptation and mitigation outcomes - a carbon catchment.
| Date of Award | Nov 2013 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Bronwyn Myers (Supervisor), Penny Wurm (Supervisor) & Garry Cook (Supervisor) |