The massive effects of climate change increasingly affect the vulnerable livelihoods in developing countries. Changing ecological factors (temperatures, precipitation, sea level) result in a severe loss of productive land and require the constant adaptation of production patterns and lifestyles.

Conflicts over the distribution and utilization of fertile land and natural ressources will further increase the pressure on protected areas and the global natural heritage.

In response to immediate basic needs, measures such as new cropping schemes will many times range highest in priority. However, ongoing support of sustainable resource use, such as forest management, plays a major role in the stable provision of daily needs (fuelwood, non-timber forest products), stabilization of groundwater level, etc. Overall, well negotiated local and regional institutions will be crucial to absorb the tremendous changes.

ECO helps strengthen people's self-help capacities and bridge the gap towards more sustainable and stable livelihoods. Adapted coping strategies require the know-how of several interacting disciplines.

The ECO Consulting Group, in cooperation with our network of qualified service providers, offers concepts and approaches which lend themselves as components or modules to form an appropriate service package. Emphasis is put on practical and sustainable solutions that are facilitated by bottom-up participatory planning and implementation:

• Vulnerability assessments
• Risk assessments
• Adaptation planning and management
• Mitigation through the Clean Development Mechanism
• Awareness-raising and education
• Institutional development
• Mainstreaming of disaster prevention in rural development and natural resources management (community-based disaster risk management, land use planning, management of water catchments)
• Evaluation of results and impact

Your contact:
Dr. Steve Sepp