1.1.3 Water management Wetland habitats, such as riparian fringes, reed-beds, seasonally flooded forest and floodplain grasslands, are important to migratory landbirds as well as waterbirds. Actions that promote the conservation and sustainable use of such habitats will benefit those species that use them. Wetlands are the largest land-based store of carbon, serving a key ecological function. The draining and degradation of wetlands turn them into a source of greenhouse gas emissions. The restoration of damaged wetlands can reduce these emissions and potentially reverse the trend. Medium- and large-scale damming projects along waterways can radically influence hydrological regimes at catchment scales, and also have the potential for wider-scale impact on both biodiversity and livelihoods by altered dynamics downstream. 1.1.4 Energy Development of infrastructure to support energy production including those of renewable energy sources (for example, solar, wind, hydro or bio-energy) can have significant impacts on land-use and habitats important to migratory landbird species. It is imperative to incorporate early-stage and high-level strategic planning, Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments (SEA) and stakeholder consultation in order to ensure that the impact on ecosystems and biodiversity, including to migratory landbird species, is minimised. In particular, energy policies should ensure that biomass production does not lead to the clearing of natural habitats, overexploitation of forests or unsustainable agriculture intensification. In many developing countries, a major cause of environmental degradation comes from the increasing demand for firewood leading to a loss of trees from the – and ultimately, deforestation. Policies that reduce this demand, for example through the provision of fuel-efficient cooking stoves or stoves powered by renewable sources of energy (such as small-scale wind or photovoltaic electricity production), will not only enhance human quality of life but also provide environmental benefits. Collaborative work on this issue with development agencies will be highly advantageous.
1.1.3 Water management Wetland habitats, such as riparian fringes, reed-beds, seasonally flooded forest and floodplain grasslands, are important to migratory landbirds as well as waterbirds. Actions that promote the conservation and sustainable use of such habitats will benefit those species that use them. Wetlands are the largest land-based store of carbon, serving a key ecological function. The draining and degradation of wetlands turn them into a source of greenhouse gas emissions. The restoration of damaged wetlands can reduce these emissions and potentially reverse the trend. Medium- and large-scale damming projects along waterways can radically influence hydrological regimes at catchment scales, and also have the potential for wider-scale impact on both biodiversity and livelihoods by altered dynamics downstream. 1.1.4 Energy Development of infrastructure to support energy production including those of renewable energy sources (for example, solar, wind, hydro or bio-energy) can have significant impacts on land-use and habitats important to migratory landbird species. It is imperative to incorporate early-stage and high-level strategic planning, Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments (SEA) and stakeholder consultation in order to ensure that the impact on ecosystems and biodiversity, including to migratory landbird species, is minimised. In particular, energy policies should ensure that biomass production does not lead to the clearing of natural habitats, overexploitation of forests or unsustainable agriculture intensification. In many developing countries, a major cause of environmental degradation comes from the increasing demand for firewood – leading to a loss of trees from the and ultimately, deforestation. Policies that reduce this demand, for example through the provision of fuel-efficient cooking stoves or stoves powered by renewable sources of energy (such as small-scale wind or photovoltaic electricity production), will not only enhance human quality of life but also provide environmental benefits. Collaborative work on this issue with development agencies will be highly advantageous.