CLIMATE RISKS ASSESSMENT, OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO THE EVOLUTION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND LIMITATION OF THE PROVISION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: LANDSCAPE CASE OF SOUTH-KIVU (ALBERTINE RIFLT, DRC)

Abstract

The analysis and characterization of climate variability over a long five-year period proved fundamental to understanding the impacts of climate change and the vulnerability of ecosystem services in the South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Collection methods from surveys and literature reviews allowed us to conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses of climate change impacts and adaptation approaches based on ecosystem services. For data collection, we used surveys and inventories. The data were statistically analyzed, mainly with regression methods and arithmetic averages. The results of agro-pastoral, fisheries and water production highlight the strong influence of climate change through the decrease in products essential for local consumption. These results are confirmed by statistical analysis almost everywhere R² < 0.5 and p-value > 0.05 (except for vegetable production « p-value < 0.05», Cereal: R²= 0.54 and Legume:  R²= 0.74). The same results show us that the non-regulation of river regimes and the decrease in water production by the appropriate service as a result of precipitation and temperature variability data have led to unprecedented disruption due to negative effects on the ecosystem services analyzed.  The proposals of the ecosystem-based adaptation approaches as a solution and are important indicators that have assessed climate risks of ecosystem services combined with the poverty impacts of the population and its environment highly vulnerable to climate change.