Projects - dr. LH (Josh) Ho

Towards mainstreaming ecosystem services in national policies for sustainable management of freshwater ecosystems in South and Southeast Asia (MESSEA)

Duration: 2021 - 2022

Abstract: The overarching research theme of project MESSEA is Freshwater ecosystems which are amongst the systems with the fastest rate of decline. Nations and communities are lagging in the race to preserve life-sustaining ecosystems against multiple threats. This alarming fact is particularly relevant for the Asia-Pacific for several reasons. Roughly half of the World’s population live in the Asia-Pacific, and no less than 70% of the region’s population are in one way or another dependent on nature and ecosystem services. Groundwater overexploitation in agriculture, water quality degradation due to excessive use of fertilizers, deforestation, exploitation of rivers through sand mining in developing countries are severely damaging freshwater ecosystems depriving the communities of different ecosystem services.

As such, the strategic collaborative events organized within project MESSEA will contribute significantly to several key issues, focusing on freshwater ecosystems. First and foremost, the event brings together and facilitates dialogues leading to coordination and collaboration across domains and nations on protecting and sustainably utilizing freshwater ecosystems. Secondly, the event and discussion will result in an inventory of good practices, principles for implementation, and upscaling freshwater ecosystem management. Lastly, mainstreaming of these practices and principles into government plans and policy agendas will be achieved through a dedicated forum and digital media campaign. 

Safeguarding Regional Food Security under Climate Change impacts via mainstreaming NBS (NAFOS)

Duration: 2022 - 2024

Abstract: The Lower Mekong River Basin (LMRB) contributes significantly to safeguarding the food security of geographically related countries, including Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. However, millions of LMRB inhabitants are struggling to meet their dietary needs. Climate change (CC) even renders the basin even more food insecure via disrupted hydro-ecological regimes, intensified salinity intrusion, and deteriorated biodiversity albeit many structural and non-structural countermeasures implemented. There is, therefore, a dire need for innovative approaches to safeguard regional food security against climate change, and Nature based Solutions (NBS) importantly represent one. The project “Safeguarding the Food Security under the CC impacts via mainstreaming NBS in CC adaptation strategies”, or NAFOS will seek to fill this gap with an evidence-based scientific approach, focusing on Cambodia’s Siem Reap in the upper zone; Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom in the middle zone; and Viet Nam’s Tra Vinh in the lower zone for the core research. Relevant partners from Lao PDR are also involved in networking and capacity building.

The planned activities planned are structured into 4 Work Packages (WP), including, (i): Evaluation of the climate change impacts on the ecosystem services (ES) that support food security: (ii) Curation of NBS best practices in safeguarding food security; (ii) Assessment of the NBS potentials in enhancing LMRB’s CC resilience and food security; and (iv) Disseminating the research findings and building stakeholders’ capacities to adopt and upscale NBS via scientific publications, policy briefs, knowledge-sharing events, and social-media products.

Ecosystem-based Adaptations for Sustainable Groundwater Resources Management (GEBA)

Duration: 2021 - 2023

Abstract: In essence, project GEBA targets the transformative changes in planning and decision-making processes in the management of TCVA, one of the most important Transboundary Aquifer (TBAs) in Asia. We do so by leveraging and mainstreaming EbA into plans, policies and management practices in groundwater management at local, sub-national and transnational levels. The project team, henceforth, adopts a two-dimensional-scaling approach simultaneously targeting horizontal and vertical scaling. The horizontal scaling will be realized via objectives 1 and 2, in which we seek to (i) showcase the duo-benefits of EbA in rendering the vulnerability of the TCVA dependent communities in Cambodia and Vietnam with respect to groundwater depletion and (ii) develop and analyze mechanisms for integrating EbA with groundwater management, focusing on capacities of the marginalized group including women, poor households, youth and ethnic minorities. The vertical scaling, on the other hand, will be materialized via objective 3 where we contribute policy recommendations to integrate EbA into regulations and policies across different sectors in Cambodia and Vietnam that are issue-specific, science-based, gender-inclusive and human rights-based. From the overall project approach, three work packages (WP) are developed, including WP1 Integrated assessment of EbA and groundwater resources; WP2 Development and analysis of mechanisms for integrating EbA and groundwater management with target stakeholders; and WP3 Capacity building and advocacy based on impactful engagement and communication.

Creating High-Quality Sustainability Education Programmes for Teachers in Mekong Delta

Duration: 2022 – 2023

Abstract: Climate change and water management issues are especially important in areas along the Mekong delta, as its communities depend on water and river services for agriculture, transportation, and other important aspects of life. Groundwater is one of the most used freshwater resources in the Lower Mekong, and is vulnerable to several natural and anthropogenic stressors, many related to climate change and development. 

The project “Ecosystem-based Adaptations for Sustainable Groundwater Resources Management in the Transboundary Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Aquifer, Lower Mekong Region” (project GEBA) addressed concerns of groundwater depletion through using ecosystem-based adaptations. Part of this workshop aims to translate the main theoretical findings of project GEBA into teachable modules for educators in the Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh region, to impart in these communities’ best practices in water and environmental management.

To augment the programme and tailor the workshop to high school educators, there will be a module providing a main overview of the research related to sustainability education, in order to suggest best practices for teachers in the development of high impact sustainability education curriculum and lessons.  There will also be a hands-on activity to provide an example of using gamification to teach about climate policy and carbon neutrality. This is a concrete example of how education research can support the development of teaching and learning resources, and lead to high quality sustainability education curriculum.