Mapping natural capital and ecosystem services to advance sustainable development in Myanmar

Abstract

As Myanmar undergoes rapid socioeconomic and political change, sustainable management and equitable use of its natural resources will be crucial to ensure that the benefits of development are not undercut by social and environmental costs. To inform decision-making around conservation and natural resource management, we are mapping and quantifying natural capital and ecosystem services in Myanmar. These assessments are being conducted at a national level, and in Tanintharyi, part of a transboundary landscape with Thailand that is rich in biodiversity, and facing complex and rapid changes in land use, including the development of the Dawei Special Economic Zone and associated infrastructure. We are mapping beneficiaries of ecosystem services to identify areas that are especially important in providing these benefits to potential users. By modeling climate and land use scenarios, and the potential impact of these scenarios on ecosystem service provision, we are investigating how access to these benefits could change in the future. In Tanintharyi, we are also assessing the impacts of the road on wildlife habitat and movement corridors, and exploring mitigation options. We will present on one or more of the above studies, describe our related ongoing mainstreaming and capacity building initiatives, and reflect on how these are influencing dialogue on sustainable development in Myanmar government and civil society.