Ecosystem-based Adaptation

The report advocates for the mainstreaming of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) as a tool to align climate and biodiversity actions across the Rio Conventions. It highlights the potential of EbA to reduce climate hazard intensity by 26% and provide significant economic benefits, such as USD 65 billion in flood protection from mangroves. The document emphasizes the need for policy coherence between National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), while stressing that equity and human rights-based approaches are essential for sustainable implementation.

• Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is supported by nearly 15 years of practical experience across more than 50 countries, making it a viable tool for integrating climate and biodiversity action under the Rio Conventions.
• Healthy ecosystems can significantly mitigate climate change and reduce the costs of climate impacts, with the potential to save up to 10GT of CO2 annually and reduce climate hazard intensity by 26%, potentially saving USD 393 billion by 2050.
• Mangrove ecosystems specifically provide substantial global benefits, including an estimated USD 65 billion in flood protection and the safeguarding of 15 million people from flooding every year.
• There is a strong trend toward including nature in national climate commitments; as of 2022, 84% of updated NDCs committed to protecting ecosystems or implementing nature-friendly agriculture, with a primary focus on adaptation outcomes.
• Effective EbA implementation requires integrating equity and human rights-based approaches, including gender considerations, land tenure rights, and the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
• A case study in Rwanda demonstrates that EbA activities in land restoration can be highly synergistic and economically beneficial, with a return of approximately USD 1.53 for every dollar spent, particularly through agroforestry expansion.
• There is a critical opportunity to align monitoring indicators between the CBD and UNFCCC by COP30 in 2025, specifically linking KMGBF Targets 8 and 11 with target 9 (d) of the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience.

APA

Goodwin, E., Sitas, N., Tyrrell, T., Davies-Jones, G., Lo, V., Epple, C., Lunnon, C., Nuutinen, M., & Wicander, S. (2024). Ecosystem-based Adaptation. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Harnessing-Ecosystem-based-Adaptation-to-drive-progress-on-implementing-the-Kunming-Montreal-Global-Biodiversity-Framework.pdf

Chicago

Goodwin, Emily, Nadia Sitas, Tristan Tyrrell, Greg Davies-Jones, Veronica Lo, Cordula Epple, Christopher Lunnon, Maria Nuutinen, and Sylvia Wicander. Ecosystem-based Adaptation. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2024. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Harnessing-Ecosystem-based-Adaptation-to-drive-progress-on-implementing-the-Kunming-Montreal-Global-Biodiversity-Framework.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Goodwin |first1=Emily |last2=Sitas |first2=Nadia |last3=Tyrrell |first3=Tristan |last4=Davies-Jones |first4=Greg |last5=Lo |first5=Veronica |last6=Epple |first6=Cordula |last7=Lunnon |first7=Christopher |last8=Nuutinen |first8=Maria |last9=Wicander |first9=Sylvia |title=Ecosystem-based Adaptation |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=2024 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Harnessing-Ecosystem-based-Adaptation-to-drive-progress-on-implementing-the-Kunming-Montreal-Global-Biodiversity-Framework.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{goodwin2024ecosystembased, author = {Goodwin, Emily and Sitas, Nadia and Tyrrell, Tristan and Davies-Jones, Greg and Lo, Veronica and Epple, Cordula and Lunnon, Christopher and Nuutinen, Maria and Wicander, Sylvia}, title = {{Ecosystem-based Adaptation}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2024}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Harnessing-Ecosystem-based-Adaptation-to-drive-progress-on-implementing-the-Kunming-Montreal-Global-Biodiversity-Framework.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }