Building Resilience With Nature

The document argues that while ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is a cost-effective pillar of nature-based solutions, it remains underused due to economic paradigms, lack of political will, and financing gaps. It positions the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process as the primary strategic vehicle to mainstream EbA across sectors and levels of government. The guide provides eight guiding principles for integration, ranging from using ecosystem-level vulnerability assessments to ensuring long-term financing and inclusive, participatory planning.

• Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is a people-centric approach designed to deliver adaptation outcomes and socioeconomic benefits, often proving more cost-effective than traditional engineered solutions.
• The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process serves as a strategic framework to mainstream and scale up EbA by linking ecosystem planning across national, subnational, and budgetary processes.
• Large-scale implementation of EbA is currently hindered by entrenched economic paradigms that treat ecosystems as commodities, a lack of high-level political buy-in beyond environment ministries, and insufficient financial literacy among adaptation actors.
• Integrating EbA into the NAP process allows countries to operationalize ecosystem-related commitments made in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and align with other international frameworks like the SDGs, the Sendai Framework, and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
• Effective EbA design requires adhering to five effectiveness criteria: addressing current and future climate hazards, generating benefits for people, building ecosystem resilience, prioritizing vulnerable groups, and ensuring sustainable use of biodiversity.
• To successfully integrate EbA, the NAP process should adopt an ecosystem-level approach to vulnerability assessments that combines scientific data with Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge.
• EbA should be treated as the default adaptation solution across all sectors—including transport, energy, and buildings—before considering engineered solutions, while explicitly managing trade-offs with agriculture and industry.
• Sustainable EbA requires a long-term investment strategy that includes diversifying finance through public, private, and international sources, such as payment for ecosystem services or tourism levies.

APA

Terton, A., & Greenwalt, J. (2021). Building Resilience With Nature. NAP Global Network. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/napgn-en-2021-guidance-note-building-resilience-with-nature-maximizing-eba-nap.pdf

Chicago

Terton, Anika, and Julie Greenwalt. Building Resilience With Nature. NAP Global Network, 2021. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/napgn-en-2021-guidance-note-building-resilience-with-nature-maximizing-eba-nap.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Terton |first1=Anika |last2=Greenwalt |first2=Julie |title=Building Resilience With Nature |publisher=NAP Global Network |date=2021 |url=https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/napgn-en-2021-guidance-note-building-resilience-with-nature-maximizing-eba-nap.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{terton2021building, author = {Terton, Anika and Greenwalt, Julie}, title = {{Building Resilience With Nature}}, institution = {NAP Global Network}, year = {2021}, url = {https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/napgn-en-2021-guidance-note-building-resilience-with-nature-maximizing-eba-nap.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }