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The report provides a comprehensive climate risk profile for Belize, detailing observed and projected climatic changes, their impacts on biodiversity and livelihoods, and vulnerability rankings for specific marine and terrestrial communities. It recommends a suite of nature-based solutions (NbS) and gender-responsive strategies to enhance climate resilience in protected areas.

A small group of community members in southern Zambia spent 13 years restoring a 300-metre stretch of the Nsongwe River through desilting and reforestation, which successfully revived natural springs and attracted wildlife. This local effort has been scaled up by the Climate Adaptation and Protected Areas (CAPA) Initiative, supported by IISD, WWF Zambia, and Global Affairs Canada. The expanded project now includes restoring the river and its tributaries (Lubemba and Lutwa streams), restoring 400 hectares of forest, and constructing check dams and fire breaks to improve water recharge and protect biodiversity in the Kavango–Zambezi landscape.

The document synthesizes international standards—including those from the IUCN, CBD, and FEBA—into a practical framework for nature-based solutions (NbS) for adaptation. It defines NbS for adaptation as actions that protect, restore, and manage ecosystems to strengthen the resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate change. The core of the brief is a set of eight good practices, which include conducting climate risk assessments, ensuring equitable distribution of benefits, prioritizing biodiversity health, and employing inclusive governance. Notably, the brief introduces a conflict-sensitive approach to minimize the risk of exacerbating tensions through adaptation actions.

The CAPA Initiative, funded by Global Affairs Canada, implements nature-based solutions (NbS) to protect biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience. In Belize, activities focus on reforestation in the Maya Forest Corridor and coral reef health in marine reserves. In Fiji, interventions include flood mitigation buffers and sustainable fisheries. In the Greater Virunga Landscape (Uganda), the project focuses on restoring agricultural lands and promoting climate-resilient livelihoods. In the Kavango–Zambezi Landscape (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Angola), efforts target forest restoration and the stabilization of wetlands and headwaters. Global-level support is provided by IISD through research, capacity strengthening, and gender-responsive approaches.