The FEBA Quarterly Newsletter, February 2025

Dear Friends of EbA Community,

Welcome to the inaugural edition of our FEBA Quarterly Newsletter, where we delve into the significant strides being made in the realm of EbA — a critical approach in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. As we reflect on recent global developments, it’s clear that the integration of EbA within international policy frameworks is more vital than ever.


The three Rio Conventions Conferences of the Parties (COPs) have played a crucial role in advancing Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) outcomes. These conventions—UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD—have underscored the importance of integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into climate resilience strategies. The CBD COPs have particularly emphasized EbA as a tool for biodiversity conservation, enhancing ecosystem resilience and contributing to climate adaptation goals. The UNFCCC COPs have supported the development of national adaptation plans incorporating EbA, while the UNCCD COPs have highlighted the role of EbA in combating desertification and land degradation, linking it to sustainable land management practices. These collective efforts have reinforced the recognition of EbA as a critical approach in achieving sustainable development and climate resilience.


Moreover, FEBA continues to play a crucial role in supporting these global efforts. FEBA, a collaborative network of over 100 organizations, promotes and facilitates  knowledge exchange and capacity building. Our initiatives aim to enhance the implementation of EbA measures across diverse ecosystems and communities and inform multi-scale adaptation policy processes . By fostering collaboration among stakeholders, FEBA is helping to ensure that EbA is integrated into national and local adaptation strategies, thereby supporting the global adaptation and sustainable development agenda.


Emerging trends in EbA reflect a growing recognition of the need for innovative approaches. According to recent findings from IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), ecosystem-based approaches are increasingly being recognized for their dual benefits of enhancing biodiversity while simultaneously providing climate adaptation benefits. This is particularly evident in regions vulnerable to climate impacts, where EbA measures are helping to protect livelihoods and build resilience.


As we continue to harness the power of ecosystems in adapting to climate change, it’s imperative that we remain committed to these collaborative efforts. Through shared knowledge and innovative practices, we can drive progress towards sustainable development goals and secure a resilient future for our planet.


We invite you to explore the latest insights and developments from across the FEBA Network in this edition, as we collectively strive to enhance our understanding and implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation.

FEBA Secretariat News

FEBA’s Journey at UNFCCC COP29 & UN CBD COP16

FEBA was present across the climate and biodiversity COPs last year – hosting events and supporting its Members’ work. Before each COP FEBA publicises an overview of EbA-realted events during the summits, highlighting Member-led events and engagement.

FEBA Member News

Publications, Upcoming Events, and Current Projects

PlanAdapt Collaborative: A chance to advocate for climate-resilient, inclusive development, emphasising community-led bio-economy and nature-based solutions through knowledge-sharing platforms and peer learning.


IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management: The IUCN developed the Red List of Ecosystems and the Nature-based Solutions Global Standard to identify at-risk ecosystems and enhance resilience through nature-based solutions. Case studies from Colombia and Ecuador highlight these tools’ adaptability and challenges.


PNUMA-WCMC: “Bringing Nature into National Adaptation Planning” is an interactive UNEP course designed to integrate nature’s role in climate resilience into national adaptation planning.  


UNDRR: The UNDRR publication provides guidance to integrate disaster risk reduction into national biodiversity strategies, aligning with global frameworks like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sendai Framework, to enhance coherence between biodiversity conservation and disaster risk reduction.


UNDRR: The UNDRR “Policy Brief: Nature for Resilience” highlights how nature mitigates human and ecosystem vulnerabilities, offering policy recommendations to enhance resilience through increased investment in nature-based actions.


Welthungerhilfe & OroVerde – Tropical Forest Foundation: The “Resilient Caribbean Communities” project, led by OroVerde and Welthungerhilfe, employs ecosystem-based adaptation plans to preserve Caribbean habitats, ensuring healthy ecosystems and supporting local climate change adaptation.


FAO: The technical brief emphasizes the critical role of primary forests in achieving climate and biodiversity goals, highlighting their vast biodiversity, carbon storage, and importance to Indigenous Peoples, and calls for their protection and sustainable management.

FAO: The publication highlights climate adaptation solutions in mountains, emphasizing the role of local actors, including women, Indigenous Peoples, and youth, as agents of change, and celebrates International Mountain Day 2024’s theme of sustainable mountain solutions.


La UICN: The ADAPT Legacy brochure summarises the outcomes of integrating Nature-based Solutions into Western Balkans policies, showcasing practical implementations and collaborative efforts from 2020-2024, funded by Sida, to enhance ecosystem and community resilience.


El PNUMA: UNEP’s “Resilience: The Global Adaptation Podcast” covers climate adaptation topics like resilient buildings and adaptation finance, available on major platforms every Tuesday.


El PNUMA: The Adaptation Gap Report 2024 emphasizes the urgent need for increased climate adaptation finance, highlighting the necessity for strengthened capacity building and technology transfer to enhance adaptation actions, with details available on the UNEP website.


Sphere: Sphere’s NbS E-Learning course offers practical and interactive guidance for creating sustainable solutions to natural hazards, focusing on ecosystem protection while addressing urgent community needs.


GIZ – EbA LAC: The storytelling training material “Under the shade of almond trees we live better” uses a fictional narrative based on real women in Costa Rica to illustrate the links between gender inequality, climate change, and biodiversity loss, promoting women’s empowerment in ecosystem-based adaptation as a gender-responsive solution.


GIZ – EbA LAC: In November 2024, representatives from Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala met in Quito to discuss climate risk insurance, focusing on the role of insurance supervisors and proposals for advancing climate risk insurances in Latin America.


Essential Work in EbA From the Past Quarter

Fauna & Flora: Fauna & Flora piloted their own integrated locally-led, ecosystem-based adaptation tool, and shared preliminary results at the COP29. See a brief story about their work in this space.


PlanAdapt Collaborative: The CLARE Research pillar supports climate adaptation research through transdisciplinary partnerships led by southern researchers, with a Capacity Strengthening Hub co-hosted by PlanAdapt and ACTS.


UNDRR: Elevating the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in nature and disaster resilience.  


UNDRR: National workshop to advance Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Planning in Ghana.


Welthungerhilfe & OroVerde – Tropical Forest Foundation: The CCR project highlights progress in climate resilience through gender equality in Dominican Republic.


Welthungerhilfe & OroVerde – Tropical Forest Foundation: A successful CCR project year in 2024.


OroVerde – Tropical Forest Foundation: This OroVerde publication emphasizes the importance of ecosystem health for community resilience, offering guidance on planning ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) activities and highlighting the effectiveness of decentralised implementation in vulnerable regions.


El PNUMA: The UNEP-led project in Bangladesh builds flood-resilient homes to help communities cope with water-related disasters, constructing 37 residences with support from the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre and BRAC.


El PNUMA: The Tanzanian government and UNEP are aiding rural communities facing drought since 2018, funded by the Global Environment Facility, improving water supplies and training farmers in resilient livelihoods like beekeeping.


GIZ – EbA LAC: The EbA-LAC program in Guatemala empowers Quiché and Baja Verapaz communities through workshops that enhance decision-making and governance, focusing on ecosystem-based adaptation to combat climate change.


Partnerships and Contributions

UNDRR: Over the course of 2025, UNDRR is planning to hold regional webinars and to conduct country pilots of the “Strengthening disaster risk reduction in national biodiversity strategies and action plans: Recommendations and guidance for governments”.

For any partners interested in collaborating and for any further information, please contact Norwin Schafferer, Programme Management Officer, UNDRR at norwin.schafferer@un.org.


CDKN at SouthSouthNorth: We are in the process of compiling case studies/ stories around equitable EbA and would love to collaborate with likeminded organisations that are supporting locally-led processes (not just EbA implemented at local levels). Contacta con nosotras


Collaboration Corner

EbA in the News

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