Events and Meeting Reports

Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience in Humanitarian action (at HNPW 2023)

26 April 2023

Coinciding with the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Sphere standards, this session launches new guidance on the role of nature in promoting climate resilience in humanitarian response: “Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience in Humanitarian Contexts – A Sphere Unpacked Guide”, produced by the FEBA-PEDRR-EHAN NbS in Humanitarian Contexts Working Group.

Learn more about the working group on the FEBA website here. Contact Jenn Hoffman, Delilah Griswold and Veronica Ruiz Garcia with any questions about the session and how to get involved.

9th Annual EbA Knowledge Day

May – June 2023

The 9^th annual EbA Knowledge day will take place in May or June 2022 on the periphery of the SBSTA 58, in a virtual or hybrid format. In 2023, the event will be jointly organised by UNEP and IUCN. The event will provide a platform for policy makers, practitioners, and researchers to discuss current opportunities and challenges on EbA. Further information and announcements related to this year’s EbA KD will be shared with the FEBA mailing list in due course.

FEBA 2023 Member’s Meeting

May – June 2023

Further information and announcements related to this year’s members meeting will be shared with the FEBA mailing list in due course.

FEBA at UNFCCC COP28

November 2023

The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) to the UNFCCC will take place in the United Arab Emirates.  FEBA will be actively involved in events on nature-based solutions for adaptation throughout COP.
More details on FEBA’s planned engagements will be shared with the FEBA network in due course.

COP15 Side Event: Nature-based Solutions for Health

15 December 2022

On 15 December, WHO and IUCN, together with FEBA, hosted a COP15 side event on Nature-based Solutions for Health, convening cross-sectoral experts in a dialogue on the health argument for accelerating biodiversity and climate action, and how these solutions can be taken forward within the CBD COP15 decisions.

Read more about this work in the WHO Guidance on mainstreaming biodiversity for nutrition and health. Session outcomes will be incorporated into a 2023 report “Designing Nature-based Solutions for Health: Integrating Biodiversity Climate Change and Health Outcomes”, which will be shared with the FEBA network for consultation in due course.

FEBA at UNFCCC COP27

6 – 18 November 2022

The COP 27 UN Climate Change Conference, hosted by Egypt, took place from 6 to 18 November 2021 in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. Several significant developments on adaptation, resilience, loss & damage and nature were realized at COP27, including the formal recognition of Nature-based Solutions in both the cover text and as a cross-cutting element of the Global Goal on Adaptation. Parties also took the ground-breaking decision to establish new funding arrangements on Loss & Damage.

FEBA produced two issues briefs to inform the negotiations at COP27:

Loss and Damage, Ecosystem Integrity, and Nature-based Solutions – This brief outlined the state of the negotiations on Loss & Damage with a focus on how ecosystem integrity and the implementation and financing of Nature-based Solutions can contribute to averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage.

Nature-based Solutions and the Global Goal on Adaptation – This brief focused on how NbS for adaptation offer a critical pathway to define and implement an effective Global Goal on Adaptation and drive and enhance countries’ adaptation actions, with an emphasis on ensuring the incorporation, implementation, monitoring and financing of Nature-based Solutions within the GGA.

View the FEBA Journey at COP27 for a summary of FEBA member engagements at COP27.

COP27 Side Event: The Future of Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation & Resilience: Driving Ambition and Action

12 November 2022 at COP27

This COP27 side event convened experts from the Friends of EbA Network, the Global EbA Fund, IUCN, UNEP, and the COP27 Presidency to celebrate success stories of nature-based solutions for adaptation from the ground in the last decade, hear from ministers around the world showcasing how their countries are implementing and scaling up these strategies, and together, set commitments to continue working together to accelerate global progress on working with nature to build climate resilience. Key messages of the event included the need to focus on priority areas for investment and urgently scale up; that there is a need for increasing funding, as well as strengthening monitoring and evaluation; Indigenous and Science-based knowledge should be mainstreamed; and robust standards such as FEBA’s EbA Qualification Criteria and IUCN’s Global Standard on NbS should be employed to create impact while adhering to social and ecological safeguards. Read more about the event here and here.

Oceans & Land Day at the 4^th Annual Paris Committee on Capacity-building Hub

14 November 2022

Oceans & Land Day, hosted by the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, explored the capacities needed to mainstream and scale up Nature-based Solutions and ecosystem-based approaches – across geographies, ecosystems, and themes –  into climate adaptation plans and resilience-building. The Oceans and Land Day sought to respond to the mandate from the Conference of the Parties to constituted bodies to integrate and strengthen ocean-based action in their existing mandates and work plans, as well as highlight capacity-building efforts related to the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ and the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture. In this context, there is a need for knowledge systems that include scientific, traditional, local, and indigenous knowledge to support decision-making. Sessions sought to address capacity-building gaps to better integrate these knowledge systems into the implementation of the three Rio Conventions and the Paris Agreement for effective stewardship of oceans and land. This thematic day explored the capacities needed to mainstream and scale up Nature-based Solutions and ecosystem-based approaches into climate adaptation plans and resilience-building.

Oceans and Land Day was hosted by IUCN in its role as the FEBA Secretariat. Read more here.

COP27 Side Event: Doing It Better: Unpacking Evidence from the Field and Lessons Learned from NbS for Adaptation

14 November 2022 at the Paris Committee on Capacity Building Hub

Nature-based solutions for climate adaptation have the potential to provide vulnerable countries with valuable protection against climate change hazards, reducing the intensity of climate hazards by 26 percent, representing protection against the economic cost of climate change by USD 104 billion by 2030 and USD 393 billion by 2050 (IFRC & WWF, 2022). In this session hosted by the FEBA network at the PCCB Hub, speakers presented three inspirational case studies of completed NbS for Adaptation projects from around the world, focused on (1) the implementation of ecosystem-based adaptation in the Peruvian Andes from 2011-2021 through the Mountain EbA project by the Instituto de Montaña, (2) empowering fisheries-dependent communities in Asia Pacific to adapt to climate change through the Fishing for Climate Resilience project by Rare, and (3) scaling hybrid green-gray infrastructure with engineers around the world through the Green-Gray Community of Practice hosted by Conservation International. The speakers reflected on the accomplishments, lessons learned, return on investment, and impact of their projects on the ground. Common threads that defined success for implementation of NbS for Adaptation included: the importance of community-led conservation and bottom-up solutions, promoting cross-sectoral solutions; strengthening local capacities and knowledge; incorporating traditional management practices into formal regulatory frameworks; and ensuring long-term ecological resilience by improving access to finance and economic resilience in the short-term (e.g. savings, credit, and government services).

Read more about the event on the PCCB Hub website here.  The event recording is available here.

8th EbA Knowledge Day

Thursday, 2 June 2022 from 14:30 – 18:30 CEST / 08:30 – 12:30 EDT

The EbA Knowledge Day is a yearly meeting for EbA policy makers, practitioners, donors and researchers, organized by GIZ and IUCN under the Friends of EbA Network.  2022’s theme was The Future of Ecosystem-based Adaptation:  Enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration and identifying new opportunities for long-term resilience. The 8th EbA Knowledge Day focused on analyzing the latest, cross-sectoral developments related to EbA in policy, practice, research and financing. Participants discussed outlooks and priorities for EbA, identified opportunities for capitalizing on EbA action to date, and explored innovative avenues for maximizing adaptation benefits in the future. The day included inputs by high-level officials, a panel discussion, and several interactive thematic sessions.

The summary report is available here and the event recording is available here.

Friends of EbA 2022 Members’ Meeting

Wednesday, 25 May 2022 from 15:00 – 18:00 CEST / 09:00 – 12:00 EDT

Members’ Meetings are an opportunity for our network to come together to share updates on their EbA work, to make connections on upcoming opportunities for collaboration, to discuss gaps and identify thematic priorities for the following year, and to receive highlights and updates from working groups, the FEBA Secretariat as well as other key speakers. This year’s meeting is the third consecutive virtual FEBA member’s meeting. 84 colleagues representing 42 FEBA members and partner institutions across 26 countries attended.

View the meeting report here and the slides from the FEBA Member Updates and FEBA Working Group Updates here.

Nature-based Solutions in Humanitarian Contexts: Objectives and Guidance for Transformative Integration

12 May 2022, 16:00 – 17:30 CEST

The FEBA-PEDRR-EHAN cross-network working group on NbS in Humanitarian Contexts hosted a side-event as part of 2022 Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week, centred on the working group’s efforts to transform humanitarian action through the integration of nature-based solutions and environmental considerations as a key component and strategy for achieving humanitarian objectives.

Learn more about the session here.

Voices from the Field: Nature-based Solutions in Humanitarian Contexts

5 May 2022, 15:00 – 16:00 Geneva | 09:00 – 10:00 DC

The FEBA-PEDRR-EHAN cross-network working group on NbS in Humanitarian Contexts hosted a virtual side-event as part of Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week, focused on the implementation of nature-based solutions in humanitarian contexts will share experiences and lessons learned from the field.

Learn more about the session here.

Climate Justice for People and Nature through Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation

30 March 2022, 11:00 Geneva (CET) / 12:00 Nairobi (EAT) / 16:00 Ha Noi (ICT) at The Nature of Cities (TNOC) Festival

Hosted by the FEBA Urban EbA Working Group at The Nature of Cities festival, this session built on the publication “Climate Justice for People and Nature through Urban EbA: A focus on the Global South” to approaches to identifying and integrating climate justice into adaptation efforts across cities in the Global South. Speakers presented the social principles of ecosystem-based adaptation identified by the report, and discussed how these principles are implemented in their work around the world. The session convened actors across environment, social development, urban planning and more with the shared goal of building more resilient, sustainable, just and livable cities.

How to Ensure a Resilient Global Biodiversity Framework to Disaster and Climate Risks?

20 January 2022, 16:00–17:15 CET

This event, co-convened by FEBA with the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR) and the Geneva Environment Network, focused on the importance of integrating resilience in the Global Biodiversity Framework – together with the need for greater alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Paris Agreement and the new Glasgow Pact –prior to the final face-to-face negotiations of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

The event covered:

• Increasing disaster and climate risks globally and how they impact biodiversity and ecosystems, and the importance of integrating resilience in the new Global Biodiversity Framework;
• Country level experiences on how biodiversity and ecosystem-based approaches have been successfully applied to reduce disaster risks and support climate change adaptation;
• Proposed recommendations for incorporating disaster and climate resilience in the new Global Biodiversity Framework.

6th International EbA Community of Practice Workshop

25 January 2022, 15:00-19:45 CET and 26 January 2022, 11:00-15:30 CET

The International EbA Community of Practice aims at knowledge and experience sharing and mutual learning beyond projects, institutions and regional boundaries on EbA. During this yearly workshop, a combination of facilitated discussions on emerging issues of common interest as well as practical experiences on applied EbA approaches, methods and tools and/or the functioning of the community itself are addressed.

View key insights in the event documentation here, which includes summaries of all sessions, exciting additional information on the workshop as well as the links to all available recordings

FEBA Engagements at COP26

31 October-12 November 2021

The COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference, hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy, took place from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow, UK.

The FEBA Journey at COP26 delineates a paththrough COP26 for individuals interested in following work related to Ecosystem-based Adaptation, Nature-based Solutions and many related, cross-cutting topics. The items listed in this document also relate to the breadth of topics covered by the FEBA Working Groups.

Session at COP26

14th Nairobi Work Programme (NWP) Focal Point Forum on Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation

3 November 2021, 18:00-20:45 Glasgow (GMT)

The Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (NWP) is a knowledge-to-action hub on adaptation and resilience under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It supports countries in meeting their adaptation priorities, including formulating and implementing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). The Focal Point Forum is one of the iterative steps in the NWP’s knowledge-to-action approach and provides an interactive space for dialogue and knowledge sharing among national governments, partner organizations, and thematic experts” (ENB).

View highlights and images and a recap from the event, including two NWP thematic publications launched.

Session at COP26

Accelerating Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation through Innovative Financing

5 November 2021, 10:00-12:00 Glasgow (GMT)

COP26 Korea Pavilion

This session offered interactive and high-level account of how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can combat climate change and biodiversity loss. The session will explore different financing opportunities for NbS for climate adaptation. Panellists will present innovative financing solutions, identify new ones, and gather innovative and catalytic examples and lessons learned. The discussion will be framed around the role of innovation and innovative financing solutions to accelerate the uptake of NbS for climate adaptation.

The objectives of this event were to:

• explore different financing opportunities for NbS for climate adaptation;
• showcase the effectiveness of NbS for climate adaptation – especially in the context of short-, medium-, and long-term financing options – and opportunities for scaling up;
• discuss how to facilitate the uptake and implementation of nature-based solutions as an innovative approach, including access to finance; and
• discuss how such innovative financing approaches can be “upscaled” into national and international institutions and “scaled out” for transfer of knowledge and know-how across communities

Session at COP26

Advancing One Health through the articulation of linkages between biodiversity, climate change, desertification and health

6 November 2021, 18:15-19:45 Glasgow (GMT)

COP26 Rio Conventions Pavilion

One Health, among other holistic approaches, serves as “a cross-cutting and systemic approach to health based on the fact that human health and animal health are interdependent and linked to the health of the ecosystems in which they co-exist” (UNEP). It is a pragmatic approach for recognizing the interconnectedness and accelerating progress towards restoring balance with nature by addressing the common drivers of climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss.

This event brings together the Secretariats of the Rio Conventions and the GEF to reflect on articulating a One Health approach that leverages interconnections between biodiversity, climate change and desertification. The panelists will share views on how these synergies can be mutually reinforcing and support the achievement of health and well-being for all.

View the session Concept Note and factsheet.

Session at COP26

The Best of Both Worlds: Harnessing Adaptation Technologies and Nature-based Solutions to Enhance Coastal and Ocean Resilience

8 November 2021, 11:00-12:30 Glasgow (GMT)

COP26 Nature+ Zone Pavilion (Free streaming available from Nature4Climate)

Upscaling adaptation approaches that integrate both technology and nature-based solutions is imperative to enhancing the climate resilience of coastal and ocean communities around the world. As the culmination of a series of events co-hosted by the UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee, Nairobi Work Programme, IUCN, and the Friends of EbA network, this session will consolidate key messages from the series – in both practice and policy – and focus in on accelerating the uptake, resourcing and implementation of integrated adaptation solutions that harness the best of both nature and technology.

Building on the outcomes of the first two events of the joint Technology Day (TD) series on coastal and ocean adaptation (details below), the goal of this event will be to present and discuss opportunities for resourcing and scaling of integrated technological and ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation at various levels of policy integration, financing, capacity building and implementation.

Session at COP26

Celebrating Successes of Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation

8 November 2021, 19:00-21:00 Glasgow (GMT) – including reception

COP26 Nature+ Zone Pavilion (Free streaming available from Nature4Climate)

Over the last decade, EbA has become a uniting force for the common objectives among the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Leaders of governments, communities, corporations and other coalitions increasingly acknowledge that healthy resilient ecosystems lay the foundation for sustainable economic development, food and water security, disaster risk reduction and climate action.  More than a decade of evidence and investment behind EbA has been a pillar for the development of the broader umbrella concept of Nature-based Solutions. Since the initial investment of BMU-IKI into their first flagship EbA project in 2010 to UNEP, IUCN, and UNDP, these organisations have shared joint leadership in finding, implementing and scaling up Nature-based Solutions to adaptation.

Join us at COP26 to celebrate the successes of EbA around the world from the last decade, and hear exciting announcements to continue accelerating global progress in working with nature for climate resilience.

Session at COP26

Green-Gray Infrastructure: Building Diverse Partnerships to Scale Innovations for Coastal Adaptation

9 November 2021, 17:00-18:00 Glasgow (GMT)

COP26 Nature+ Zone Pavilion (Free streaming available from Nature4Climate)

Organised by the Green-Gray Community of Practice, Conservation International, IUCN and FEBA, this event focused on harnessing the promise of nature-based solutions with conventional engineering approaches.

Speakers highlighted growing commitment to green-gray infrastructure through the Green-Gray Community of Practice to invest in and implement green-gray adaptation projects that incorporate local knowledge and partners, and the role green-gray infrastructure and adaptation projects play in the broader blue carbon and oceans context.

Climate Justice for People and Nature through Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation: A focus on the Global South

Urban October Webinar and Technical Publication Launch

28 October 2021, 15:00 – 16:30 Berlin time (CEST)

Ecosystems can greatly improve the liveability of our increasingly urbanised world. In August 2021, FEBA’s Urban EbA Working Group published the joint technical paper ‘Climate Justice for people and nature through urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA): A focus on the Global South’. The paper 1) gathers practical examples of urban EbA interventions around the world; and 2) explores their links with seven EbA Social Principles related to climate justice.

This webinar shared the seven EbA social principles, their relationship to existing FEBA EbA Qualification Criteria and Quality Standards and the IUCN Global Standard on Nature-based Solutions, and demonstrated to practitioners how the principles have been implemented in EbA interventions.

National Policy, Local Action: Scaling integrated approaches to strengthening coastal and ocean adaptation

Follow-up Ecosystems and Technology Event as part of “Technology Day” | Virtual event as an informal SBSTA event

13 October 2021, 14:00 – 15:30 Bonn time (CEST)

“Technology Day” (TD) is a series of events taking place in 2020 and 2021 whose objective is to promote innovative approaches to deploy, disseminate and scale up adaptation technologies in various key sectors.

Building from a jointly organised event (see details below) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Friends of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (FEBA) Network, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the UNFCCC Nairobi Work Programme (NWP) Expert Group on Oceans, held on 6 September 2021 as part of the TEC Technology Day event series and the IUCN World Conservation Congress, a follow-up event on the topic of ecosystems and technology will take place in October 2021.

Under the guidance of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) chair, the session will focus on interaction with Parties and Non-Party stakeholders and UNFCCC bodies and mechanisms on potential uptake of integrated technological and ecosystem-based approaches to support countries in implementing their National Adaptation Plans and Nationally Determined Contributions.

IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC)

3-11 September 2021

As the first hybrid in-person and virtual environmental event since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) will drive action on nature-based recovery, climate change and biodiversity for decades to come.

FEBA has produced a document that delineates a journey through WCC for individuals interested in following work related to Ecosystem-based Adaptation, Nature-based Solutions and many related, cross-cutting topics. The items listed in this document also relate to the breadth of topics covered by the FEBA Working Groups.

FEBA-led events can be found below.

Session at WCC

Doing it better: monitoring and evaluation for ecosystem-based adaptation

4 September 2021, 18:30-20:30 Marseille (CEST)

This training session provided an overview of the process needed for designing and implementing effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) interventions. It introduces participants to the intricacies and challenges associated with monitoring and evaluating EbA, and provides them with approaches and tools for addressing these. Participants learned how to use a theory of change approach as the basis for developing a long-term M&E system that goes beyond measuring the activities and outputs of an EbA intervention to evaluating the outcomes and impacts of those actions. By developing theories of change for typical EbA interventions, participants will gain hands-on experience in carrying out the process, including in identifying risks, assumptions and appropriate indicators (focusing on medium- to long-term outcome indicators). The training will also cover steps for operationalising an M&E system, and for using and communicating M&E results.

Session at WCC

Ecosystems and Technology: Innovative Approaches to Strengthening Coastal and Ocean Adaptation

6 September 2021, 14:00 – 15:30 Marseille (CEST) / 08:00 – 09:30 DC (EDT)

IUCN, the Friends of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (FEBA) network, and UNFCCCTechnology Executive Committee (TEC), in collaboration with the UNFCCC Nairobi Work Programme (NWP) Expert Group on Oceans, are co-hosting a virtual side event alongside the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC).

This session will be the first in a series of events exploring and promoting innovative approaches to scale up adaptation technologies to build resilience in ocean and coastal settings. The objective of the event will be to present and discuss state-of-the-art learning and examples from integrating joint approaches of both technology and ecosystem-based adaptation in various policies and programmes in order to build the resilience of oceans and coastal ecosystems and communities.

Session at WCC

Raising global ambition on climate change and biodiversity through nature-based solutions

6 September 2021, 20:00 – 21:30 Marseille (CEST)

The session offered a state-of-the-art account of (i) how nature-based solutions can combat climate change and biodiversity loss, (ii) to what extent governments have incorporated these within their global climate commitments (including both Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans), and (iii) launched new Guidelines on how countries can accelerate the integration of NbS into their climate adaptation and mitigation plans to raise global ambition via a whole-of-society approach.

The Guidelines for Integrating Ecosystem-based Adaptation into National Adaptation Plans, supported by FEBA, were launched at this event.

Session at WCC

Accelerating Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation to Climate Change

7 September 2021, 11:00 – 12:30 Marseille (CEST)

Nature-based Solutions for adaptation are receiving growing attention for their potential to reduce people’s vulnerability to a range of climate change impacts and provide significant co-benefits for biodiversity and people. However, project implementation has revealed that successful NbS has yet to reach its full potential, as approaches often remain piecemeal and small-scale and are not mainstreamed into policy and practice. This session will focus on showcasing current success stories from the ground and tools used in planning and implementing nature-based solutions for adaptation while also critically exploring what is needed to scale up the implementation of NbS to adapt to climate change. Further, the session will share the results of a global systematic review of evidence for the socio-economic and ecological effectiveness of NbS for climate change adaptation.

Session at CBA15: Challenges of Scaling Up and Financing Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in Africa: The Role of Innovation

16 June 2021

The 15^th International Conference on Community-based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA15), held virtually from June 14-18 2021, brought together practitioners, grassroots representatives, local and national government planners, policymakers, and donors working at all levels and scales to discuss how we can drive ambition for a climate-resilient future.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Adaptation Network (GAN), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Friends of EbA network (FEBA) hosted a joint session during the conference, entitled “Challenges of Scaling Up and Financing Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in Africa: The Role of Innovation”, which explored innovative financial solutions that can overcome the challenges/barriers to scaling up Ecosystem-based Adaptation.

View the post-event blog, with key takeaways, and the recording of the session.

Friends of EbA 2021 Members’ Meeting

3 June 2021

The Friends of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (FEBA) Members’ Meeting is an opportunity for FEBA members to share events, knowledge product and project highlights from the past year, and to discuss priority points for the coming year.

This virtual FEBA Members’ Meeting took place on Thursday, June 3rd from 15:00 – 17:30 CEST / 09:00 – 11:30 EST. The agenda is available here. View the complete documentation here and the slides from the FEBA Member Updates and FEBA Working Group Updates here.

7th EbA Knowledge Day

26 May 2021

The 7th EbA Knowledge Day, entitled Overcoming Barriers to Adaptation: Employing Innovative EbA Approaches to Upscale NbS, took place on Wednesday, 26 May 2021 from 15:00-19:00 CEST / 09:00-13:00 EDT.

The EbA Knowledge Day is a yearly meeting for EbA policy makers, practitioners, donors and researchers, which is organized by the BMU-IKI funded and GIZ implemented Global Project Mainstreaming EbA in collaboration with IUCN under the FEBA network. This event, hosted virtually for the second time, was the largest-ever EbA Knowledge Day, with 450+ registered participants from 84 countries and 220 different organisations. Please find a written documentation of the sessions linked here. 

You can also find recordings of the welcome session, and panel discussion on the EbA CoP YouTube channel. The high-level Minister remarks from the Hon. Carolina Schmidt, MOE Chile, the Hon. Gabriel Quijandria, MOE Peru, the Hon. Fernando López, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources El Salvador, the Hon. Mario Roberto Rojas Espino, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Guatemala, and the Hon. Viriato Luís Soares Cassamá, Ministry of Environment and Biodiversity Guinea Bissau are publicly available here.

Learn more about EbA on adaptationcommunity.net. View documentation on previous EbA Knowledge Days.

Nature-based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Humanitarian Contexts

Monday 3 May 2021

Time: 13:00 UTC / 15:00 CET / 20:00 ICT / 09:00 EDT / 08:00 CDT / 06:00 PDT

The Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks (HNPW) 2021 took place from 19 April to 7 May 2021. The FEBA, Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR), Environment and Humanitarian Action Network (EHAN) cross-network working group on EbA in Humanitarian & Post-Disaster Contexts hosted a joint session at the HNPW 2021 on the topic of Nature-based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Humanitarian Contexts.

Ecosystem services, environmental health and safeguarding, and natural hazards are often overlooked within humanitarian crises. Degradation of ecosystems and their services exacerbates peoples’ risk from the hazards and impacts of climate change, reducing access to safe, sufficient natural resources needed for livelihoods and undermining long-term development gains. Meanwhile, environmental and climactic factors play a critical role in the development and trajectory of complex crises. The cross-network working group on EbA in Humanitarian & Post-Disaster Contexts, chaired by Mercy Corps and IUCN, convenes stakeholders across the global networks of FEBA, EHAN, and PEDRR, to collaboratively address how nature-based solutions and environmental safeguarding can be a core component of, and a strategy in, humanitarian aid and development. In this session, a panel discussion of participants across sectors in nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction explored the contribution of ecosystem-based adaptation to developing cost-effective, novel and durable solutions within crisis-hit areas and building immediate and long-term resilience. Interactive small group discussions followed, exploring different themes and deliverables (e.g. policy briefs, a toolkit and guidance) of the working group’s learning agenda and promoting collective problem-solving and partnership. 

Nature-based Solutions for Recovery: Ministerial Panel

3 March 2021

As the leading organisation on NbS for Societal Challenges, IUCN is working with its members and partners across the world in making NbS a central component for national Post-COVID-19 recovery plans and policy frameworks. Capitalising on NbS for recovery can also enhance pathways and positive impacts for addressing the climate crisis as well as biodiversity loss crisis. IUCN’s ambition is to work with its 91 state members in achieving cross-sectoral policy alignments, whereby NbS can be leveraged at scale for multiple, simultaneous benefits for people and nature. As part of this commitment, IUCN will be hosting two Ministerial panels on NbS for Recovery on 3rd of March. 10 state members will join IUCN’s Director General, Dr Bruno Oberle, in 2 lively and engaging discussions on what is being achieved and what more can be done to leverage the power of NbS for recovery.

The Blue Guide to Coastal Resilience Launch

2 February 2021 (World Wetlands Day)

This TNC-PEDRR-FEBA joint webinar was held to launch The Nature Conservancy’s The Blue Guide to Coastal Resilience, which offers guidance on integratiing nature-based solutions into disaster risk reduction planning. This webinar brought together eco-DRR and EbA experts to discuss how NbS in wetlands are able to build climate resilience and help people adapt to climate change.

Beyond ‘do no harm’: Nexus approaches for doing better with nature

November 11, 2020

As part of the cross-network FEBA, Environment and Humanitarian Action Network (EHAN), and Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR) working group on EbA in Humanitarian & Post-Disaster contexts, this webinar introduced the potential of nature-based solutions in humanitarian contexts, and explored opportunities to better harness NbS to meet humanitarian needs and deliver a range of benefits.

To watch the webinar, visit the YouTube recording here. The IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions is accessible here.

Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Cities: People, Nature & Justice

October 30, 2020

To mark World Cities Day, the FEBA Urban EbA Working Group, PlanAdapt, and the Green-Gray Community of Practice co-hosted the webinar to showcase urban EbA in the Global South by highlighting three case studies from India, Colombia, and Kenya, to promote the mainstreaming of EbA approaches as a cornerstone of climate adaptation in urban contexts.

The webinar recap blog is available here. To watch the webinar, visit the YouTube recording here.

Friends of EbA 2020 Members’ Meeting

June 25, 2020

Download the meeting documentation from the virtual FEBA members’ meeting. View the slides from the FEBA Member Updates and FEBA Working Group Updates here. 

6th EbA Knowledge Day

June 8, 2020

The 6th EbA Knowledge Day, hosted by FEBA and GIZ in a first-ever virtual format, focused on the opportunities, challenges and examples of linking climate change and biodiversity conservation efforts through EbA. Policy makers, practitioners, donors and researchers exchanged ideas and experiences through a series of presentations, panels and interactive sessions. Key points included that especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, climate change impacts further exacerbates exists vulnerabilities of communities; but EbA measures have the potential to address climate, biodiversity, public health, and green economic recovery in an integrative manner.  The EbA Knowledge Day also explored challenges in mainstreaming EbA and accelerating strong political will at the highest level.

Download the documentation of the 6th EbA Knowledge Day here, and view the recordings of the welcome session, panel discussion, as well as the high-level Minister remarks from the Hon. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, MOE Costa Rica, the Hon. Fabiola Martha Muñoz Dodero, MOE Peru, the Hon. Malik Amin Aslam, MOE Pakistan, the Hon. Saleh Al-kharabsheh, MOE Jordan, and the Hon. Yasmine Fouad, MOE Egypt.

Friends of EbA Members’ Meeting at UNFCCC COP25

December 5, 2019

Download the meeting documentation from the FEBA members’ meeting.

Biodiversity, Climate Change and People: How to monitor and evaluate efforts to increase resilience

November 28, 2019

At CBD SBSTTA 23, FEBA convened a session to launch the Guidebook for Monitoring and Evaluating Ecosystem-based Adaptation Interventions, produced by the working group on M&E. Download the event report.

Friends of EbA 2019 Members’ Meeting

June 20, 2019

Download the meeting documentation.

5th EbA Knowledge Day

June 19, 2019

The 5th EbA Knowledge Day was jointly organized by GIZ, IUCN and IIED under FEBA network in the framework of UNFCCC SB 50. During the day, UN negotiators, policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and donors working on issues relevant to climate adaptation, ecosystem management and human resilience got together to enhance knowledge on assessing effectiveness of EbA measures and to better understand governance frameworks relevant for EbA mainstreaming. Key messages from the Knowledge Day were:

• EbA effectiveness and governance are interlinked topics,
• Robust monitoring & evaluation systems are needed to underline the cost-effectiveness of EbA and to estimate more in detail the number of people benefitting,
• Governance of EbA is of crucial importance, as appropriate governance structures ensure that EbA as an approach can be mainstreamed and included in national plans and strategies,

Download the event report and view the presentations.

Ten Years of Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Recognising Champion Governments and Effective Approaches

December 13, 2018

2018 marked ten years since the term “Ecosystem-based Adaptation” was coined by IUCN, its Members and partners at UNFCCC COP14 in Poznan, Poland.

On December 13^th, 2018 a high-level session was convened to reflect on the successes and setbacks in mainstreaming EbA into worldwide adaptation and development implementation.

Friends of EbA 2018 Members’ Meeting

December 7, 2018

Download the meeting documentation.

4th EbA Knowledge Day

November 26, 2018

Download the event report.

Building Resilience Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow

September 11, 2018

FEBA members hosted the session “Working with Nature to Build Resilience” at this GCAS affiliated event, organized by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, BSR, ICF and the UN Climate Resilience Initiative (A2R) and hosted by PG&E. Read more.

Landscape Restoration for Food Security & Climate Adaptation

July 18, 2018

An event on the sidelines of the 2018 High Level Political Forum emphasized that global agreements must be translated for policy change at the local level, as the SDGs will be implemented “on the ground, not in Conference Room 4”.

Keynote speaker Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, called for land restoration to be embedded in the larger sustainable development community, and said it can be used to address inequality.

Friends of EbA such as TMG Thinktank, GIZ, UN Environment, and IUCN joined other partners in hosting this event. Read more.

Friends of EbA 2018 Members’ Meeting

July 4, 2018

Download the meeting documentation.

Better Tools and Standards: Enhancing Effectiveness and Mainstreaming of EbA

July 3, 2018

For the 10th anniversary of EbA (EbA+10), this event reflected on the progress and possibilities of EbA. Project implementation has revealed that successful EbA at scale is limited and therefore the approach has yet to reach its full potential. To plan effective and feasible EbA interventions it is necessary to have a more systematic consideration of the complexity of social ecological systems to understand their vulnerabilities to climate change and address them. This jointly held side event addressed these challenges based on the diverse experiences of Friends of EbA (FEBA) members IISD and IUCN.

The event was well attended by both Parties and organisations including the representatives of the CBD Secretariat. The objective was to share knowledge and experiences to enhance on-ground implementation of adaptation projects through focusing on the biodiversity-adaptation nexus and introducing tools and methodologies. 

A specific focus was the new Adaptation, Livelihoods and Ecosystems (ALivE) Planning Tool developed by IISD in collaboration with IUCN. ALivE is a practical computer-based Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) planning tool designed to support its users in organizing and analyzing information to plan effective EbA options. The participants discussed the need to link biodiversity conservation with climate change efforts and breaking existing silos. It was proposed to develop specific guidelines to help Parties incorporate EbA and DRR components into the NBSAPs. FEBA will work with the CBD Secretariat to assess and facilitate the proposed guidelines for NBSAPs.

Download the event presentations:

ALivE: Adaptation, Livelihoods and Ecosystems Planning Tool – Anika Terton, IISD

Enhancing effectiveness and mainstreaming of EbA: Colombia’s Case Study – Oscar Guevara, WWF Colombia

Co-benefits for Biodiversity and Climate Change – Risa Smith, WCPA Protected Areas Climate Change Specialist Group

Enhancing Capacity, Knowledge and Technology Support to Build Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Developing Countries (EbA South) Project – Tatirose Vijitpan, UN Environment IEMP

A Navigator of Tools and Methodologies for EbA Practitioners and Planners – Daniela Guaras, UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre

3rd EbA Knowledge Day

May 7, 2018

Moving from pilots to mainstreaming – opportunities and challenges of scaling up Ecosystem-based Adaptation: As a UNFCCC SB48 side event, the 3rd EbA Knowledge Day brought together UN negotiators, policy makers, practicioners, researchers and donors working on issues relevant to climate adaptation, ecosystem management and human resilience. More than 60 members from 30 different organizations participated in the full day workshop.

Tenth Anniversary Celebration of IKI

May 5, 2018

Read more: Germany confirms commitment to climate and biodiversity finance.

Friends of EbA Members’ Meeting

May 4, 2018

Download the meeting documentation.

FEBA Reception

November 15, 2017

IUCN’s Director General Inger Andersen and Norbert Gorißen, Head of IKI, BMUB made welcoming remarks, followed by remarks from country representatives championing EbA and NbS, including:

• Ms. Lina Pohl, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, El Salvador
• Mr. José Galdames, Secretary of State, Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mining, Honduras
• Dr. Johanita Ndahimananjara, Minister of Environment, Ecology and Forests, Madagascar: “Ecosystem-based Adaptation approach is confirmed by Madagascar, in order to preserve natural resources, and at the same time to reduce risks of catastrophes.”
• Dr. Mary Goretti Kitutu, Minister for the Environment, Uganda: “EbA influenced the integration of biodiversity, ecosystem goods and services for adaptation and mitigation, in the climate change policy. We now have the climate change policy.”
• Mr. Vo Tuan Nhan, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam: “Recently Vietnam has been implementing many EbA activities in different regions, including coastal and mountainous area. We also have integrated EbA in our social-economic-environmental programs at Vietnam. EbA model will be further implemented in Vietnam for increasing adaptation capacity and resilience for communities and economic sectors.”

Closing remarks were made by Sakhile Koketso, representing the CBD Executive Secretary. View the photo gallery.

Friends of EbA Members’ Meeting

November 10, 2017

Download the FEBA members’ meeting report.

ZEF-EHS-IUCN Seminar Series: EbA Standards, Criteria, and Linkages

November 10, 2017

To conclude the first week of lecture seminars at Bonn University IUCN’s Ali Raza Rizvi featured as keynote speaker at a talk on establishing standards and criteria for ecosystem-based adaptation projects. The talk as well as the panel which followed introduced methods for developing criteria which can help quantify valuations for EbA projects, and produce a shift from project based solutions to a process based solution. Michael Beck from The Nature Conservancy demonstrated a model showing potential for $625 million in avoided flood damage through adaptation projects in 12 east coast states. Katherine Blackwood also presented her recent project, which has identified 20 specific criteria which can be used to evaluate EbA projects. Mr. Raza Rizvi concluded his discussion by reminding the audience that climate change is a moving target, and adaptation can never be the goal, but only a means towards sustainable development. Watch the session and view the photo gallery. 

ZEF-EHS-IUCN Seminar Series: EbA Planning and Implementation

November 9, 2017

On Thursday Arno Sckeyde from GIZ presented on ecosystem-based planning and implementation, followed by a panel discussion with Florencia Zapata (The Mountain Institute), Luna Bharati (IWMI), Xiaoting Jones (IIED) and Michael Hagenlocher (UNU-EHS). Mr. Sckeyde began with a background on the evolution of EbA within international framework dating back to 2008. The conversation then shifted towards a continuum of EbA techniques, from purely ecosystem-based options to political and social options, with case studies from Thailand and Vietnam. Stressed was the need to evaluate both saved wealth and saved health when comparing EbA green infrastructure with traditional grey infrastructure. Panelists emphasized the importance of knowledge sharing when implementing adaptation projects, and promoted the Panorama platform as a vital tool towards communicating results with policymakers. Watch the session and view the photo gallery.

ZEF-EHS-IUCN Seminar Series: Land Degradation and Climate Change

November 8, 2017

Vice-chair of the IPCC Youba Sokona was featured among a panel on land degradation focusing on sub-Saharan Africa. The cycle of degradation and migration in the region has led to between $300 billion and $9 trillion USD in economic losses and has left the area vulnerable to food scarcity. Hafdis Aegisdottir, director of the UN University Land Restoration Training program introduced the initiative with a goal to use knowledge sharing to improve agricultural techniques in the region. Claudia Ringler from the IFPRI emphasized the gender component of degradation solutions, and Jones Kharika from the UNCCD connected sustainable land management with UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development. Together, the panel highlighted the need for innovative approaches in addressing food security issues. Watch the session and view the photo gallery.

ZEF-EHS-IUCN Seminar Series: Ecosystem Services and Climate Change

November 7, 2017

The second of five lectures at Bonn University, ZEF focused on ecosystem services and climate change. Thomas Koetz opened the presentation with a description of the IBPES and its current goals. IBPES was established in 2012 with the vision of providing to the biodiversity field what IPCC provides to climate. By providing objective scientific assessments to policy makers the organization strengthens the science to policy interface. Already IBPES has identified that $577 billion in annual global food production relies on pollination, an amount which is in danger as climate change leads to a decline of global pollinator populations. Marina Kosmus from the GIZ provided a practitioner’s perspective, and demonstrated visible connections between nature and economic sectors. She presented a six step approach which assists in identifying dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities. Souleymane Konate and Girbo Kelboro Mensuro supported the importance of ecosystem services with case studies from Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia, respectively. Watch the session and view the photo gallery.

ZEF-EHS-IUCN Seminar Series: Biodiversity and Protected Areas Under Climate Change

November 6, 2017

The lecture series at Bonn University began on Monday with a talk on biodiversity and protected areas in climate change. The panel consisting of two men and four women included IUCN’s Ali Raza Rizvi. The difficulties of modeling sea level rise and other climate change effects was addressed, leading to a discussion over the balance between directing resources towards improved modeling techniques and implementing solutions immediately. Protected areas are an important but sometimes antiquated form of environmental protection, and as climate change triggers changes in flora and fauna the need to adjust these areas accordingly arises. Only half of protected areas have management plans and only half of those plans are implemented, a discrepancy which needs to be at the forefront of rethinking protected area objectives. Other topics discussed included adjusting protecting areas as target species migrate with climate change, focusing on the connectivity between protected areas, especially in marine environments, and the relationships between national parks and nearby communities. Watch the session and view the photo gallery.

2nd EbA Knowledge Day

November 6, 2017

GIZ, IUCN, IIED and FEBA invited around 55 delegates and representatives from governments, international organizations, NGOs and research to share knowledge and practical experiences for strengthening EbA into policy frameworks based on practical examples. Felix Ries (Programme Office of BMUB’s International Climate Initiative) opened the event by focusing on two main points, communicating the benefits of ecosystem-based approaches and developing financing strategies. During a short panel discussion moderated by Ali Raza Rizvi, speakers from UN-Environment, Government of Mexico, Oxford University and The Nature Conservancy Micronesia provided insights and practical experiences for demonstrating EbA benefits and financing options. A marketplace session – including seven concrete examples and tools from IUCN, IIED, GIZ, RARE, DIE, FEBA and PANORAMA, for assessing, communicating and sharing EbA benefits – served as a platform for further knowledge exchange among participants. Download the full event documentation and view the photo gallery. 

Friends of EbA Members’ Meeting

May 12, 2017

IUCN reported that FEBA now numbers over 40 institutional members. Since the last FEBA members’ meeting at COP22 in Marrakech, the new members are Ecologic Institute, German Aerospace Center, Stockholm Resilience Centre, KfW, UN University-Institute for Environment and Human Security, and Uganda’s Ministry of Environment. The FEBA mailing list comprises over 90 individuals, having grown by 12 since  COP22. Read more.

EbA Knowledge Day

May 11, 2017

In the framework of the 46th meeting of the subsidiary bodies of UNFCCC, GIZ, IUCN and the Friends of EbA (FEBA) invited around 45 delegates and representatives from governments, international organizations, NGOs and research to share knowledge and practical experiences for strengthening EbA into policy frameworks, at national and subnational level based on practical examples. Read more.

FEBA side-event at UNFCCC COP22

November 12, 2016

Through an interactive session hosted in the Japanese Pavilion, panellists from the Commission on Ecosystem Mangement, the government of Austria, UN Environment, Birdlife International, and UNDP discussed opportunities and challenges for facilitating the  implementation of the Paris Agreement by employing EbA approaches. Read more.

Second Meeting of the Friends of EbA

May 19, 2016

The second meeting of Friends of EbA (FEBA) was held on May 19, 2016 in Bonn. The German Ministry of Environment hosted the meeting at its offices.

FEBA side-events at UNFCCC COP21

December 5 & 8, 2015

The objective of two side events at COP21 was to highlight and promote the importance of Ecosystem based Adaptation as an effective means towards enhancing human climate resilience as a part of adaptation negotiation and planning processes. These knowledge sharing events were held at the IUCN Pavilion in the Blue Zone. Read more.

First Meeting of the Friends of EbA

June 5, 2015

The first meeting of Friends of EbA (FEBA) was held on June 5, 2015 in Bonn. The German Ministry of Environment hosted the meeting at its offices.