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.