On 15 March 2022, Caroline Petersen presented in “Meet iTAP” on Ecosystem Based Adaptation or “EBA” (see EBA Presentation 1). EBA can be defined as “the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to help people to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change” (CBD, 2009). The webinar highlighted growing global recognition over the past decade of the importance of ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation, now also encompassed in the concept of Nature Based Solutions (NBS), with great strides made in developing an evidence base for EBA, mainstreaming it into policy, and unlocking finance for it. It was noted that ecosystems occur along a continuum from natural to transformed, and that EBA can usefully be applied to build resilience in managed but diverse agro-ecological landscapes, with the key being a systemic ecosystem-wide approach. The webinar discussed design of EBA projects in the GCF context, including issues such as how to: calculate numbers of beneficiaries; design effective indicators for monitoring progress; articulate clearly the climate problem being tackled and how; and apply best practice, science and traditional knowledge to select interventions that avoid maladaptation and maximize co-benefits. Discussion was held on the challenges involved in large adaptation programs (including EBA), where sub-projects cannot be known in advance, and the importance of putting in place upfront strong selection criteria and procedures, and rigorous monitoring mechanisms. Following several questions on monitoring, iTAP later shared some additional resources on this subject for AEs (see EBA Presentation 2).

Speakers:  

Caroline Petersen, Member of iTAP
Daniel Nolasco, Chair of iTAP
Abdullah Bikzad, iTAP Operations Consultant