© J Tamelander

Ecosystem-based Adaptation

Regional Strategies to Address Climate Change

Elliot Harris, UN Environment

sustainable management, protection,

restoration or transformation

of biodiversity and ecosystem services

as part of an overall adaptation strategy

to help people adapt to climate change

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Outline

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Why are EBA strategies important?

The regional dimension

Examples / case studies

Key messages

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• Adaptation measures that use natural ecosystems can

greatly reduce climate change impacts

• Readily available, cost-effective, low-regret approach

providing multiple co-benefits

• Support integrated delivery of sustainable

development goals (2 hunger; 11 resilient cities; 13

climate change; 14 oceans; and 15 life on land…)

Why are EBA strategies important?

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• Marine and coastal ecosystems as well as climate

impacts are transboundary

• Regionally coherent, ecosystem-based adaptation

planning and implementation enhances efficacy

• Sharing of approaches, tools, data and experiences

Regional strategies for national impact

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Regional Seas

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A regional approach to

increase resilience

In the context of the

Mediterranean Strategy for

Sustainable Development

and Barcelona Convention

=> develop and implement

coherent, effective policies

and measures

Mediterranean Regional Marine and

Coastal Adaptation Framework

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Mediterranean Regional Marine and

Coastal Adaptation Framework

Objectives, directions and

priorities to promote:

• an enabling environment

for mainstreaming

adaptation in planning

• exchange of best

practice, data and tools

• leveraging of funding

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Lami Town, Fiji

Scenarios combining

conventional and ecosystem-

based approaches

(mangrove and riverbank

restoration)

Economic analysis of

lifecycle benefits and costs

Decision support in adaptation planning on

Pacific small islands

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Locally appropriate,

replicable model

Application in National

Adaptation Planning and

at local level

Optimizing adaptation

spending

Exchange and scaling up

through SPREP

Decision support in adaptation planning on

Pacific small islands

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Mangroves, seagrass

beds and coastal

marshes

Very high value in terms

of erosion reduction,

fishery productivity

Exceptionally carbon rich:

sequestration and

avoided emission

Realizing the adaptation and mitigation

benefits of ‘blue carbon’

© J Tamelander

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Regional protocols and

initiatives for protection

and sustainble use

Methodologies for

effective management

and generating cashflow

Implementation of pilot

projects

Realizing the adaptation and mitigation

benefits of ‘blue carbon’

© J Tamelander

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Ecosystem Based Adaptation supports integrated

delivery of Sustainable Development Goals

Regional planning for implementation of Sustainable

Development Goals provides a key entry point to

enhance and scale up Ecosystem Based Adaptation

Regional Seas and other relevant regional mechanisms

provide existing platforms to advance effective use of

Ecosystem Based Adaptation approaches

Key messages

Thank you

Elliot Harris

UN Environment, New York Office

Email

www.unep.org