Community-Led Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Local Solutions for Global Climate Resilience

Date: Thursday 13 October 2025

Location: Programme Pavilion, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Occasion: IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025

Duration: 16:30 – 18:00 (GST)

Background

The Global EbA Fund is a catalytic funding mechanism for supporting innovative approaches to ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to create enabling environments for its mainstreaming and scaling. With a focus on EbA – a nature-based solution that harnesses biodiversity and ecosystem services to reduce vulnerability and build resilience of human communities to climate change – the Fund is strategically positioned to connect and contribute to the delivery of global agendas on the climate change–biodiversity nexus. With a growing portfolio of projects across countries and ecosystems, the Fund is compiling valuable lessons and knowledge to enhance the evidence base on EbA-focused solutions to influence policy discourse and to promote South-South cooperation for shaping practices on the ground. The Fund is financed by International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) and co-managed by IUCN and UNEP. 

Objectives and expected outcomes

This event highlights the central role of local communities in designing and implementing EbA initiatives that are tailored to their unique ecological and cultural contexts. The expected outcomes include:

• Demonstrating impact from local to national and global scales – by integrating traditional knowledge, cultural values, and ecological priorities into EbA initiatives.
• Incentivising investments for EbA – by showcasing innovative tools, financing mechanisms and livelihood strategies that support scalable, community-driven EbA – such as integrated landscape investment and mangrove-friendly aquaculture.
• Building partnerships to foster cross-regional learning and broader impact – to identify enabling conditions and practical recommendations for replicating and scaling successful EbA models globally.

Agenda and speakers to be shared soon.

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