Assessing the Global Role of Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in Helping People Adapt to Climate Change
Project Information
In the past 20 years, a stunning 3.6 billion people, many already marginalized and living in developing countries, have been directly impacted by climate-related disasters, such as flooding, droughts and wildfires. If this trajectory persists, climate change will continue to impact billions of people in the next few years. There is strong evidence that the protection, restoration, and improved management of natural and modified ecosystems can help people and nature adapt to climate change. While the evidence base has grown, it remains uncertain how much of the overall global climate adaptation challenge can feasibly be addressed by Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA). Given the urgency in addressing the impacts of climate change, the assessment of the potential of nature in helping people adapt to climate change is needed to accelerate and scale up the implementation of EbA.
The goal of the project is to increase the understanding of policy makers, practitioners and the climate adaptation and scientific communities regarding the global importance of EbA. This will be accomplished by:
- Quantifying the number of people that are highly vulnerable to a variety of climate impacts .
- Identifying how many people could potentially have their vulnerabilities reduced through EbA (the protection, restoration, and management of ecosystems).
- Mapping where EbA could be implemented to reduce the vulnerability of people to climate change.
Results will be discussed with practitioners and international policy makers working on climate change adaptation, as well as with governmental bodies at the national level to facilitate the use of project results in policy instruments.
Project Updates
Conservation International’s project team has assessed the vulnerability of people to climate change impacts. Preliminary results indicate that 7.5 billion people are projected to be vulnerable to at least one climate impact by 2030. The team also prepared maps that quantify and show where EbA could possibly help reduce people’s vulnerability to climate change at the global level. Those results have been included in a manuscript submitted to a scientific journal.
1. Quantified and Mapped Global EbA Opportunities: The project measured and mapped where EbA could help reduce people’s vulnerability to climate change at the global level. These findings have been compiled and submitted for scientific publication.
2. Developed Regional Reports: The project produced specific reports on the potential role of nature for climate adaptation for Brazil, Colombia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
