Ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) is an emerging approach that helps people to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. It is the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy. EBA uses sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems, taking into account anticipated climate change impact trends, to reduce the vulnerability and improve the resilience of ecosystems and people to climate change impacts.

In addition to protection from climate change impacts, EBA also provides many other benefits to communities, for example through the maintenance and enhancement of ecosystem services crucial for livelihoods and human well-being, such as clean water and food. Appropriately designed ecosystem management initiatives can also contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing emissions from ecosystem loss and degradation, and enhancing carbon sequestration.

The December 2010 UNFCCC Cancun Agreements called for all Parties to enhance action on adaptation under the Cancun Adaptation Framework, including through enhancing resilience of socio-economic and ecological systems through sustainable management of natural resources. In response, Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) announced support for an Ecosystem Based Adaptation programme as one of the initiatives through which BMU channels fast-start finance to support developing country adaptation action. This €10 million EBA programme will be run by a partnership of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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