Network News
New fund leverages nature to adapt to climate change – The brand new Global EbA Fund is seeking to overcome barriers to ecosystem-based adaptation by providing seed capital for innovative approaches. Launched on the 25 March, the rolling Call for Proposals is now open and you can apply here. Led by UNEP & IUCN, the fund is prioritising initiatives that can overcome barriers to ecosystem-based adaptation. See the website.
Asia Pacific Adaptation Forum – Participants at the Asia Pacific Adaptation Forum developed recommendations on five enabling conditions for delivering inclusive resilience, economic sector resilience, nature-based resilience, and local community resilience to climate change in the Asia-Pacific region. Sessions were captured by graphic recordings and are available on the APAN YouTube channel.
Global Adaptation Network: Now & Future – The Ministry of Environment, Japan, hosted an event at the APAN Forum titled Global Adaptation Network: Now & Future. The session presented some of GAN’s main achievements to date and included an array of highly-esteemed speakers, including Ms Gina McCarthy, the US White House’s National Climate Advisor.
Friends of EbA Annual Newsletter 2020-2021 – The Friends of EbA Annual Newsletter showcases all the ecosystem-based adaptation activities of Friends of EbA and its 80+ member organisations in 2020, as well as key planned events, publications, and projects for 2021. If you’re interested in or working in ecosystem-based adaptation, this is for you. You can find the newsletter here or on Friends of EbA's new website.
Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative (LAKI) expands – In February, climate experts gathered for the 1st LAKI Workshop for Pacific Small Island Developing States to identify the critical adaptation knowledge gaps in the region. An additional event moved to the next stage by presenting the steps needed to close these knowledge gaps. In March, the second phase of the LAKI process kick-started for the Middle East and North Africa region.
EBAFOSA’s Climate Action Digest – The latest Climate Action Digest from the Ecosystem-based Adaptation for Food Security Asssembly focuses on Adoption of Affordable & Efficient Domestic Fuel Briquettes to Avert Degradation of Forest Ecosystems. The issue provides an overview of climate action projects undertaken in Uganda to mainstream forest ecosystem protection and reduce emissions through the adoption of climate-friendly fuel (briquettes).
EPIC Network at the APAN Forum - The EPIC Model builds partnerships between university students and their local municipalities to solve sustainability challenges. The Network was highlighted at the APAN Forum in an event titled Toward Locally Led Adaptation: Fusion of Local and Scientific Knowledge and the Role of Universities in Strengthening Community Resilience. Watch the recording here.
Course: Nature-based Solutions in Cities – CityAdapt, a UNEP project focused on urban ecosystem-based adaptation, recently concluded an online 8-week course titled Finance and Climate Action in Cities: Nature-based Solutions as an Adaptation Mechanism in Latin America and the Caribbean. UNEP is now working to transform this course in to a Massive Open Online Course in the coming months.
More Adaptation News At UNEP
Pakistan to develop National Adaptation Plan for climate change – Pakistan has officially begun the process of creating a National Adaptation Plan for building resilience to climate change. The announcement comes only 6 weeks before the nation hosts World Environment Day on June 5th. National Adaptation Plans are widely seen as one of the most important mechanisms for adapting to climate change.
Second Call for Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator – Deadline is approaching! UNEP & CTCN are providing USD 5 million worth of technical assistance to foster innovation for adaptation in developing countries (up to USD 250,000 for each successful application). The second call for proposals is open until 30 April 2021. Learn more and submit your application here. Read more about the Innovation Accelerator in the brochure here.
Zambia turns to nature to tackle climate change - The government of Zambia has launched a new ecosystem-based adaptation project, which is part of a wider attempt in the country to improve the livelihoods of rural communities by restoring damaged ecosystems. With over USD 6 million from the Global Environment Facility, the project is focusing on the Lukanga and Bangweulu wetlands.
Glacier collapse in India a worrying sign of what’s to come - A deadly flood in northern India, sparked by a breaking glacier, was not an isolated incident but the result of a warming planet, say experts. Read the story to find out how UNEP is helping countries to adapt. SkyNews also spoke with UNEP on a podcast to discuss adaptation in mountains. A documentary on the topic, The Last Glaciers, will be launched later this year.
Report: Making Peace with Nature - This important report provides a comprehensive blueprint of how we can overcome the planetary crises of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Within 48 hours, more than 1,000 news stories had been published about the report in 22 languages and in 74 countries. UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen penned an inspiring op-ed about the report, which you can read here.
Saving endangered species with EbA in Central Asia – The German Environment Ministry’s International Climate Initiative (IKI) has approved a UNEP-led ecosystem-based adaptation project in three Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The project is using nature-based approaches to protect iconic, endangered species while increasing local communities’ resilience to climate change.
New EU Adaptation strategy – The EU strategy on climate adaptation sets out how the EU can become climate resilient by 2050. During a series of workshops and panels, UNEP presented on nature-based solutions and why they offer an approach to disaster risks, including pandemics. The strategy has 4 principle objectives: to make adaptation smarter, swifter and more systemic, and to step up international action on adaptation.
Strengthening capacities of LDCs to access adaptation finance – Deadline is approaching! A Call for Proposals is looking for qualified organizations to serve as the executing agency for a new UNEP project to build capacities among Least Developed Countries’ (LDC) universities, so they can play a key role in providing adaptation services to LDC governments. The deadline for submissions is 13th April. Find out more here.
Upcoming Events
April 6
How To Apply for the Global EbA Fund
April 13
Emerging Lessons from the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator
May 4-25
Addressing Climate Change Through Integrated Responses: Linking Adaptation and Mitigation
May 11-14
Regional Climate Week for Latin America and the Caribbean
GAN Reading Lists
Climate Adaptation Suggested Reading: February 2021 - link
Climate Adaptation Suggested Reading: March 2021 - link
For more information, please contact Marcus.Nield@un.org
