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Global Network News
From Chile to China: The global battle against desertification - Desertification is now commonly accepted as one of the most pressing environmental issues facing the world. “Land degradation and desertification negatively affects 3.2 billion people around the world today,” said Johan Robinson, a Senior Programme Management Officer with UNEP. Read the story to find out how UNEP and partners are responding.
Spreading like Wildfire: The Rising Threat of Extraordinary Landscape Fires - UNEP is issuing an urgent call to governments to rethink their approach to extreme wildfires. By calling for a new ‘Fire Ready Formula’ and recognizing the important role of ecosystem restoration, we can minimize the risk of extreme wildfires by being better prepared and building back better in their aftermath.
'The Last Glaciers' film issues global wake-up call for climate action on World Water Day - UNEP Mountain Advocate Malcolm Wood features in a unique new documentary, shining a spotlight on how the world’s water towers are being lost due to climate change. The film, to be screened in IMAX cinemas worldwide, takes the audience on a breathtaking journey to the remaining glaciers of our planet.
UN Environment Assembly concludes with 14 resolutions to curb pollution, protect and restore nature worldwide - The Assembly is made up of the 193 UN Member States and convenes every two years to advance global environmental governance. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, said this was the most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris accord.
Good Practice Brief: South-South Cooperation for Upscaling Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation - An adaptation project, known as EbA South, has been selected by the Global Environment Facility as an example of good practice, particularly in terms of the South-South cooperation. The project is using nature-based solutions in the deserts of Mauritania, coasts of Seychelles, and the mountains of Nepal.
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation & Vulnerability - The Working Group II contribution to the 6th Assessment Report of the IPCC provides a detailed assessment of climate change impacts, risks and the needed adaptation measures. The landmark report claims that current adaptation funding is inadequate. “We found that more than 90% of climate finance is currently going to mitigation rather than adaptation,” said Kathryn Bowen, a lead author on the report.
e-Course: Climate Change, Peace and Security - This self-paced, online course unpacks the interlinkages between climate change, peace and security and explores opportunities for promoting inclusive climate action, conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Upon completion, course participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to analyze different contexts affected by climate change and insecurity.
Strengthening Linkages Between Faith Communities and Nature-based Solutions – A side-event at the UN Environment Assembly explored the intersection of faith actors and nature-based solutions, and how faith can be galvanised to promote and implement nature-based approaches. A recording of the session can be found here.
Vacancies: Strengthening LDC Capacities for Adaptation – A climate adaptation project has announced it is looking for: 1) a new Institutional Strengthening Specialist; and 2) two Mentor Institutions to support the project. The objective of this project is to strengthen capacities of Least Developed Countries to achieve effective climate change adaptation. Learn more about the opportunities with the above links.
Friends of EbA Network's Annual Newsletter 2021/22 - More than 95 government ministries and sub-agencies, UN bodies and conventions, NGOs, research centres, and other institutions make up the Friends of EbA Network. If you’re interested in any issues related to nature-based solutions for adaptation, then their latest annual newsletter is a must-read, containing past and future events, stories, reports, and more.
The Global EbA Fund’s Call for Proposals - The Global EbA Fund, implemented by IUCN and UNEP, accepts submissions on a rolling basis. Thank you to the 620+ applicants who submitted a proposal for the second application window, which ended on 15 September 2021. The deadline for the next call for proposals is 15 July 2022. Learn more about how to apply.
News from the Regions
Africa
The Race to Save Zambia’s Wetlands – A new story looks at an adaptation project aiming to restore a wetland ecosystem in Zambia to protect local communities from climate change. “As the ecosystem disappears, so too do these vital climate defences, and communities become trapped in the constant oscillation between flood and drought.” The story comes with this new video about the project.
“We must prepare”: Mozambique banks on nature as defence against climate change - The Government of Mozambique has launched a $6 million project to protect its coasts from the impacts of climate change through the restoration and conservation of nature. With funding from the Global Environment Facility and support from UNEP, the project is drawing on the natural defences and buffers that coastal ecosystems offer against storms, flooding and saline intrusion.
On verge of record drought, East Africa grapples with new climate normal - A story from UNEP looks at the current drought crisis hitting East Africa. Despite only contributing about 2-3% of global greenhouse gases, the continent is one of the hardest hit regions in the world in terms of climate impacts. Read the story to find out how the continent is responding. “Despite the dire impacts of climate change in Africa, there is cause for optimism.”
In Darfur, women farmers tackle a rapidly changing climate - A UNEP-led initiative is creating economic opportunities for women in Darfur to help the region cope with a fast-changing climate. The Wadi El Ku project, concentrated in a river valley near the city of El Fasher, has also supported the construction of weirs to conserve rainwater. Since 2014, the project has won plaudits for helping local livelihoods and reducing conflict between nomadic livestock herders and farmers.
Project Factsheet: Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Rwanda 2016-2022 – An adaptation project in Rwanda is building the climate resilience of communities through the ecosystem restoration of degraded forests, savannahs and wetlands. Over 1,600 community members and local government officials have been trained by the project to implement ecosystem-based adaptation measures.
News from the Regions
Asia Pacific
Australia: After the bushfires came the floods - By mid-March, tens of thousands of Australians had evacuated their homes after devastating floods struck the eastern part of the country. UNEP caught up with adaptation expert Alvin Chandra to ask him about the flooding and what states need to do to ready themselves for the new ‘climate normal’. "Ultimately adaptation options that reduce risks to people and nature have to be embedded in long-term planning."
Project Factsheet: Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Nepal 2019-2022 - A project is using ecosystem-based adaptation to increase the resilience of urban communities in the Kathmandu Valley to climate change impacts, including flooding, landslides and drought. The project is aiming to bring direct benefits to around 82,000 people, and 4,000 climate-resilient trees will be planted on roadsides, riverbanks and in public spaces.
Survey: Adaptation knowledge gaps and capacity development needs in Asia Pacific - The Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) would like to request your feedback via a survey to better address climate adaptation knowledge gaps and capacity development needs while meeting the interests of adaptation practitioners in the Asia Pacific region. The survey should not take longer than 15 minutes to complete, and the deadline is 8 April.
Report: Success Stories with National Adaptation Planning in Nepal - UNEP is supporting the government of Nepal to develop its National Adaptation Plan. A new publication from the project features 3 success stories to document the best practices so far. The project also recently released another report, titled National Coordination Meeting on the Implementation of the National Adaptation Plan and Nationally Determined Contribution of Nepal.
News from the Regions
Latin America & the Caribbean
Key Implications from the IPCC Working Group II Report for the Latin America & Caribbean Region - In partnership with the IPCC, a series of webinars was organized by the UNEP Office for Latin America and the Caribbean to explore the key implications for the region from the IPCC Working Group II Report: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. The recording of the four sessions can be found here.
Supporting Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises to Adapt to Climate Change –Organized by UNEP with the support of the Global Adaptation Network and The Lightsmith Group, a webinar focused on the need for engaging the private sector in climate adaptation action. The event included presentations of 2 initiatives that are currently supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: the Adaptation SME Accelerator Project and the Global EbA Fund. The recording of the session is available in Spanish and English.
Upcoming Events
April 26
Monitoring & Evaluating Ecosystem-based Adaptation Interventions: Spotlight on Indicator Development
May 5
Voices from the Field: Nature-based Solutions in Humanitarian Contexts
May 26
Conference: Nature-based Solutions for Disaster and Climate Resilience
June 5
World Environment Day
For more information, please contact Marcus.Nield@un.org
