Ecosystem management

Ecosystem management is a holistic approach focused on sustaining and restoring ecosystem health while balancing ecological, economic, and social needs. Recognizing the interconnectedness of natural systems and human activities preserves the integrity and resilience of ecosystems in the face of challenges like climate change, habitat degradation, and over-exploitation. This approach is critical for climate change adaptation and to ensure the continued and sustainable provision of essential services like clean water, fertile soil, and biodiversity conservation.

Ecosystem management also supports transboundary cooperation by offering a framework for managing natural resources across borders, which is vital for successfully implementing multilateral environment agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Paris Agreement, and the Ramsar Convention. Addressing shared environmental challenges promotes international collaboration, ensuring ecosystem resilience and enabling collective action to me global environment and sustainability goals.

Examples of ecosystem management

• Forest Management: In the Amazon and Congo basins, ecosystem management is employed to prevent deforestation, conserve biodiversity, and ensure sustainable land use[DR1] , protecting vital carbon sinks and supporting local communities.
• Wetland Conservation: Efforts in places like Iraq’s Mesopotamian Marshes involve balancing water resources and biodiversity preservation while supporting agriculture and fisheries, providing essential services like water filtration and flood protection.
• Marine Ecosystem Management: In coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass and kelp, ecosystem management ensures sustainable fishing practices, coastal protection, and biodiversity conservation, contributing to food security and climate regulation.

Ecosystem-based approaches

A key component of ecosystem management is ecosystem-based approaches, which promotes the conservation and sustainable use of land, water, and living resources in an equitable way. This approach emphasizes restoring ecosystems and enhancing ecosystem services to safeguard society from the negative impacts of climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and waste. Ecosystem-based approaches include strategies such as Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), Ecosystem-based Adaptation, and Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction. These strategies highlight the need for coordinated management that considers the full range of ecosystem services.

Key initiatives

UNEP plays a central role in advancing ecosystem management through its science-based policies, capacity-building efforts, and promotion of international cooperation. Key initiatives led by UNEP include:

• Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) - supports countries in using ecosystems to adapt to climate change by integrating ecosystem[DR2]  conservation into broader development plans, such as national adaptation plans.
• The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) - a global movement co-led by UNEP that aims to restore billions of hectares of degraded ecosystems, boosting biodiversity, food security and climate resilience.
• The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Partnership – UNEP helps countries address global environmental challengs by promoting[DR3]  integrated land and water management to protect and enhance ecosystem services.
• The Great Green Wall Initiative – a key UNEP effort in Africa to restore degraded land across teh Sahel region to combat desertification and improve food security for millions of people.

Impact

UNEP’s work in ecosystem management has led to tangible results. In Africa and Asia, millions of hectares of land have been restored, strengthening biodiversity and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. UNEP’s efforts in marine ecosystems have enhanced the sustainability of fisheries and coastal areas, leading to the recovery of coral reefs and mangrove forests, vital for local economies and climate resilience.