Ecosystem based Approaches (EbA) for Climate Change Adaptation (CCA)

and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the Caribbean

Caribbean Natural Resources Institute

Nicole Leotaud

The Caribbean is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters.

The Caribbean depends on natural resources for key economic sectors and livelihoods, so a focus on ecosystems and their interaction with people is essential for climate change

adaptation.

Approaches to adaptation include hard (grey) and soft (green and blue) solutions.

Source: SPREP

Soft solutions have advantages over hard solutions.

Hard solutions Soft solutions

AD

V

Precise to implement engineering solutions Short term results

EbA is not a novel approach – lots can be learnt from traditional practices in natural resource management “No regret” option and provide co-benefits Often less costly / resource intensive Can be implemented by local communities

DIS

AD

V

Costly and require long term maintenance Requite technical expertise Can result in maladaptation, promote “negative development”, threats to biodiversity and ecosystems

Generally larger uncertainty Take longer to show results Being more recent, there are not as many studies which can show their costs versus benefits

EbA is adaptation using ecosystems.

• EbA is “adaptation powered by nature” (UNCCD)

• EbA uses biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to help people and communities adapt to the negative effects of climate change at local, national, regional and global levels (UNEP)

• EbA involved sustainably managing, conserving and restoring ecosystems… to provide the services that allow people to adapt to climate change (IUCN)

Coral reefs, mangroves and sea grass beds provide adaptation and co-benefits.

Approaches to adaptation are evolving in the Caribbean.

capacity building for analysis of climate change vulnerability

capacity building for mainstreaming adaptation action into development agendas

implement pilot actions on the ground – mainly via regional and global initiatives

national, sectoral and local (community-level) actions

There are some examples of EbA in the Caribbean.

There are key emerging principles of EbA.

EbA is about promoting resilient ecosystems and using nature-based solutions to provide benefits

to people, especially the most vulnerable.

EbA must be participatory, transparent, accountable, and culturally appropriate, while actively embracing equity and gender issues.

EbA is based on the best available science and local knowledge, and should foster knowledge

generation and diffusion.

EbA promotes multi-sectoral approaches and operates at multiple geographic scales.

EbA seeks to maximise social, economic and environmental benefits and minimise trade-offs

EbA effectively engages stakeholders (including local communities) to build trust, foster

collaboration and multi-partner management.

EbA and Community Based Adaptation (CBA) approaches should be integrated.

Recommendations moving forward • Use an integrated approach to include socio-economic,

governance, and knowledge dimensions

• Test and document EbA methods

• Communicate experiences, results, lessons

• Establish a community of learning, using action learning

• Develop tools and guidelines and do training of trainers

• Build policy champions

• Include EbA approaches in regional and national policies and plans, including economic and investment decision-making and physical development planning

Thank you!

Nicole Leotaud

Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI)

nicole@canari.org

www.canari.org

YouTube and Facebook: CANARI Caribbean