Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EBA) has been proposed as a new concept in the UNFCCC negotiations since 2008. In 2009, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) initiated its EBA Flagship Programme. In 2012, the Global Environment Facility(GEF) released its Operational Guidelines on the ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation. In January 2013, a UNEP-China joint global project “Enhancing Capacity, Knowledge and Technology Support to Build Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Developing Countries” was co-funded by the GEF Special Climate Change Fund and China South-South Cooperation Initiative on Climate Change. The project has been recognized as the “first mover” on EBA under GEF and on South-South cooperation.

At the UNFCCC COP19 in Warsaw, a Ministerial Roundtable on Ecosystem based Adaptation in the context of South-South cooperation was organized at the China Pavilion on November 19, 2013, taking this project as the pioneer of its kind. This event co-organized by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China and UNEP-International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), was attended by over 100 participants. These included principals of organizations, Dr. Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF and Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP, ministers and high-level government representatives, Minister XIE Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China, and Heads of delegations from Nepal (Mr. Prakash Mathema), Seychelles(Mr. Will Agricole), and Mauritania(Mr. Sidi Mohamed EL WAVI). The event shared knowledge, good practices and policy options on EBA, aiming at promoting South-South cooperation on climate change under the umbrella of UNFCCC, and mainstreaming EBA into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).

EBA, an approach to working with nature in order to maximize ecosystem services for adaptation and build resilience of vulnerable ecosystems and communities to climate change, has been well recognized one of the most cost-effective, durable and pro-poor solutions. This forms an integral part of national and international adaptation portfolios.

Since developing countries are more dependent on ecosystem services and face common challenges of conservation and livelihood, the Roundtable called for enhancement of South-South cooperation on EBA as a new dimension of international cooperation to adapt to increasing climate change impacts. This first GEF EBA project has been recognized as a collective effort of the United Nations in facilitating and promoting South-South cooperation on climate change. Meanwhile, the UNEP-International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), based in Beijing was highly commended as an instrumental platform for such an endeavor.

In his welcoming speech, Mr. XIE Zhenhua reconfirmed China’s efforts in promoting South-South cooperation with multi-partners and in different mechanisms, guided by China’s newly released National Strategy for Adaptation on Climate Change.

Mr. Achim Steiner added that South-South cooperation was called for at the Rio+20 conference, and an upgraded UNEP will continue to promote South-South cooperation on EBA building on its Flagship Programme established in 2009.

The GEF CEO Ms. Naoko Ishii introduced various opportunities for developing countries to access GEF funds for effective adaptation and mainstreaming of EBA in their National Adaptation Plans.

Senior representatives from Nepal, Seychelles and Mauritania shared their rich and unique experiences and lessons from implementation of EBA in their respective countries, together with their national policy framework for mainstreaming EBA in their NAPs.