IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

With climate change now a certainty, the question is now how much change there will be and what can be done about it.  One of the answers is through adapatation.  Many of the lessons that are being learned in adaptation are from success stories from the field.  This publication contains eleven case studies covering different ecosytems and regions around the world.  Its aim is to summarize some current applications of the Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) concept and its tools used around the world, and also draw lessons from experiences in conservation adaptation.

This note was developed to provide guidance on the benefits of and ways to integrate environmental concerns into disaster risk reduction strategies (DRR) at the local and national levels. As recognised and outlined under the Hyogo framework for Action priority 4: "Reduce the Underlying Risk Factors", healthy ecosystems and environmental management are considered key actions in DRR. Although the field of disaster risk management has evolved to recognise the need for addressing development issues for reducing risk, the enviornmental dimension has not to date received adequate attention and practical guidance.

This publication is a collation of selected case studies which are representative of the application of the Ecosystem Approach under different ecological, social, economic and cultural contexts in Latin America.
 

This publication follows applications of the Ecosystem Approach over a 5-10 year period in five locations. Key findings include the vital importance of a full stakeholder analysis, of market analysis and of the promotion of institutional evolution.
 

In a rapidly changing world islands are both unique and highly vulnerable places. This report provides an overview of the results of a background research conducted to establish the current status of conservation and sustainable development on islands, globally. It then goes on to review and analyze the data arising from the global questionnaire, and concludes with observations and implications for an IUCN programme on small island developing states. 

Vulnerability to natural disasters continues to increase, severely compromising the achievement of poverty alleviation goals in many developing countries. A more effective approach is needed to reduce the impacts of these disasters. This publication proposes an approach that integrates ecosystem management, development planning and risk reduction strategies to reduce disaster impacts and improve both livelihoods and biodiversity outcomes.
 

CEM has clustered subsets of Ecosystem Approach Principles into a logical sequence which encourages discussion, planning and step-by-step action. Of course, no one aspect of an ecosystem can be dealt with alone for long, and those aspects tackled early in the sequence described below will have to be revisited regularly. Nevertheless, the approach is empowering because it enables both researchers and field workers to concentrate on one set of problems at a time. In this way, the ecosystem, its inhabitants, and the challenges and the opportunities they present can be brought slowly and manageably into focus.

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The Ecosystem Approach, defined as a strategy for the management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way, was adopted at the Second Conference of the Parties of the CBD as the primary framework for action under the Convention. It puts people and their nature resource use practices squarely at the centre of the decision-making framework. The case studies presented here were discussed at three workshops held in Southern Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. They provide practical examples of the Ecosystem Approach as well as a number of recommendations for action that are widely relevant to Parties and other bodies.

This publication aims to contribute to planning and management approaches that minimize land degradation and desertification in arid and semi-arid zones as a result of extractive industries operations. Both operational and policy guidance are included to help those government departments responsible for the licensing, planning and monitoring of extractive industries activities to take account of environment and development issues in their decision-making.

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