In Jordan, local communities living around protected areas benefit from employment opportunities, eco-tourism development, healthy rangelands, medicinal plants, and socio-economic projects that generate economic benefits. However, climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity, accelerating species loss, habitat degradation, and impacting local communities. Protected areas, when properly designed, serve as crucial solutions to mitigate climate change impacts, and sustain ecosystem services, benefiting human societies and local communities. The project's objectives include enhancing the resilience of vulnerable ecosystems and communities on two geographic scales:
- National scale: Increase the proportion of climate-vulnerable ecosystems within the "National Protected Areas Network." Integrate climate change metrics into the design of protected areas management effectiveness tracking tools to ensure a more resilient protected areas network.
- Sub-national scale: Implement pilot interventions in Shoubak and Petra Districts, located in the Ma'an Governorate of Southern Jordan, aiming to restore forest ecosystems and increase the involvement and benefits of women, youth, and marginalized groups through the implementation of Nature-based Solutions in Shoubak and Petra districts.
Project implemented and executed by: IUCN ROWA.
Project Funded by: Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
Projects Achievements:
- Project launching and inception workshop on June 5th, 2023.
- Focus Group Discussions were held with women and youth from Shoubak and Wadi Mousa as part of the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Analysis between June 11-12th 2023.