December 2016: The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has published three briefing papers coinciding with the Marrakech Climate Change Conference held in November 2016 and the UN Biodiversity Conference, which is meeting the 4-17 December in Cancún, Mexico.

The first brief, a ‘Synthesis Report on Experiences with Ecosystem-based Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction,’ includes findings from a CBD technical workshop on ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation (EbA) and to disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR), which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 28 September to 2 October 2016. The report explains that trade-offs or unintended consequences when implementing EbA and Eco-DRR should be considered throughout risk assessment, scenario planning and adaptive management processes. It calls for increased engagement between the scientific and development communities and for effective engagement and coordination of multiple stakeholders, as both EbA and Eco-DRR are cross-disciplinary fields. It also recognizes that implementation guidelines for EbA and Eco-DRR at the local and sectoral levels would be helpful.

The Synthesis Report recommends: implementing EbA and Eco-DRR options based on guidance from vulnerability assessments that consider underlying drivers of change, existing policies and community perceptions; considering frameworks and concepts that recognize the linkages between people and ecosystems as integrated socioecological systems; mainstreaming EbA and Eco-DRR into policies and practices in a manner that converges top-down and bottom-up approaches, and engages indigenous peoples and local communities; building EbA and Eco-DRR capacity building for different stakeholders at all levels; and establishing institutional arrangements and structures to enhance coordination across sectors.

In addition, the Synthesis Report identifies the contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities, including traditional and local knowledge systems, and calls for processes that ensure prior and informed consent, support consultation and ensure community engagement on projects. It also calls for gender mainstreaming and capacity building to understand gender issues.

A second brief, titled ‘Restoring Life on Earth: Private-sector Experiences in Land Reclamation and Ecosystem Recovery,’ explains that, while many restoration activities and initiatives are being undertaken or planned, they must be scaled up to realize the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The brief explains that the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 13) is considering whether to adopt a short-term action plan on ecosystem restoration, calling for the participation of all stakeholders, including the business sector, which is often seen as a source of land degradation rather than as an important player in efforts to mitigate degradation.

The briefing paper presents a number of case studies that: reflect a variety of ecosystems and biomes; demonstrate what the private sector can achieve; and show progress by the private sector in mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and sustainable use objectives. The case studies describe, inter alia: ecological rehabilitation of the Korean Export Processing Zone in Chittagong, Bangladesh; restoration of Banrock Station Ramsar wetlands in South Australia; ecosystem restoration and conservation in the Machu Picchu, Peruvian cloud forest through ecotourism; restoration using a hydroelectric power plant in the south of Brazil; verification of voluntary ecosystem restoration in Mozambique and Sweden; and gains in nature conservation based on compensatory reforestation in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil.

A third brief addresses ‘Managing Ecosystems in the Context of Climate Change Mitigation: A review of current knowledge and recommendations to support ecosystem-based mitigation actions that look beyond terrestrial forests.’ More specifically, the report looks at carbon stocks and flows in different types of ecosystems and the influence of biodiversity on them; managing ecosystems to support climate change mitigation and to provide additional benefits for biodiversity and people; and integrating ecosystem management at the landscape level.

The report describes the important role that ecosystem management can play in mitigation and adaptation if current practices become more sustainable and the potential of ecosystems beyond terrestrial forests to contribute to climate change mitigation. It relays management techniques for peatlands, grasslands and savannahs, coastal ecosystems and croplands to enhance carbon stocks and carbon sequestration. The report affirms that knowledge is already available to guide planning and target setting regarding ecosystem-based approaches to mitigation, and that a first step to designing such approaches is to assess the extent and drivers of degradation and conversion, and opportunities for restoration and sustainable use.

The brief recommends planning at the landscape level and making climate-friendly forms of management more economically viable. It invites donors to invest in regionally specific baseline data for planning mitigation and adaptation actions based on ecosystems, and suggests assessing outcomes of these actions to avoid unintended consequences for mitigation and adaptation, DRR, biodiversity conservation and local livelihood conditions. [Restoring Life on Earth: Private-sector Experiences in Land Reclamation and Ecosystem Recovery] [Synthesis Report on Experiences with Ecosystem-based Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction] [Managing Ecosystems in the Context of Climate Change Mitigation: A review of current knowledge and recommendations to support ecosystem-based mitigation actions that look beyond terrestrial forests]