21 October 2015: Governments should examine ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) to provide safety nets for communities, according to the messages of a technical workshop held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The workshop messages were delivered at a side event to the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Participants at the event highlighted that ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation (EbA) and ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) enable people to adapt to climate change impacts through sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems. Barbara Thompson, South African Department of Environmental Affairs, stressed that “biodiversity and healthy ecosystems are the building blocks that provide natural solutions, which build resilience for society to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change.”

The workshop on ‘Ecosystem-based Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction’ also reviewed a draft synthesis report on experiences with implementation of EbA and Eco-DRR. The synthesis report is being prepared by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Participants, including national experts from key regions, indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ (ILC) representatives and experts from international organizations, were requested to identify gaps and strengthen the report by providing more relevant information. The workshop took place on 28 September-2 October 2015, supported by the Governments of Germany, Sweden and South Africa, and the European Commission.

The conclusions of both the synthesis report and the workshop will be presented to the 20th meeting of the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), convening on 25 April-7 May 2016, in Montreal, Canada. [CBD Press Release] [CBD Workshop Summary] [IISD RS Coverage of UNCCD COP 12]