Ecosystem-based Adaptation through South-South Cooperation (EbA South)

Ecosystem-based Adaptation through South-South Cooperation (EbA South)
Project period: 2013-2019
Funding source: The Special Climate Change Fund, Global Environment Facility

The negative effects of climate change are being experienced by local communities within a wide range of economic sectors in developing countries across Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Multiple factors make these countries particularly vulnerable to observed and expected climate change impacts. These include poverty, dependence on rain-fed agriculture, as well as limited capacity of regional and national institutions to plan and implement adequate adaptation technologies and practices. There is an urgent need for immediate actions to address climate change before its impacts become unmanageable.

Ecosystem-based Adaptation through South-South Cooperation (EbA South)is a full-sized GEF project, funded through the Special Climate Change Fund. Officially known under the title "Enhancing Capacity, Knowledge and Technology Support to Build Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Developing Countries," the project is implemented by UN Environment and executed by the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC), through the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGSNRR, CAS). The Project Management Unit is hosted by UNEP-IEMP to provide overall project management services, technical support, and foster South-South linkages for the project.

The project’s objective is to build climate resilience in developing countries by increasing their capacity to plan and implement Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). In addition to interregional activities for capacity building and knowledge management, the project is leading concrete, on-the-ground EbA interventions in three pilot countries—Mauritania, Nepal and Seychelles—representing three different vulnerable ecosystems (dryland, mountain, and coastal ecosystems, respectively). 

The project is considered a “first mover” in catalyzing global and regional collaboration on EbA under GEF guidelines, in particular within the framework of South-South cooperation, especially sharing China's experience and research know-how in ecological restoration and climate change adaptation. 

Project componentscomprise
Component 1: Strengthened capacities of developing African and Asia-Pacific countries to plan and implement EbA
Component 2: Increased availability of synthesized knowledge on EbA best practices
Component 3: Increased climate resilience of priority coastal, mountain, and arid/semi-arid ecosystems in Seychelles, Nepal, and Mauritania

For more information, please refer to 
http://www.ebasouth.org/home