Story | 22 Sep, 2020

Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation - Call for Survey Participation

Healthy, functioning, and resilient ecosystems lay the foundation for sustainable economic development, food and water security, disaster risk reduction and climate action. The impacts of climate change pose unique risks to densely populated urban areas, and as the share of the global population living in urban areas continues to rise, the role of nature-based solutions as part of climate adaptation strategies in urban settings is an urgent priority. Through urban ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), cities can protect, restore, and manage local ecosystems and biodiversity in ways that help them adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.

The Friends of EbA (FEBA) Urban EbA Working Group, co-chaired by IUCN and PlanAdapt, brings together researchers and practitioners from the fields of urban development, EbA and green-grey infrastructure to share successes and failures to help learn and improve future urban EbA initiatives. While information and resources on EbA have been expanding, case studies and examples of EbA implementation in urban areas are still lacking. To address this need, the Urban EbA working group recently launched a survey to identify and compile practical examples of urban EbA planning and implementation.

The survey seeks to gather information on diverse EbA practices in urban and peri-urban areas. It encompasses three brief sections focusing on general project information, urban EbA measures or components, and aspects of climate justice. The analysis of the survey results and follow-up interviews will provide the basis for a FEBA technical publication on EbA in urban ecosystems, thus contributing to the knowledge base of the growing area – in theory and practice – of Urban EbA. The survey should take approximately 20 minutes to complete and is now available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

You are invited to complete the survey here.

About Friends of EbA (FEBA):

Friends of EbA (FEBA) is a global collaborative network of 80+ agencies and organisations involved in Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) working jointly to share experiences and knowledge, to improve the implementation of EbA related activities on the ground, and to have a stronger and more strategic learning and policy influence on EbA. Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) has paved the way for the wide uptake of working with nature as a cornerstone of adaptation strategies to simultaneously address climate risks, the biodiversity crisis, and human wellbeing. FEBA works to synthesize multi-stakeholder knowledge on EbA; disseminate this knowledge by convening the global EbA community around high-level events, technical workshops, and expert working groups; and raise awareness and understanding of EbA in adaptation panning processes and multilateral policy frameworks (e.g. UNFCCC, Nairobi Work Programme). The CBD COP recognizes FEBA as a key partner “to support Parties in their efforts to promote ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation” (Decision 14/5).