Background

The manifestations of climate change impacts are now being felt in many countries in the ASEAN region. The IPCC Reports, Global Warming of 1.5°C, and Climate Change and the Land have suggested greater impacts from climate change that may entail ecosystem collapse if the global mean temperature is not maintained at 1.5°C, and that continued land degradation will contribute further to increased climate change impacts. Additionally, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) identified climate change as a driver of biodiversity loss, which will also put more species at risk for extinction. In a region where biodiversity is recognised as one of the best in the world, it is imperative that the ASEAN take immediate and concerted action to address the impacts of climate change.

Biodiversity and the natural environment possess various ecosystem functions and services that can help mitigate the damage being caused by climate change. Putting nature and biodiversity at the heart of the climate agenda will address one-third of the mitigation efforts needed. As the world progresses in developing the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, considerations for nature-based solutions, such as ecosystem restoration, natural resource management, and the enhanced functionality of ecosystem services, contribute to curbing climate impacts.

Objectives

The webinar aims to make the case for ecosystem-based adaptation as nature-based solutions to climate change issues. It will offer perspectives, insights, experiences, and prospects for moving forward in the adoption of nature-based solutions as an approach to address climate change. Moreover, the discourse seeks to contribute to enhancing synergies as we prepare for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2021. It likewise aims to strengthen existing networks on advancing enhancing ecosystem-based adaptation in the ASEAN region.