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Network News
Nature-based Resilience Stream at the APAN Forum - At the 7th APAN Forum, UNEP is co-leading the Nature-based Resilience Stream together with IUCN. Under this stream, GAN is co-organizing two technical sessions: one on planning and processes with UNEP ROAP, and another on science and assessments with UNFCCC. The Forum will also feature a GAN Special Event, hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Japan, and will aim to share experiences from GAN's regional networks and partners.
Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation at the Gobeshona Conference - GAN facilitated a session on locally-led urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Asia-Pacific at the Gobeshona Global Conference on January 19. The Conference, hosted by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), brings together actors from around the world to share knowledge, research, and practical experiences on climate change issues.
Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative (LAKI) – On behalf of GAN, the regional node West Asia Adaptation and Resilience Network (WARN-CC) held a workshop with the UNFCCC for the Middle East & North Africa region to close adaptation knowledge gaps identified through the LAKI. Held on 8-10 December, the event hosted a wide range of governments and organizations, including the Government of Jordan. On 23 February, the next LAKI workshop will be held for Pacific Small Island Developing States. Read about LAKI here.
35 days left until the APAN Forum! - Check out the programme for the 7th Asia-Pacific Adaptation Forum and register today! Resilience is the unifying theme of the forum and discussions will be organised on five enablers, identified as (i) Climate Governance and Policy, (ii) Planning and Processes, (iii) Science and Assessment (iv) Technologies and Practices, and (v) Finance and Investment. Stay tuned and visit the 7th APAN Forum website for further updates.
EBAFOSA's Climate Action Digest - A new edition of the Ecosystem-based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly's Climate Action Digest focuses on the use of solar dryers for climate change adaptation in Uganda. Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) were set up to help farmers access credit for solar dryers and biofertilisers. Find out more about EBAFOSA on their website.
Practical Guide to Implementing Green-Gray Infrastructure – In collaboration with the Global Green-Grey Infrastructure Community of Practice, Friends of EbA published a new Practical Guide to Implementing Green-Gray Infrastructure, which you can download here. The Guide encompasses issues related to green-grey infrastructure economics and financing, case studies of hybrid solutions in action, and it defines science-based engineering guidelines for green-grey infrastructure.
Building Resilience with Nature: Maximizing Ecosystem-based Adaptation through National Adaptation Plan Processes – In collaboration with the NAP Global Network, Friends of EbA launched a brand new guidance note, which presents “why” and “how” the NAP process can be utilized as a key mechanism and driver to mainstream and upscale Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). It is based on a recent analysis of 19 completed NAP documents that reviewed the inclusion of ecosystems and the uptake of EbA measures.
UN Climate Change and Universities Partnership Programme - UN Climate Change launched a new initiative to scale up actions to adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change. Launched at the recent United Nations Climate Dialogues 2020, the UN Climate Change and Universities Partnership Programme is designed to strengthen collaboration between the UN and academic institutions, especially in the global South, with the aim of addressing the knowledge gaps that remain a critical barrier to countries implementing adaptation measures. Read more.
UNEP & Adaptation
Adaptation Gap Report 2020 – UNEP published its major Adaptation Gap Report, which finds that while nations have advanced in adaptation planning, huge gaps remain in adaptation finance provided for developing countries. The report shows that Nature-based Solutions have great potential for adaptation. Follow the links for the press release, a multimedia story, and an ‘Ask A Scientist’ interview with one of the lead authors.
Massive Open Online Course: Nature-based Solutions for Climate & Disaster Resilience – A brand new online course was launched on 22 January! The course will help you understand how to apply Nature-based Solutions that restore or protect ecosystems and biodiversity to build resilience to climate change and disasters. The introductory module is designed to be accessible to everyone, whatever your level of experience or your background. Read more.
Good news for Africa’s Great Green Wall - At the recent One Planet Summit for Biodiversity, the Great Green Wall for the Sahel and Sahara Initiative received $14 billion in additional funding pledges for the next ten years. This financial support will scale up efforts to restore degraded land, create green jobs, strengthen resilience and protect biodiversity. Once complete, the Great Green Wall will be the largest living structure on the planet.
Global Climate Litigation Report: 2020 Status Review – UNEP launched its 2020 status review report on global climate litigation. There is a growing tidal wave of climate litigation across the world, representing a new frontier in addressing the climate crisis. In 2017, there were 884 cases brought in 24 countries. As of 1 July 2020, the number of cases has nearly doubled with at least 1,550 climate change cases filed in 38 countries.
Factsheet: Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Djibouti 2014-2021 – A UNEP-supported project is helping to increase Djibouti's resilience to climate change. The main approaches are to: build infrastructure to protect communities from flash floods and droughts; use Ecosystem-based Adaptation to protect crops; train communities to adopt climate-resilient livelihoods; and improve institutional capacity for adaptation.
Insuring the climate transition: Enhancing the insurance industry’s assessment of climate change futures – 22 of the world's leading insurers and reinsurers collaborated under UNEP’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI) to pilot state-of-the-art approaches to better assess climate-related risks in the insurance business. The final report here captures the key findings from this collaborative effort.
Science for Adaptation Policy Briefs – UNEP’s World Adaptation Science Programme produced 3 new policy briefs, which aim to encourage demand-driven knowledge creation and engage stakeholders at the science-policy-action interface. The policy briefs are: 1) Adaptation Decision-Support Tools & Platforms; 2) Transboundary Climate Risk and Adaptation; 3) High-end Climate Change and Adaptation.
Climate Adaptation Summit 2021 – On 25 January at the Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS), UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen provided remarks at the Anchoring Event for Nature-based Solutions, hosted by the Government of Canada and Mexico. During the CAS, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched the Adaptation Action Coalition, a group of leading nations that will be working with the Race2Resilience to set the agenda ahead of COP26
Upcoming Events:
February 22-26: 5th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly
February 23-26: Workshop: Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative and Pacific Small Island Developing States
March 3-4: Virtual Roundtable for UN Regional Climate Weeks
March 8-12: 7th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum
March 22 -World Water Day
GAN Reading List:
