Nature-based Solutions to development and climate change challenges: Understanding ecosystem-based adaptation approaches

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to climate- and development-related challenges have recently gained attention in development cooperation. This Working Paper focuses on nature-based solutions to climate change adaptation, also known as Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). It provides an overview of selected lessons learnt from EbA in the context of development cooperation, with a particular emphasis on the opportunities and risks regarding poverty alleviation and rights.
This Working Paper is based on a desk study of selected academic literature and policy- and project-related publications and reports. It has been prepared by DIIS as part of the project ‘Research and Evaluation of Development Cooperation’ with funding from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Working Paper seeks to generate learning for Danish development cooperation, including future programming under Denmark’s 2021 development strategy, in which NbS approaches are emphasised. However, the paper can also be read as a general discussion of experiences with EbA in the development context.
The Working Paper consists of seven main sections. It first provides a conceptual overview of EbA in relation to NbS and where the typology comes from, then outlines the potential in using EbA approaches before briefly describing the landscape of the institutions and agencies that fund, promote and implement EbA. The paper then provides a synthesis of lessons learned from PES and REDD+ schemes that are of relevance to EbA. It also outlines the overall challenges to EbA identified in the literature before going on to discuss the key success factors. Finally, it provides a list of recommendations and possible entry points for Danish Development Cooperation in the use of EbA. The working paper also presents five highlighted examples of EbA projects drawn from project publications and, where available, peer-reviewed papers selected to illustrate different types of EbA activities in practice. Our desk study has not been in a position to verify the reported outcomes, but it did find that few EbA project reviews or studies comment on rights issues.