Ecosystem-based approaches to adaptationin the European Union by Karin Zaunberger, European Commission

1. Ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation
in the European Union
Karin Zaunberger, European Commission

2. MORE CLIMATE CHANGE – LESS BIODIVERSITY

3. how to break the vicious circle ?
increase resilience
decrease vulnerability
• Ecosystem-based approaches to climate
change adaptation and mitigation
• Green Infrastructure
• Nature-based solutions
• Eco-DRR – ecological disaster risk reduction
use the adaptive forces of nature
involve people and build responsibility
harness multiple benefits at comparable low cost

4. People
citizen
want to
get
involved!

6. Ecosystem-based approaches/
Green Infrastructure/
Nature-based solutions
• are ready for use and easily
accessible
• involve people and build responsibility
Job and Business Opportunities
• bring multiple benefits
• are cost efficient and make economic
sense
• are to be an integral part of the
overall adaptation and mitigation
effort and disaster risk reduction
effort

7. The Rosetta Stone EBA – NBS – GI
eco-DRR
working with nature for people

8. Policy Framework(s)
• EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy and the
Roadmap to Resource Efficiency
• EU Adaptation Strategy
• Green Infrastructure (GI) Enhancing
Europe's Natural Capital
• H2020 Focus Area on Nature-based
solutions (NbS)
policy signals to decisionmakers, planners,
promotors to invest in GI and adaptation
projects at local, regional, national and
cross-boundary level

9. Problem in
urbanising Europe:
fragmentation,
habitat degradation,
(intensification and
abandonment) and
loss
Unsustainable land use
and fragmentation
What are the problems?
Climate change
mitigation and
adaptation
– disaster
prevention
Unsustainable use of ecosystem
goods & services
Ecosystems that are small or isolated
may stop providing us with valuable
services such as food, freshwater, water
regulation, clean air, recreation facilities
Loss of biodiversity in the EU
>> Ecosystems currently absorb half of
anthropogenic CO2 emissions and provide
adaptation functions, including flood
protection and disaster risk minimisation
... and the solutions?
March 2015 State and Outlook of European Environment
May 2015 'State of Nature in the EU'
October 2015 Mid-term report on EU Biodiversity Strategy

10. Green Infrastructure: Elements
Spatial structure
delivering nature
benefits to people
Local or town/city scale Regional and
national scale
EU level Descriptor
Natural and semi-natural ecosystems,
such as pastures, woodland, forest (no
intensive plantations), ponds, bogs, rivers
and floodplains, coastal wetlands,
lagoons, beaches, marine habitats
Extensive agricultural and forest
landscapes, large marsh and bog
areas, rivers and floodplains,
shorelines/coastal zones
Freshwater systems,
major river basins,
mountain ranges,
regional sea basins
Core areas –
outside protected
areas
Local nature reserves, water protection
areas, landscape protection areas,
Natura 2000 sites
Regional and National Parks and
wilderness zones (includes
Natura 2000 sites)
Ecological Networks with
cross-border areas, incl.
Natura 2000 network
Core
areas/protected
areas
Restored areas which were before
fragmented or degraded natural areas,
brownfield land or disused quarries;
transitional ecosystems due to land
abandonment or regeneration processes
Restored ecosystem types Restored Landscape
systems covering a
substantial part of
agricultural/forestry areas
and industrialised sites,
including cross-border
areas
Restoration zones
High nature value farmland and multi-use
forests (such as watershed forests);
protection forests (against avalanches,
mudslides, stonefall, forest fires), natural
buffers such as protection shorelines with
barrier beaches and salt marshes
Extensive agricultural
landscapes, sustainable forest
management on regional and
national level, functional riparian
systems
Transboundary
landscape features on
river basin or mountain
range level, sustainable
coastal and marine
management zones
related to the respective
sea basin
Sustainable use
zones
Street trees and avenues, city
forests/woodlands, high-quality green
public spaces and business
parks/premises; green roofs and vertical
gardens; allotments and orchards; storm
ponds and sustainable urban drainage
systems; city reserves incl. Natura 2000
Greenways, green belts,
metropolitan park systems
Metropolitan areas with
substantial share of high
quality green areas in
Europe, including
coherent approaches in
cross-border urban
zones.
Green urban and
peri-urban areas
Hedgerows, stone walls, small
woodlands, ponds, wildlife strips, riparian
river vegetation, transitional ecosystems
between cropland, grassland and forests
Multi-functional, sustainably
managed agricultural
landscapes, riparian systems
Supra-regional corridors,
substantial share of
structure-rich agricultural,
forestry or natural
landscapes
Natural connectivity
features
Eco-ducts, green bridges; animal tunnels
(e.g. for amphibians), fish passes, road
verges, ecological powerline corridor
management
De-fragmentated landscapes,
improved areas along transport
and energy networks, migration
corridors, river continuum
European-wide or
transnational
defragmentation actions
Artificial
connectivity
features
TEN-G?

11. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/ecosystems/index_en.htm
http://biodiversity.europa.eu/bise-catalogue, > Green Infrastructure
More information on DG ENV and BISE webpages:

12. Climate
Action
Mayors Adapt http://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu
/

13. Climate
Action
European Development Funds
• 11th European Development Fund (EDF)
• Regional and national programmes provide the opportunity to
include adaptation measures
• Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI)
• Global Public Goods and Challenges Programme (GPGC)
2 Flagships:
• Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA);
• Biodiversity for Life (B4Life)
More information see links on the final slide of this presentation
• Europe 2020 Strategy, devoting at least 20% of Multiannual
Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-20 for climate objectives,
climate mainstreaming into a range of EU policies
Mainstreaming of climate
action - adaptation and
mitigation - into EU policies
European Development
Funds (EDF, DCI)

14. Climate
Action
Disaster Risk Management and Climate
Change Adaptation
• The EU civil protection mechanism legislation promotes
exchange of good practices, incl. on preparing national civil
protection systems to cope with the impacts of climate
change
• Important to enhance synergies between the two
communities
• Promoting ecosystems for disaster risk reduction and
climate change adaptation (recent UNEP discussion paper)
14

15. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Ongoing research
Embedding ecosystem based approaches for disaster
risk reduction & CC adaptation in coastal areas
• Ecosystem-based measures analysed as part of an integrated
strategy to reduce vulnerability in coastal areas
• Holistic & participatory assessment of vulnerabilities & risks, modelling & new tools for risk
assessment and early warning, assessment of adaptation measures (effectiveness, cost,
benefits)
• Three ongoing research projects from FP7:
• RISES-AM-: Long-term assessment of CC impacts & vulnerabilities and adaptation needs in
coastal areas under high-end climate change
• Green solutions analysed in terms of CC mitigation and adaptation potential
• Representative Case Studies for different types of coastal zones
• PEARL: Adaptive, sociotechnical risk management measures and strategies for coastal
communities
• Holistic risk governance
• Platform to facilitate the sharing of best practices, European and International
• RISC-KIT: Toolkit of methods, tools and management approaches to reduce risk and increase
resilience
• Coastal Risk Assessment Framework
• Web-based management guide with innovative, cost-effective, ecosystem-based Disaster Risk
Reduction measures

16. Climate
Action
• EU research project EcoAdapt on
ecosystem-based strategies and
innovations in water governance
networks for adaptation to climate
change in Latin American Landscapes;
• SIDS – a joint project with UNEP, UNDP
and IUCN aims to strengthen the
resilience of coral reefs and associated
ecosystems that depend on them by
promoting ecosystem-based adaptation
and policies and actions
• Restoration of Mangroves, Senegal

17. The EU's BEST initiative
promoting conservation
and sustainable use of
Biodiversity in EU
Outermost Regions and
Overseas Countries and
Territories
Specific objective area:
develop and use
ecosystem-based
approaches to climate
change adaptation and
mitigation
http://ec.europa.eu/best

18. concluding remark
• Divest from measures which have negative
impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services
• Invest in measures which contribute to maintain
and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
• Use available EU financing instruments to
implement NbS, EbA, GI, eco-DRR !
• Invest in working with nature for people
• Empower people
• Encourage multisectoral partnerships
• SEEK CONVERGENCE IN IMPLEMENTATION
• Ecosystem-based approaches leading to
transition

19. more information
• http://www.unep.org/disastersandconflicts/portals/155/publications/
Eco_DRR_discussion_paper.pdf
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf
/42si_en.pdf
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf
/37si_en.pdf
• http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/node/37678_en
• http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/eu-biodiversity-life-b4life-flagship-
initiative-brochure_en
Thank you
for your
attention