Friends of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (FEBA) is an international network of civil and governmental organizations dedicated to advancing environmental conservation and climate action in the Global South. FEBA maintains that nature-based management reduces the negative impact of climate change on human populations while supporting sustainable development and biodiversity. 1
The International Union for Conservation of Nature serves as FEBA’s administrative agency. The International Climate Initiative (IKI) coordinates FEBA’s activities. 2 IKI is a program of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) of the Federal Republic of Germany. 3
Ecosystem-based Adaptation
Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) leverages natural ecosystems to lower greenhouse gas emissions, increase the resilience of human populations in the face of climate change, preserve carbon sinks, increase biological diversity, and improve food security. It seeks to protect, restore, and sustainably manage natural and modified ecosystems to “benefit people and nature at the same time.” 4
Examples include the restoration of mangrove forests in tropical areas to reduce storm surges and coastal erosion; 5 planting shade trees amidst crops to regulate temperature, improve agricultural productivity, and increase biodiversity; 6 and using locally available natural materials, such as rock debris, to construct small dams to prevent flooding. 7
Activities and Administration
Friends of Ecosystem-based Adaptation convenes the international community to facilitate Ecosystem-based Adaptation solutions to environmental challenges. It does so through working groups, joint publications, technical workshops, and presentations at international meetings. 8
The FEBA network is comprised of more than 100 government ministries and sub-agencies, United Nations bodies, research centers, NGOs, and universities. United States members include the Smithsonian Institution, the Ohio State University, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Many of the world’s largest international development and environmental organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, Catholic Relief Services, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), Mercy Corps, and the World Resources Institute (WRI), are members. The principal UN environmental agencies are represented. 9
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is responsible for FEBA’s day-to-day administration. 10 IUCN is a global membership union of 1,400 government and civil society organizations based in Switzerland. 11
The IKI, FEBAs coordinating agency, was founded by the German government in 2008. Three cabinet-level ministries are responsible for overseeing its activities: the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, BMUV, and the Federal Foreign Office. IKIs actions are aligned with the Strategy on Climate Foreign Policy of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. A federally owned German company, Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH, serves as IKI’s project management agency providing technical support and project evaluations. 12
Controversies
Advocacy organizations representing indigenous peoples have objected to Ecosystem-based Adaptation. 13
Two such organizations, Cultural Survival 14 and Forest Peoples Programme, 15 accuse EbA defenders of ignoring the land tenure rights, civil rights, and ecosystem knowledge of Indigenous peoples while allying with oil, mining, lumber, and other environmentally damaging industries to evict them from their homelands and harm the environment. Both organizations claim that, “Colonialism caused climate change. Our rights and Traditional Knowledge are the solution.” 16 17
References
- Friends of EbA (FEBA). “Friends of EbA (FEBA).” Accessed June 25, 2024. https://friendsofeba.com/
- “FEBA Journey at COP27 | IUCN.” Accessed June 27, 2024. https://www.iucn.org/
- Bundesumweltministeriums. “Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection.” Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, June 25, 2024. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.bmuv.de/WS1-1
- “Nature-Based Solutions | IUCN.” Accessed June 27, 2024. https://www.iucn.org/our-work/nature-based-solutions
- World Bank. “Mangrove Conservation and Restoration: Protecting Indonesia’s Climate Guardians for People and the Planet.” Text/HTML. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/07/26/mangrove-conservation-and-restoration-protecting-indonesia-climate-guardians
- World Economic Forum. “What are nature-based solutions and how can they be harnessed to tackle climate change?” December 2, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/12/what-are-nature-based-solutions-tackle-climate-crisis/
- The White House. “Nature Based Solutions Resource Guide 2022.” https://www.whitehouse.gov
- Friends of EbA (FEBA). “Annual Newsletter,” January 19, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://friendsofeba.com/feba-annual-newsletter/
- Friends of EbA (FEBA). “FEBA Members,” January 15, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://friendsofeba.com/feba-members/
- Global EbA Fund. “About.” Accessed June 29, 2024. https://globalebafund.org/about/
- Environment, U. N. “The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).” UNEP – UN Environment Programme, December 21, 2020. Accessed June 29, 2024. http://www.unep.org/explore-topics/oceans-seas/what-we-do/working-regional-seas/partners/international-union
- International Climate Initiative. “International Climate Initiative.” Accessed June 29, 2024. https://www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/
- Melanidis, Marina Stavroula, and Shannon Hagerman. “Competing Narratives of Nature-Based Solutions: Leveraging the Power of Nature or Dangerous Distraction?” Environmental Science & Policy 132 (June 1, 2022): 273–81. Accessed June 30, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2022.02.028
- “About Us | Cultural Survival.” Accessed June 30, 2024. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/about
- Forest Peoples Programme. “Forest Peoples Programme.” Accessed June 30, 2024. https://www.forestpeoples.org/
- “Nature-Based Solutions Are False Climate Change Solutions: Indigenous Peoples Hold the True Solutions to Climate Change | Cultural Survival,” March 2, 2022. Accessed June 30, 2024. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/nature-based-solutions-are-false-climate-change-solutions
- Forest Peoples Programme. “Re-thinking Nature-based Solutions. Briefing Paper 2021.” Accessed June 30, 2024. https://www.forestpeoples.org/en/briefing-paper/2021/re-thinking-nature-based-solutions