Effectiveness of ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation: review of the evidence-base

TLDR

Ecosystem‑based approaches for adaptation (EbA) integrate biodiversity and ecosystem services into strategies to help people adapt to climate change, yet most insight has come from anecdotal case studies of local peoples’ use of ecosystems. The study systematically mapped EbA‑relevant peer‑reviewed and grey literature to provide an overview of the evidence base on EbA effectiveness and to identify key knowledge gaps. The authors developed a stakeholder‑involved framework to assess the evidence base for EbA effectiveness. The review found that many studies on EbA address climatic variability and extremes, report positive effectiveness results, and document social, environmental, and economic benefits, but provide limited discussion of thresholds, limits, timescales, and costs, indicating gaps that need to be addressed.

Abstract

Ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation (EbA) integrate the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services into an overall strategy for helping people adapt to climate change. To date, however, insight into these approaches has often been based on anecdotal case studies of local peoples' use of ecosystems. A systematic map of EbA-relevant peer-reviewed literature, and a sample of grey literature, was undertaken to (1) give a methodical overview of the state of the evidence-base on EbA effectiveness and (2) identify key knowledge gaps. A framework was developed with stakeholders to assess the evidence-base for EbA effectiveness. The literature reviewed showed that much can be learnt about EbA from articles which considered climatic variability and climate extremes. Measures of the effectiveness of EbA-relevant interventions recorded in the articles showed positive results, although discussion of thresholds, limits and timescales related to these interventions was limited. Social, environmental and economic benefits of EbA interventions were in evidence in most articles, and though costs were discussed, this was limited in extent. It is concluded that the literature on EbA-relevant interventions addressing climatic variability, change, and linked extremes and natural hazards, contains some information that will support making the case for EbA, but the evidence-base has a number of gaps that should be addressed.