I have been involved in a project led by Dr. Kathy MacKinnon in the World Bank Environment department on analysis of ecosystem-based approaches for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The results of our study have been published in, "Convenient Solutions to an Inconvenient Truth: Ecosystem-based Approaches to Climate Change" (Link to the electronic version).
Current efforts to address climate change focus on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly through cleaner energy strategies, and on attempting to reduce vulnerability of communities at risk by improving infrastructure to meet new energy and water needs. This report attempts to set out a compelling argument for including ecosystem-based approaches to mitigation and adaptation an essential component in national strategies to address climate change. Such ecosystem-based strategies can offer cost-effective, proven and sustainable solutions contributing to, and complementing, other national and regional adaptation strategies.
Click here to see the discussion generated by this report.