Biodiversity

Why does biodiversity, focusing on forest and grassland ecosystems, matter?

Biodiversity underpins the ecosystem processes and functions that provide critical services to society. In turn actions that help conserve, restore or sustainably make use of biodiversity and ecosystems can provide adaptation benefits while also contributing to multiple facets of sustainable development. These include climate change mitigation, disaster risk reduction, and the maintenance of essential ecosystem services.

Forest and grassland ecosystems provide floodwater retention and slope stabilization and serve as windbreaks, while also providing food, fodder and innumerable recreational and cultural services. Actions to restore and conserve forest and grassland biodiversity and ecosystems also provide co-benefits to human health and well-being, including reducing the risk of disease transmission by reducing contact and the exchange of pathogens between humans and wildlife.

Closing knowledge gaps through partnership with the NWP expert group on biodiversity

Biodiversity, including forests and grasslands, is one of the priority areas under the Nairobi Work Programme (NWP) as mandated by SBSTA 48 and SBSTA 50. In response to the mandates provided to the NWP, twenty-five expert organizations were invited to join thethematic expert group on forest and grassland biodiversity and climate change adaptation.

The knowledge-to-action methodology

The NWP uses a knowledge-to-action methodology (see figure below) that guides knowledge co-development through partnerships. This collaborative approach responds to the adaptation needs of Parties, with an emphasis on developing countries, and supports the formulation of national adaptation plans and relevant mandates of UNFCCC constituted bodies. The approach has been refined over the years incorporating lessons learned.

Progress

Steps	Activities	Outputs
1) Scoping	Draft an initial paper to review and synthesize existing knowledge on biodiversity and climate change adaptation, with an emphasis on forest and grassland ecosystems
2) Engage with expert groups	Form an expert group on biodiversity and climate change Convene the first expert group meeting in July 2020 to examine knowledge gaps to address strategies to better integrate biodiversity and ecosystems into adaptation planning
3) Refinde knowledge	Develop a draft scoping paper with technical guidance from the expert groups and constituted bodies Organize a webinar to showcase findings from the draft scoping paper
4) Co-design actions	Convene the second meeting of the expert group, including constituted bodies to co-design and implement collaborative actions to address identified knowledge gaps
5) Report and disseminate findings		Disseminate the scoping paper: Knowledge gaps in integrating forest and grassland biodiversity and ecosystems into adaptation strategies Publish the briefing paper on Biodiversity and climate change adaptation: the role of forest and grassland ecosystems Design complementary Knowledge products to share key findings from the scoping paper
6) Facilitate partnerships to mobilize support	Co-design the 14th NWP Focal Point Forum with the expert group, constituted bodies and partners through the preparatory meeting Follow up on collaborative actions Organize the 14th Focal Point Forum on biodiversity and climate change adaptation in conjuction with COP 26, Glasgow	Publish the summary report of the 14th Focal Point Forum on biodiversity and climate change adaptation
7) Implementing action (more details)	Addressing gender inequities in forest and trees-based adaptation is key to addressing the climate urgency with LWPG and CIFOR Long-term Monitoring of Adaptation Organize EbA Knowledge Day Session: Long-term monitoring of the performance of EbA projects (September 2021) Organize the side event: Knowledge exchange on biodiversity for transformative adaptation action in conjuction with COP 27 Sharm el-Sheikh Present case studies and best practices about promoting synergies between NAPs and NBSAPs at NAP Expo 2023 in Chile	Produce the technical brief on Promoting Synergies Between Climate Change Adaptation and Biodiversity to explore the potential to foster synergies between the processes to formulate and implement NAPs and NBSAPs.

Next steps

Timeline	Action
Until end-of 2023	Strengthening Capacity for Long-Term Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning for Ecosystem-based Adaptation. To be published in 2023

Find out more & get involved

Learn more about our collaborative actions and be part of the solutions.

Share your knowledge resources on biodiversity and climate change adaptation with a focus on forests and grassland ecosystems on the Adaptation Knowledge Portal including case studies, tools and methods, and other resources

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