Island and Ocean Ecosystems
A series of pre-conference workshops are scheduled to be held in the lead-up to the second Pacific Climate Change Conference next week, with one of them set to shine the spotlight on Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change.

Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is a holistic approach to adaptation planning that seeks to harness the potential of healthy ecosystems and biodiversity to strengthen social and ecological resilience.

The workshop, which will be hosted by the Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) at the university's Pipitea Campus, will be facilitated by Dr Paul Blaschke of the VUW's School of Environment, Geography and Earth Sciences, and Mr David Loubser, the Pacific Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change (PEBACC) Vanuatu Country Manager.

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Mangrove planting, a nature-based solution to help protect shorelines from
increasing coastal erosion in Taveuni. Photo: PEBACC

The PEBACC Project is a five year project implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the governments of Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. This project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB).

The project will be at the core of the "Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change across the Pacific" workshop, introducing participants to EbA assessment case studies drawn from actual developments in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu under the PEBACC Project. Participants will be tasked with brainstorming approaches and solutions for identifying EbA interventions areas across the region.

It will also examine the potential of EbA as an intervention strategy for the Pacific islands and the barriers to successful adaptation strategies and programmes.

"Ultimately what we would like to achieve, through this workshop specifically and the conference in general, is a greater understanding of EbA as a cost effective alternative or supplement to traditional engineered adaptation approaches," said Mr Loubser.

"The approach we followed in our three target countries needs to be evaluated to ensure it is fit for purpose across the whole region. This workshop gives us an opportunity to work with climate change professionals from across the Pacific, to ensure we have an approach suitable for all scenarios and environments."

The "Ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change across the Pacific" workshop will be held on Tuesday, 20 February at the Pipitea Campus of the Victoria University before the Second Pacific Climate Change Conference which starts on Wednesday 21 February, 2018.  

For more information please contact Ms Jilda Shem, PEBACC Project Communications Officer, at
[email protected].