EbA Framework

Photographer: José Manuel Ramírez Brenis

1. What is Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA)?

Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) is defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as: “the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall strategy to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change”.¹ In simple terms, EbA is an approach to climate change adaptation that uses the protection, sustainable management and restoration of ecosystems to help reduce people’s vulnerability and strengthen resilience to climate impacts. It is a people-centered and climate-responsive approach that integrates ecological and social systems, and recognizes that healthy ecosystems and human wellbeing are deeply connected. EbA relies on natural systems such as forests, wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs and grasslands to reduce climate risks. These ecosystems act as natural buffers against extreme weather events, regulate water cycles, protect coastlines, improve soul health and support livelihoods.

Examples of EbA in practice include:

Mangroves reduce storm surges and coastal flooding by acting as natural barriers. During a major hurricane in Florida, Mangroves reduced inundation area of ~1,800 Km2.² In the Caribbean, mangrove restoration projects (e.g. in Belize and Cuba) have been shown to significantly reduce wave energy and protect coastal communities and infrastructure during hurricanes.
Reforestation in upland watersheds helps regulate water flow, reducing floods peaks during heavy rainfall and maintaining water availability during dry periods.. In Caribbean island contexts such as the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, watershed restoration is widely used to protect water supplies for downstream communities and agriculture.
Wetlands absorb excess rainfall and reduce flood risk while improving water quality by filtering sediments and pollutants. In Caribbean coastal lagoons and inland wetlands, conservation and restoration efforts help buffer storm impacts and improve ecosystem health in surrounding communities. Other case studies have shown that wetland filtering processes have been shown to remove multiple pollutants.³
Healthy coral reefs reduce wave energy before it reaches shorelines and support fisheries that many Caribbean communities depend on. Studies in the wider Caribbean have shown that reef degradation can increase coastal flood exposure significantly, while restored reefs improve shoreline protection and fish habitat recovery.
Urban green spaces reduce heat in cities and improve climate comfort. A spatial analysis reported that urban green spaces significantly lowers land surface temperatures, showing measurable cooling effects.⁴ Data has shown that the green spaces recorded lesser temperatures.
Climate-resilient agricultural practices such as agroforestry, mulching and cover cropping improve soil moisture retention, reduce erosion and increase resilience to droughts and irregular rainfall. In Caribbean dryland farming systems, these practices are increasingly used to support food security under climate stress.

Key global EbA resources:

For more in-depth guidance, explore:

CBD Voluntary Guidelines (2018): Practical guidance for designing and implementing EbA and Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR).⁵
UNEP Guidelines for Integrating EbA into NAPs (2021): This comprehensive supplement to the UNFCCC National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Technical Guidelines Supports countries in integrating ecosystem-based approaches into NAP process and instruments.⁶
FEBA EbA Qualification Criteria & Quality Standards (2017/2022): A practical assessment tool defining what constitutes high quality EbA.⁷
IUCN Eba resources: Guidance and case studies on nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and resilience.⁸

2. Why consider EbA in projects and policies?

EbA is increasingly recognized as a cost-effective, multifunctional and sustainable approach to climate change adaptation that simultaneously provides social, economic and environmental benefits.

Key benefits of EbA include⁹:

Cost- Effectiveness: EbA, as a form of Nature-based Solution, can be more affordable than traditional engineered infrastructure while delivering a wide range of environmental and social benefits.
Multiple Benefits: One intervention, i.e. watershed restoration, can simultaneously reduce floods risk, improve water quality, store carbon, support biodiversity and enhance livelihoods.
Climate resilience: Healthy ecosystems reduce exposure to climate hazards and increase system recovery after shocks.¹⁰
Disaster risk reduction: Mangroves, forests and wetlands act as natural buffers against extreme weather events i.e., storms, floods, droughts and heatwaves, reducing both the frequency and severity of climate-related losses.
Social equity and community participation: EbA often involves local and indigenous communities, their practices and local knowledge, strengthening participation and livelihoods.
Long-Term sustainability: Ecosystem restoration provides lasting benefits by strengthening ecosystem health and enhancing community resilience to climate shocks over time.
Mainstreaming nature in planning: EbA in projects and policy helps planners, engineers and policy makers to think systemically about nature and long-term sustainability. Mainstreaming nature into policies and projects better position them to access the growing pool of climate finance.¹¹
Alignment with global frameworks: EbA projects help countries that have signed Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the UN Sustainable Development (SDGs) to integrate action on climate and nature. EbA directly contributes to targets under all these frameworks, helping countries meet international obligations.

Evidence base and key resources

Evidence on the effectiveness of EbA approaches for reducing climate risk, enhancing resilience and supporting sustainable development is supported by a growing body of global assessments and technical guidance. Key references include:

Global Commission on Adaptation (2019), “Adapt Now: A Global Call for Leadership on Climate Resilience”. https://gca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/GlobalCommission_Report_FINAL.pdf
UNEP (2021), “Guidelines for Integrating Ecosystem-based Adaptation into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)”. https://www.unep.org/resources/toolkits-manuals-and-guides/guidelines-integrating-ecosystem-based-adaptation-eba
IPCC (2022), Sixth Assessment Report – Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

3. Why is EbA important in the Caribbean?

he Caribbean is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world. Small island states face increasing exposure to hurricanes, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, ocean warming, coral bleaching and changing rainfall patterns. Without urgent action to protect and restore ecosystems, climate impacts could severely undermine the region habitability and development pathways.¹²

The region’s economies depend heavily on tourism, fisheries and coastal infrastructures, making climate impacts particularly severe for livelihoods, food security and economic development. In this context, EbA is not an optional approach, but one of the most practical, cost-effective and culturally grounded strategies for building resilience and sustainability in the Caribbean.

Key climate and ecosystem challenges in the Caribbean:

· Intensifying hurricanes: The Caribbean lies within the Atlantic hurricane belt and is increasingly exposed to the impacts of climate change, i.e. stronger and wetter, storms causing catastrophic damage to ecosystems and communities. On average, the Atlantic basin produces named storms per year, including 7 hurricanes (NOAA). Hurricane Maria (2017) caused damages equivalent to 225% of GDP in Dominica, while Hurricane Ivan (2004) caused damages exceeding 200% of GDP in Grenada.¹³
Sea-Level Rise: Sea levels in the Caribbean have been rising at approximately 3.0-3.4 mm per year since the 1990s, slightly above the global average. According to IPCC AR6; sea levels could rise by 0.28m-1.0m by 2010 under high emissions scenarios. Over 70% of infrastructure in the region is located in coastal zones, including key tourism hubs.
Coral reef decline: Rising sea temperatures are driving widespread coral bleaching. Since the 1980s, Caribbean has lost approximately 48% of its coral cover. In Jamaica, coral cover declined from around 48% in the 1970s to 10% today¹⁴, reducing coastal protection and fisheries productivity.
Mangroves loss: The Caribbean hosts 12% of the global mangrove cover, that protects hundreds of endemic species of fish and other marine life.¹⁵ However, mangroves ecosystems in the region have declined by almost 7,000 km2 in just three decades since the 1980s. If this stays the same, Caribbean mangroves could disappear within 60 years.¹⁶
Tourism dependence: Tourism is a key economic pillar across the Caribbean, but infrastructure is highly exposed to climate impacts. Hurricanes such as Maria (2017) caused severe damage to hotels and resorts, with long-term impacts on tourism revenues in Dominica, Puerto Rico and other islands.
Water insecurity: Many Caribbean islands depend heavily on limited freshwater resources. Climate change is expected to reduce rainfall by up to 20-30% in some areas by 2050, increasing water stress.¹⁷
Fisheries decline: Fisheries are essential for food security and livelihoods, but ecosystem degradation, extreme weather events and ocean warming have contributed to the decline of many fish species in the Caribbean.
Increased drought risk: Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe due to changing rainfall patterns, higher temperatures and climate variability such as El Nino, with major implications for agriculture and ecosystems.
Biodiversity hotspots: The Caribbean is a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot with high levels of endemism, making ecosystem loss particularly significant.
Cultural and indigenous connections to nature: Many Caribbean communities, including the Kalinago in Dominica and Garifuna communities across the region, maintain deep cultural, spiritual and livelihood connections to the natural environment.

Why EbA matters in this context

Given this combination of high exposure and ecological dependence, EbA is particularly relevant in the Caribbean. It offers a way to strengthen resilience by working with natural systems that already provide protection, livelihoods and ecosystem services.

Although the Caribbean contributes only a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emission, it is disproportionately affected by climate change impacts. Projections indicate that climate-related damages could increase from around 5% of regional GDP in 2025 to over 20% by 2100 under current trajectories, underscoring the urgency of action.¹⁸

Real-world EbA in action

Caribbean Biological Corridor: An IKI-funded initiative supporting ecosystem restoration and EbA implementation across vulnerable rural landscapes. The project has restored and conserved over 2,600 hectares of land, distributed more than 1.7 million fruit and forest tree seedlings, supported 1,140 rural households, and improved access to safe water for 695 households. More than 10,800 people have been reached through training and awareness campaigns.¹⁹
Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF): Has mobilized and disbursed USD 27.6 million supporting 26 projects across 9 Caribbean countries, including multiple mangrove restoration and coastal ecosystem initiatives, demonstrating growing regional investment in EbA at scale.²⁰
Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (GEF): A major regional initiative that includes Caribbean coastal zones of Central America, supporting forest conservation, ecosystem connectivity and climate resilience through large-scale landscape restoration and protected areas strengthening.²¹

Caribbean EbA in Action

Explore real examples from the region:

Jamaica case study
Antigua & Barbuda case study
Dominican Republic case study

4. What can EbA look like in practice?

EbA is applied in many different ways depending on the ecosystem and local context. At its core, it works by aligning natural processes with climate adaptation needs, reducing climate risk while supporting livelihoods and biodiversity.

For example, in coastal areas, restoring mangrove ecosystem can reduce wave energy helps during storms while supporting fisheries and local incomes. In mountainous or upstream areas, restoring forest helps stabilize soils, reduce landslides and regulate water flow, lowering both flood and drought risks.

Across different ecosystems and interventions, effective EbA is underpinned by common principles, including reducing vulnerability, delivering social benefits, restoring ecosystem health, integrating with policies and supporting inclusive governance. These are reflected in frameworks such as the FEBA EbA criteria and quality standards, to guide practitioners in effective implementation of climate adaptation strategies while avoiding maladaptation and fostering sustainable development.²²

Examples of EbA in practice

Type of EbA intervention	What it involves	Key benefits
Mangrove restoration	Restores coastal vegetation through planting and natural regeneration to recover ecosystem functions.	Reduces storm surge and wave energy; protects coastlines; supports fisheries and livelihoods.
Coral reef restoration	Rehabilitates reef structures through coral gardening or artificial substrates.	Enhances coastal protection; supports fisheries; maintains tourism value.
Watershed and riparian restoration	Restores forests and vegetation in upstream areas and along rivers.	Regulates water flow; reduces flood and drought risks; improves water quality.
Sustainable land and agriculture management	Applies practices such as agroforestry, soil conservation and regenerative agriculture.	Improves soil moisture; reduces erosion; strengthens resilience to changing rainfall.
Coastal ecosystem conservation	Protects mangroves, seagrasses and wetlands through conservation and sustainable use measures.	Maintains natural buffers; preserves biodiversity; supports long-term ecosystem resilience.
Livelihood diversification	Supports nature-based income options such as beekeeping, ecotourism or sustainable fisheries.	Reduces vulnerability; enhances income stability; strengthens community resilience.

Types of EbA measures

In practice, EbA is not limited to on the ground restoration. If often combines different types of actions²³:

Technical measures: Ecosystem restoration or conservation (e.g. Mangroves, reefs, forests).
Policy and governance measures. Strengthening cross-sector cooperation, multi-stakeholder participation and enabling frameworks.
Capacity development: Training institutions and communities to designed and implement EbA.
Research and monitoring: Building the evidence base and supporting adaptive management. .

Explore related examples

Discover how these approaches are being applied in practice:

Jamaica case study
Antigua & Barbuda case study
Dominican Republic case study

Browse the Resource library for tools, case studies and technical guidance on EbA implementation.

5. Key elements of good EbA design

Effective EbA requires careful planning and integration across ecological, social and policy dimensions. A well-designed EbA approach ensures that ecosystems deliver climate resilience, biodiversity benefits and sustainable livelihood over the long term.sential to assess effectiveness and guide ongoing improvements. Monitoring should include ecological indicators (e.g. vegetation cover, species richness, soil quality), socio-economic indicators (e.g. community access to resources, livelihoods, social inclusion) and climate risk indicators (e.g. frequency and severity of hazards). Tools such as remote sensing, GIS mapping, and field survey data can support data collection. Knowledge management ensures that lessons learned, best practices and local insights are documented, shared and used to inform future decision-making at both local and policy levels.

Drawing on guidance from CBD, IUCN and UNEP, the following elements are key to designing and implementing effective EbA:

Climate risk and vulnerability assessment:
EbA design should be grounded in a clear understanding of climate risks, including hazards such as floods, droughts, storms and sea-level rise. This involves identifying who and what is exposed, including communities, infrastructure and ecosystems, and assessing their sensitivity and adaptative capacity. Baseline data, historical trends and local knowledge can help identify vulnerability hotspots and prioritize action.
Intentional use of ecosystem services:
EbA should deliberately use ecosystem services to address specific climate risks. This means identifying which ecosystem functions, such as water regulation, coastal protection or soil stabilization, can reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience. Interventions should be designed to maximize adaptation benefits while maintaining ecosystem integrity.
Co-creation with local communities:
Effective EbA is developed with communities, not for them. Engaging local stakeholders throughout the design and implementation process helps ensure that interventions are context-specific, inclusive, and sustainable. Co-creation strengthens ownership, builds trust and increases the likelihood of long-term success. By doing this EBA solutions can become more practical, equitable and effective in addressing real climate challenges and supporting local needs.
Integration of traditional and local knowledge:
Traditional ecological knowledge provides valuable, place-based insights into ecosystem management and climate resilience. Combining scientific and local knowledge leads to more robust, culturally appropriate and effective solutions, while also supporting social cohesion and recognition of community rights.
Multiple benefits and integrated approach:
EbA interventions should aim to deliver environmental, social and economic benefits simultaneously. For example, restoring wetlands can reduce flood risk, improve water quality, support biodiversity and enhance livelihoods. Designing for multiple benefits helps increase cost-effectiveness and reduce trade-offs across sectors.
Adaptive management, flexibility and scalability:
Climate change introduces uncertainty, variability and emerging risks that require EbA interventions to remain flexible over time. Effective EbA is therefore not based on fixed designs, but on approaches that can adapt, evolve and respond to new information and changing conditions. Adaptive management provides the operational framework for this. It involves continuous monitoring, learning and iterative decision-making, where strategies are regularly reviewed and adjusted based on observed outcomes, new data and community feedback. Flexibility is essential to ensure that interventions can be modified in response to climate variability, ecosystem changes or shifting socio-economic conditions, rather than becoming ineffective under new circumstances. Scalability refers to the ability to expand or replicate successful EbA approaches across different landscapes or contexts, while still being tailored to local ecological and social context. Together, these principles ensure that EbA interventions are dynamic rather than static, increasing their long-term effectiveness and resilience in the face of uncertainty.
Monitoring, evaluation and knowledge management:
EbA interventions often take time to deliver full results, making monitoring and evaluation (M&E) essential to assess effectiveness and guide ongoing improvements. Monitoring should include ecological indicators (e.g. vegetation cover, species richness, soil quality), socio-economic indicators (e.g. community access to resources, livelihoods, social inclusion) and climate risk indicators (e.g. frequency and severity of hazards). Tools such as remote sensing, GIS mapping, and field survey data can support data collection. Knowledge management ensures that lessons learned, best practices and local insights are documented, shared and used to inform future decision-making at both local and policy levels.

Supporting tools and resources

A wide range of tools and guidance materials are available to support the design and implementation of EbA, including vulnerability assessment methodologies and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

Explore the Resource library to access practical tools, guidance and case studies that support each of these elements.

6. EbA Key Resources

A wide range of global and regional resources are available to support the design and implementation of EbA.

This section highlights a curated selection of key resources to help users quickly access essential guidance, tools and frameworks. For more detailed and searchable materials, the platform also offers a dedicated Resource library with a focus on the Caribbean context.

Selected global and regional resources:

IUCN EbA and NbS resources: A comprehensive collection of guidance, tools and case studies on ecosystem-based approaches to climate adaptation and resilience. https://portals.iucn.org/library/taxonomy/term/70184
UNEP- Global EbA Fund: Supports innovative EbA projects worldwide and provides practical insights, case studies and learning from implementation. https://www.unep.org/gan/what-we-do/global-eba-fund
FEBA- EbA Criteria and Standards: Provides a widely recognised framework to define, assess and design high-quality EbA interventions, including key principles and quality standards. https://friendsofeba.com/eba-criteria/
Global EbA Fund (Global Adaptation Network) : https://globalebafund.org/resources/
Global EbA Fund (Global Adaptation Network): Provides access to resources, learning materuals and practical guidance to support the design and implementation of EbA initiatives. https://www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/project/global-eba-fund-support-for-the-implementation-and-upscaling-of-ecosystem-based-adaptation-19-ii-182-global-m-global-eba-fund/
EbA Tools Navigator (NDC Partnership): An interactive tool that helps users identify relevant methodologies, tools and guidance for planning and implementing EbA and climate adaptation actions. https://ndcpartnership.org/knowledge-portal/climate-toolbox/eba-tools-navigator
WeADAPT Knowledge platform: A global collaborative platform offering case studies, tools and expert knowledge on climate adaptation and EbA. https://weadapt.org/
CARICOAST (Caribbean Coastal Climate Resilience Network): A regional community of practice that shares knowledge, case studies and experiences on coastal adaptation and resilience in the Caribbean.https://weadapt.org/knowledge-base/caricoast-caribbean-coastal-climate-resilience/
PANORAMA – Solutions for a Healthy Planet: A global platform showcasing replicable solutions, including many EbA and nature-based approaches across different regions. https://panorama.solutions/en

Explore more on this platform

The platform’s Resource library allows users to:

Search for EbA resources by ecosystem, country or theme.
Access case studies, tools, reports and multimedia context.
Explore evidence and lessons learned from across the Caribbean.

Visit the Resource library to explore EbA knowledge tailored to the region.

Learn from Caribbean EbA in practice

Explore country case studies from:

Jamaica
Antigua & Barbuda
Dominican Republic

These case studies showcase how EbA is being implemented in practice, including interventions, lessons learned and opportunities for replication and scaling.