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Ecosystem-based adaptation in Africa: integrating mitigation and adaptation

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Abstract

Africa is vulnerable to a diverse range of climate change hazards that have significant impacts on food security, biodiversity loss, water crises and prevalence of infectious diseases. With much of the continent’s population reliant on ecosystems to sustain their livelihoods, degradation of ecosystems caused by both climatic and non-climatic stressors is increasing vulnerability, reducing adaptation potential and limiting progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) presents a critical opportunity to address complex climate change vulnerabilities and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions across Africa. This study examines both the proposed extent of EbA actions across Africa and assesses alignment with existing research on EbA actions. A quantitative assessment of 52 Nationally Determined Contributions together with a review of available academic literature is undertaken. Results show that out of the 713 individual adaptation actions, 36.2% can be classified as EbA. The four sectors of agriculture, environment, forestry/land use and land use change, and water contribute ~ 82.5% of the total number of EbA actions identified across the continent. The meta-analysis revealed that 58% of EbA-focused research papers explicitly address or reference mitigation co-benefits. However, research on EbA actions focuses on mitigation and adaptation independently with little focus on integration of these outcomes. Understanding the current status of EbA and its integration of mitigation and adaptation provides a solid foundation for scaling up efforts to adapt to the current and impending impacts of climate change across Africa. Limited resources necessitate a structured and programmatic approach towards scaling up the implementation of EbA mitigation synergies.

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Notes

  1. It was possible for one paper to speak about cases from one or more sub-region, as well as more than one EbA category. Where one paper had multiple EbA categories mentioned within from separate sub-regions, it was recorded as a single paper (i.e. one of the 78), but then each mutually exclusive EbA action was broken down further. For instance, Reid, Jones and Porras (2019) discuss EbA actions across 13 sites from two sub-regions—which led to several unique EbA actions for East and West Africa.

  2. See: UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism: https://cdm.unfccc.int/.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge all those who assisted in the development of this paper from its conception, through insightful comments, suggestions and discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sustainable Development Africa, Cape Town, South Africa

    Jonty Rawlins

  2. Ernst & Young, Dublin, Ireland

    Struan Monteith

  3. School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia

    Felix Kanungwe Kalaba

  4. Centre for Sustainability Transitions, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Hayley S. Clements

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  1. Jonty Rawlins
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Rawlins, J., Monteith, S., Kalaba, F.K. et al. Ecosystem-based adaptation in Africa: integrating mitigation and adaptation. Reg Environ Change 23, 46 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-023-02035-0

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