Link to Atlas Project

Documents

Overview

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for leading and coordinating action on environment matters within the UN system. Within its mandate, UNEP aims to promote environmental sustainability while contributing to a balanced integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. UNEP, with support from the Government of Flanders and in close collaboration with the South African National Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), is implementing a project that seeks to “Increase Resilience and Reduce Vulnerabilities of rural communities to the Effects of Climate Change: Promoting Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EbA) in South Africa”. With adaptation efforts taking place in unequal power contexts, the project aims to address vulnerabilities to climate change impacts by integrating critical gender and human rights considerations into all aspects of EbA to meet the priorities and needs of all community members.

The aim of the project is to increase resilience and reduce vulnerabilities to the effects of climate change on communities in rural areas. The objectives are to support the mainstreaming of EBA within South Africa’s climate change response strategy and strengthening capacity for evidence-based policy and decision making in climate change adaptation.

Although EbA mapping has been carried out with identification of hotspots by DFFE, the different streams of EbA financing are not yet stablished.  It is crucial that the EBA financing mechanisms mapping process takes into consideration the different ways in which men and women are affected by and respond to climate change, as well as their access to finance.  The results of the mapping exercise will be packaged into a guidance tool for targeted stakeholders as well as a summary report on incentives and strategies for innovative sustainable EbA finance.