Strengthening resilience to climate change and protecting biodiversity

Context

Ecuador is particularly rich in species diversity and accounts for a major proportion of global biodiversity. The wealth of natural resources is one of the mainstays of the country’s economy and development. However, this wealth is under threat due to the ongoing degradation of sensitive ecosystems, such as tropical rainforest, dry forest, mangroves and upland moors. Ecuador is aware of the key importance of biodiversity and ecosystems for its economic and social development. The 2008 constitution grants rights to the natural world and declares the notion of ‘sumak kawsay’ (good living) to be a fundamental principle for the development of Ecuadorian society.

Objective

People living in fragile ecosystems are strengthening their resilience to environmental risks and risks related to climate change. They can respond in good time to changes and maintain their standard of living in the long term.

Approach

ProCamBío II supports the Ministry of Environment (MAE), the Ministry of Agriculture (MAG) and the Autonomous Decentralised Governments (GAD) in their efforts to increase the resilience of the population to climate change and to protect biodiversity. The project works with other cooperation partners on issues such as financing mechanisms, training concepts and management of fragile ecosystems.

The project operates at national and local level:

• Strengthening the capacity for policy-making, planning and implementation:
  The project is supporting Ecuadorian government institutions in developing and implementing an integrated management system for fragile ecosystems that is robust to climate change. At national level, the project promotes learning processes between the decentralised government units and local user groups in cooperation with universities, as well as south-south cooperation at regional level, in other words cooperation between developing countries. In the process, the partner institutions establish sustainable and holistic solutions.
• Implementation of models and instruments:
  In order to strengthen the resilience and adaptability of the population, ProCamBío II is devising productive and biodiversity-preserving measures together with the state, the private sector and user groups. Particular attention is paid to climate-related and environmental risks in the respective ecosystems.
• Sustainable financing:
  In close cooperation with private and public actors, the project is tapping new and/or supplementary sources of financing. This improves the conditions for investments in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and facilitates access to international funds, which in turn contributes to the financial sustainability of the activities.