Environmental protection and climate change adaptation to build local and national resilient economies: dividends of Nature-Based Solutions

Organized by:
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Issue-based Coalition on Environment and Climate Change (IBC)
International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

 14:00-15:00 GMT-5
 1 November 2021
 Parallel session 1
 Virtual

This interactive session focuses on the dividends of Nature-Based Solutions. Nature-based solutions – including the conservation, rehabilitation and sustainable management of key ecosystems – have the potential to cost-effectively achieve ecological, social, and economic goals. Amongst a multitude of benefits, nature-based solutions have the potential to promote long-term resilience across multiple sectors with demonstrable positive impact on local economies. 
The goals of this interactive session are:

• To discuss the concepts of nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation as measures for adaptation and risk reduction in the frame of national plans for managing climate impacts.
• To present the opportunities that nature-based solutions provide in building back better and creating resilient local and national economies through their various co-benefits to communities and local livelihoods, as demonstrated by experience.
• To share experiences of national and local governments in the LAC region that have favoured nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation as their principal approach in managing climate risk.

Panelists

Odalys Goicochea
General Director for the Environment, CITMA, Government of Cuba

Leticia Gutierrez
General Director on Policy Coordination and Environmental Culture, Ministry of Environment, Mexico City, Mexico

Kevin P. Douglas
Manager, Emergency Services Section, Jamaica Red Cross

Laura Kuhl
Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and International Affairs, Global Resilience Institute, Northeastern University 

Lyes Ferroukhi
Regional Technical Lead, NCE Team, United Nations Development Programme, Latin America and the Caribbean

Montserrat Xilotl
Regional Technical Specialist in Climate Adaptation, United Nations Programme for Development (UNDP)