This handbook provides practical guidance for planning and implementing community-led ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in three vulnerable ecosystems: mountains, drylands and coastal areas. It is intended for project managers, practitioners and technical specialists. The guidance is structured around eight key steps in the project cycle, and includes general implementation protocols for EbA in each target ecosystem. It also includes an introduction to EbA which is intended for a broader audience, including policymakers.

The handbook is a joint product between UNEP-IEMP and IIED.

EbA South is a full-sized GEF project, funded through the Special Climate Change Fund. Officially known under the title “Enhancing Capacity, Knowledge and Technology Support to Build Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Developing Countries”, the project is implemented by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and executed by the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC) through the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGSNRR, CAS). The UNEP-International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP) is a UNEP collaborating centre based in China. It is the first centre in the South for the South and provides overall project management services, technical support and fosters South-South linkages for the project. This handbook is a product of the EbA South project.

For more information about EbA South, please visit: www.ebasouth.org.