The web-platform “Ecosystem-based Adaptation through South-South Cooperation” (EbA South, ebasouth.org) was developed in 2014 as one of the key deliverables of the joint UN Environment-China project EbA South, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The purpose of the platform is twofold. On one hand, it aims to become an online “hub” for promoting the concept and principles of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), for enhancing awareness of the benefits of this approach and for sharing good practice examples of on-the-ground EbA interventions. On the other hand, the platform intends to support the creation of an online community of EbA experts and stakeholders “in the South and for the South”, sharing experiences and lessons learnt that are of particular interest to the developing countries.

Beyond the duration and scope of the EbA South project, the web-platform will also become a long-term undertaking for knowledge sharing, with a focus on ecosystem management for livelihoods improvement, in the context of climate change and from a South-South cooperation perspective. It is therefore best placed to become the main knowledge sharing and communication channel for UNEP-IEMP’s flagship programme on Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CEL).

The heart of the web-platform is its Good Practice Case Studies Database, which aims to collect, analyze and disseminate good practices that can be shared amongst developing countries. Key features include sharing China’s wealth of experiences and analyzing good practices against a set of principles (knowledge building, inclusiveness, financial sustainability, transferability among others).

In this context, the EbA South team is organizing a seminar with the following objectives:
– Presenting the structure and features of the EbA South web platform, and in particular the good practice case studies database.
– Discussing possible good practices from China that could be added to the database.
– Brainstorming on the possible transition of the EbA South web platform to broaden its scope and become a knowledge sharing hub and main communication channel for CEL.