Emerging responses to global climate change: Ecosystembased adaptation

Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) has recently emerged as an important way to address the impacts of climate change. EbA suggests that harnessing ecosystem services can help communities adapt to climate change, thereby limiting threats to social systems and human security. What are the arguments for and against EbA? Who favours EbA? What does EbA mean in practice? What are the limits to EbA as global average temperature rises? Reviewing documents of non-governmental organisations, governments, intergovernmental organisations and scholars helps answer these and related questions. As climate change results in increasing challenges for society, the more important all forms of adaptation, including EbA, will become. Yet, while useful and appropriate in certain contexts, EbA might not be sufficient if climate disruption becomes severe, which would require consideration of a transformational change in global institutions and practices.