Biodiversity makes key contributions to the livelihoods and well-being of people and underpins ecosystem-based approaches to tackle and adapt to climate change. However, biodiversity continues to decline at alarming rates, with global losses greater over the last 50 years than at any other time in human history and few indications of a reduction in the rate of decline. Robust information on biodiversity and ecosystem services is increasingly identified as paramount to support decision-making around climate change, given the growing recognition of the role of ecosystem-based approaches to climate change mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

The National Ecosystem Assessment Initiative (NEA Initiative) at UNEP-WCMC supports countries conducting national ecosystem assessments. The NEA Initiative examined a selection of scoping and technical reports and communication strategies developed by country partners undergoing this process to better understand the different ways in which such assessments can inform and advance policy and action for climate change.