Mangroves are vital ecosystems that foster biodiversity, reduce climate risks such as coastal flooding and erosion, and support climate adaptation among adjacent coastal communities. Yet a recent global assessment by IUCN indicates that more than half of the world’s mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse by 2050 due to climate risks such as sea-level rise and severe storms and other human induced threats such as deforestation, pollution, and development.

Organizations and community partners are working to restore and conserve vital mangrove ecosystems through a Nature-based Solutions (NbS) approach that seeks to deliver climate action while supporting biodiversity, social, and economic co-benefits and promotion of sustainable conservation initiatives in coastal communities.

Join us on June 10 for an insightful event hosted by AKFC and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in collaboration with the Nature-Based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice.

In an effort to support capacity building for effective NbS initiatives in mangrove ecosystems, this session will offer:

• Key findings of the IUCN’s newly released Global Mangrove Assessment
• Best practices in mangrove conservation and restoration
• Case studies on NbS initiatives in mangrove ecosystems
• Application of Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) in mangrove ecosystems
• Financing options for mangrove conservation

Speakers

• Andrea Bassi, Senior Associate, International Institute for Sustainable Development

Project: Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) of mangrove ecosystems

• Anete Berzina-Rodrigo, Project Manager, IUCN Oceans Team

Project: Financing for Mangrove Conservation

• Didier Van Bignoot, Global Advisor, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security, Aga Khan Foundation

Project: Community-based Mangrove Initiatives

• Francis Okalo, Program Manager – Coastal and Oceans Resilience, IUCN

Project: From Global to Local — Regenerative Seascapes for People, Climate and Planet (ReSea) & Save Our Mangroves Now! (SOMN) Initiatives

• Frédérique Thomas, Senegal Director, Société de coopération pour le développement international (SOCODEVI )

Project: Empowering coastal communities and women through mangrove conservation, Natur’ELLE project, Senegal

• Joseph Wong, Founder, Reach Alliance & Vice-President, International, University of Toronto

Project: Mangrove Conservation and Blue Carbon Initiatives in Coastal Kenya

• Kerry Max, Deputy Director, Partnering for Climate, Global Affairs Canada

• Marcos Valderrábano, Program Manager, IUCN

Project: Global IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Mangrove Assessment

To request an accommodation or any other inquiries, please contact us at akfc.events@akdn.org.

About the organizers

This event is co-hosted by the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and in partnership with the Nature-Based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice.

AKFC’s Speaker Series on Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation

This event is part of AKFC’s Speaker Series on Climate Change Resilience and the Nature-Based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice, supported by Global Affairs Canada. It is the fourth in a series of events focused on NbS for adaptation, with previous sessions co-hosted with IISD.

The series aims to bring together practitioners, advocates, and others who share an interest in exploring and discussing how we may use the climate crisis as a catalyst for great leaps in addressing the complex challenges involved in confronting climate change in a manner that advances sustainable development, well-being, and resilient livelihoods for all.

IUCN NAture-based Solutions for climate Adaptation: monitoring & impact evaluation (NAbSA)

NAbSA is part of Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC) Partnering for Climate (P4C) initiative and works to improve climate resilience and reduce poverty for vulnerable communities in Sub-Saharan Africa by enhancing the rigorous application of gender-responsive Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate change adaptation with biodiversity co-benefits. Following its three key objectives of 1) enhanced design and implementation of nature-based measures through capacity building & equitable access to knowledge, 2) increased evidence of biodiversity-climate nexus and societal benefits by documenting results, lessons learned and best practices and 3) adoption and scaling-up of nature-positive and gender responsive adaptation actions globally, NAbSA supports the work of 19 P4C projects, located in 22 Sub-Saharan countries.

Nature-Based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice

The Nature-Based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice brings together organizations in Canada and their international partners to share their insights and expertise on implementing NbS for adaptation. It initiated following the Government of Canada’s announcement of allocating climate finance funding to NbS for adaptation projects that enhance gender equality and social inclusion and contribute to biodiversity co-benefits.