Changes in Earth’s climate driven by greenhouse gas emissions place at risk the plants, animals and natural communities The Nature Conservancy seeks to protect and threaten all past conservation investments. These changes may also displace, impoverish and even threaten the lives of billions of people via droughts, floods, coastal erosion, famine and disease.
Throughout the world, governments are under growing pressure to help people and ecosystems adapt to climate change. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change has estimated that by 2030 annual expenditures of $49 to $171 billion dollars will be required for climate adaptation (UNFCCC 2007). The largest proportion of adaptation funds will rightly go to help protect people, rather than nature, from climate change’s worst effects. In some situations the most effective and economical approach to protect people will be to preserve, enhance and restore natural systems, referred to as “ecosystem-based adaptation” (EBA). EBA presents a strategic opportunity for TNC to use our core areas of practice and expertise to reduce climate impacts on millions of people, thereby ensuring expanded support from governments, foundations and the public for conservation.
