UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States - Guidelines for Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation

Table of Contents

• _Hlk161053892 14
• 1.1 Introduction 7
• 1.2 Urban areas in the Arab region 7
• Arab countries are experiencing rapid urbanization, particularly in the major cities, due to significant population growth in the region. The Arab population has more than quadrupled over the past six decades, growing from 93 million in 1960 to over 464 m 7
• 1.3 Impacts of climate change on urban areas in the Arab region 8
• 1.3.2. Sea level rise 8
• Box 1: Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) effect 9
• 1.3.5. Wildfires 9
• 1.3.6. Sand and dust storms 10
• 2.1 Introduction 10
• 2.4 Impacts of climate change on ecosystems and ecosystem services 11
• The Arab region is home to rich and diverse ecosystems, including deserts, mountains, forests, fresh water, wetlands, marine, and coastal environments, as well as cultivated and urban ecosystems. As climate change continues to intensify, the delicate bala 11
• Table 1: The different ecosystems in the Arab region and how climate change impacts each ecosystem’s services 11
• Sources: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005; UNEP, 2021; UNESCO, 2021; United Nations, 2018; FAO, 2014; IUCN, 2010 13
• 2.5 Nature-based Solutions and Ecosystem-based Approaches 14
• 2.6 Rationale for EbA 15
• Box 2: Dune-forming reed fences to combat sea-level rise in the Nile Delta, Egypt 15
• 2.7 Ecosystem-based Adaptation in multilateral environmental agreements and global agendas 16
• 3.1 Introduction 18
• 3.2 Implementing EbA in Urban Areas 18
• Table 2: Examples of Ecosystem-based Adaptation approaches that can be applied in urban areas in the Arab region 19
• 3.3 Integrating EbA into urban development planning 20
• 3.3.1 Climate risk and vulnerability assessment 20
• The first step in integrating EbA into development planning is to carry out a climate risk and vulnerability assessment for the urban environment in question. This step involves the identification of climate change hazards, and assessing their economic, s 20
• 3.3.2 Stakeholder engagement 21
• 3.3.3 Identification of EbA options and priorities 21
• 3.3.4 Designing adaptation options 21
• 3.3.5 Raising awareness and knowledge 22
• 3.3.6 Resource mobilization for EbA initiatives 22
• 3.3.6.1 Local funding 22
• 3.3.6.2 International funding 22
• Table 3: Sources of multilateral climate finance 22
• 3.3.7 Implementation of prioritized EbA option(s) 22
• 3.3.8 Monitoring and evaluation 23
• 3.3.8.1 Types of indicators 23
• 4.1 Introduction 25
• 4.3 Strategic long-term planning and resource management 26
• Long-term planning for EbA is essential to ensure that adaptation measures deliver sustainable benefits over time. It allows for effective adaptation to any new future scenarios resulting from climate change or urban growth, and ensures that strategies re 26
• While urban areas are rich in grey infrastructure, they also have urban-specific ecosystem services that need to be considered in the decision-making process. This should be done in conjunction with knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation mecha 26
• EbA approaches also need to be adapted to local urban challenges. One way to do this could be by integrating traditional and local knowledges into modern and innovative approaches to urban adaptation, such as adopting indigenous agricultural practices on 26
• Furthermore, increasing public awareness and engagement can also strengthen the implementation and monitoring of EbA projects. Local stakeholders such as individuals and civil society organisations should be encouraged to learn about and participate in gr 26
• 4.4 Optimizing financing tools and strategies 26
• Financing opportunities may be accessed through multilateral funds, such as the Green Climate Fund and the Global Environment Facility, or even through multilateral development banks. Domestic public sources, such as national funds or budget, which have t 26
• Innovative financial mechanisms offer considerable advantages for urban EbA – such mechanisms can provide tailored solutions that address the specific ecological and social requirements of urban areas, through instruments such as public-private partnershi 26
• 4.5 Strengthening governance and institutional frameworks 26
• Glossary 27
• References 29
• Annexes 32
• Annex 1: Available tools and resources related to EbA 32
• Oasis in a desert ecosystem. Illustration by Ana Pastore 2
• Sand dunes. Illustration by Ana Pastore 3
• River ecosystem in an urban setting. Illustration by Omnia Moussa 4
• Executive Summary 5
• Urban Areas and Climate Change in the Arab Region 7
• Figure 1: Percentage of the urban population in respect to the total population of the Arab region (O’Neill, 2023) 8
• Figure 2: Urban data on conflict and poverty in the Arab region. Sources: UNDP, 2022; UN-Habitat, 2020; UN-ESCWA, 2020 8
• Ecosystems, Ecosystem Services and Ecosystem-based Adaptation 10
• A Map of the ecoregions of the Arab Region. Illustration by Omnia Moussa based on Ville Koisten’s adaptation of Dinerstein E. et al. An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534 11
• Disclaimer: The map shown is for illustration purposes only and is not an exact representation. 11
• Figure 3: Nature-based Solutions and how they contribute to preserving, enhancing and utilizing natural capital (modified based on Browder et al, 2019) 14
• Figure 4: The role of ecosystems in climate change adaptation and mitigation (Morecroft et al, 2019) 14
• Figure 5: Map of Nile Delta and Norh coast of Egypt 15
• Figure 6: Sketch of the dune-forming reed fences Credit: Alik Mikaelian, UNDP, 2022 15
• Figure 7: Dune-forming reed fences in Nile Delta. Credit: Alik Mikaelian, UNDP, 2022 16
• Box 3: Drought early warning system in Lebanon to support long-term drought risk management 17
• Figure 8: Map of Bekaa Valley in Lebanon 17
• Example of hydroponic agriculture in Lebanon Credits Georges Abi Sleiman 2024 17
• Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Urban Areas 18
• Source: United Nations Environment Programme, 2021 19
• Box 4: A comprehensive development plan for the rehabilitation of Wadi Hanifah, Saudi Arabia 19
• Figure 11: Map of Wadi Hanifa in Saudi Arabia 19
• Figure 10: The flood performance of the channel is improved by reprofiling and regrading Credit: Aga Khan Award for Architecture / Arriyadh Development Authority 19
• Figure 12: Water filtration facility in Wadi Hanifa Credit: Aga Khan Award for Architecture / Arriyadh Development Authority 20
• Figure 13: Walking trails and family compartments in the form of semi-enclosed areas along the wadi Credit: Aga Khan Award for Architecture / Arriyadh Development Authority 20
• Figure 14: Steps to integrate EbA into development planning at the different levels. Adaptation based on United Nations Environment Programme, 2021 20
• Box 5: Afforestation and mangrove planting to address the risk of sea level rise 23
• Figure 15: Map of Bahrain and Qatar 23
• Figure 16: Recreational activities around mangroves in Bahrain Credits Hady Elcott 2022, 2023 24
• Figure 17: Afforestation efforts in Bahrain Credits Hady Elcott 2023 24
• Recommendations for Operationalizing the Guidelines 25