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The World Bank's mission is to
alleviate poverty and support sustainable development.
Climate change is a serious environmental challenge that
could undermine these goals. Since the industrial
revolution, the mean surface temperature of earth has
increased an average 2 degree Celsius due to the
accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Most of
this change has occurred in the past 30 to 40 years, and the
rate of increase is accelerating. These rising temperatures
will have significant impacts at a global scale and at local
and regional levels. While it remains important to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and reverse climate change in the
long run, many of the impacts of climate change are already
in evidence. As a result, governments, communities, and
civil society are increasingly concerned with anticipating
the future effects of climate change while searching for
strategies to mitigate, and adapt to, its current and future
effects. Global warming and changes in climate have already
had observed impacts on natural ecosystems and species.
Natural systems such as wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs,
cloud forests, arctic and high latitude ecosystems are
especially vulnerable to climate-induced disturbances.
Current efforts to address climate change focus mainly on
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly through
cleaner energy strategies, and on attempting to reduce
vulnerability of communities at risk by improving
infrastructure to meet new energy and water needs. This
report attempts to set out a compelling argument for
including ecosystem-based approaches to mitigation and
adaptation as a third and essential pillar in national
strategies to address climate change. The report is targeted
at both Bank task teams and country clients. Such
ecosystem-based strategies can offer cost-effective, proven
and sustainable solutions contributing to, and
complementing, other national and regional adaptation strategies.
