TMG and partners contributed to discussions during COP26 through three distinct events, fostering discussions on nature-based solutions and on the linkages between the climate and the desert locust crisis.

Scaling and financing Ecosystem-based Adaptation interventions

This official COP26 side event gathered speakers from different sectors to discuss ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) scaling and financing mechanisms based on experiences from Africa and India. The first speaker, Arjuna Srinidhi from WOTR, presented insights stemming from the development of a roadmap for upscaling EbA in Maharashtra and announced the launch of a collaborative on EbA. Namita Wikas from auctusESG showed how the private sector has an immense opportunity to invest in EbA, while Dr. Malanding Jaiteh from the Gambian Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, stressed how building local capacity is key to maintaining some of the approaches that are currently being implemented across the globe. Andreas Reumann from the Green Climate Fund approached scaling from the donors' perspective, mentioning the importance of conducting a global evidence review to determine sound approaches and adequately channel investments. Rounding up the discussion, Serah Kiragu-Wissler from TMG stressed that land tenure is at the core of soil protection and that farmers need land tenure security to be able to invest in soil protection and derive the benefits. Watch the full session and read more about insights from TMG's work on EbA.

Our two other events were part of the GLF Climate: Frontiers of Change hybrid conference, which attracted almost 5000 digital participants from 144 countries across 67 plenaries, interactive sessions, launches and climate talks.

Understanding the interconnectedness: lessons learnt from the ongoing desert locust crisis 2019-2021+

This session, dedicated to the ongoing upsurge in desert locust numbers, focused on its connections to the climate crisis. It highlighted how climate feedback loops have played an important role and are responsible for the magnitude of the outbreak. Among recommendations stemming from the session and its accompanying white paper are the need for an early warning system and innovations in pesticides and biocontrol to prevent future outbreaks, as well as the necessity of factoring not only the fiscal but the entire costs of responses to the environment and human health. The session further stressed the need for better governance, calling all actors to join effort to learn from the ongoing crisis and work together towards a future paradigm geared towards resilience.

Agroecology: Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Agriculture

With reports that 92% of countries’ new nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement on climate change now include measures to tackle nature loss, nature-based solutions are now clearly recognised as a foundation for transforming food and agriculture systems to become more sustainable. With nine speakers hailing from farmers' association, government, civil society and science institutions, this session framed agroecology as an ecosystem-based adaptation strategy able to provide multiple benefits. It highlighted the importance of healthy ecosystems to increase the health, wellbeing and adaptive capacities of our societies. A white paper acting as a rallying call to create alliances for change between the climate and agriculture communities and proposing action at national and global levels has been presented during the session.