Global EbA Fund - Support for the Implementation and Upscaling of Ecosystem-based Adaptation

The Global EbA Fund is a fast-start support for innovative approaches to ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA). It improves the understanding, planning and expansion of EbA and access to public funding for catalytic adaptation intervention. It prioritises filling funding and knowledge gaps with a broad thematic focus on innovation and urgency, encouraging creative solutions and partnerships among funding applicants. Through its work, the Fund addresses research gaps, pilots innovative EbA approaches, engages in strategic EbA policy mainstreaming, and incentivises innovative finance mechanisms and private sector EbA investment. To multiply its reach, the Fund will leverage relevant partnerships and networks including Friends of EBA, the Global Adaptation Network and the Global Commission on Adaptation.

Project data

IKI funding: 40,000,000.00 €
Duration: 12/2019 till 06/2028
Status: open
Implementing organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) - Germany
Implementing Partner: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) - USA
Online: https://globalebafund.org/

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State of implementation/results

- Since its launch, there have been seven calls for proposals with over 2000 applications received, of which 936 applications met the Fund’s eligibility requirements. The Fund has granted 54 projects under the first five cohorts and is in the process of administering grants under cohort 6 and 7 for a total of up to 80 projects: globalebafund.org/…
The fund's Mid-term Review was undertaken with the aim to provide evidence of results to meet accountability requirements and promote operational improvement, learning and knowledge sharing through results and lessons learned. The Mid-term Review rated the project satisfactory or highly satisfactory across all assessment criteria except for responsiveness to human rights and gender equality needs to be strengthened. Specific key strengths of the funding mechanism include: the adaptive and learning-oriented structure of the project design, the project’s focus on scaling up EbA efforts through innovation, the thematic funding windows that target funding towards areas that tend to suffer from funding gaps, and the Fund’s strong multistakeholder involvement and engagement. *
Key conclusions called for, amongst others, continued strategic collaboration with partners, increased engagement with underserved countries, enhanced peer-to-peer learning, and improved exit strategies and sustainability. The Global EbA Fund Secretariat and Steering Committee took up these recommendations and is preparing a scaling strategy which will be launched in 2025 and is designing a medium-sized grant mechanism up to $500,000.

Following the experience of the Fund lessons learnt and some important changes have been made to streamline the application process. For example:

The Fund replaced its two-stage application process, in which successful concept stage applicants were invited to submit a full proposal through a single-stage application.
The Fund now includes three Action Pillars. Previously, applicants would align their proposed interventions with one of three Strategic Objectives. In addition to this, projects must now clearly indicate their relevance to a maximum of two of three new Action Pillars.
The Core Indicator Framework was developed to support the monitoring and communication of the grantees’ project outcomes. Applicants must identify at least three relevant indicators from the Core Indicator Framework and incorporate them into the individual project’s logical framework.
Alongside the general EbA project proposals track, the Global EbA Fund introduced a track for thematic project submissions. The first thematic track on EbA in Urban Environments was announced with the 5th call and the second thematic track on Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge in EbA alongside the 6th call for proposals and the third thematic track on Greening Infrastructure through EbA alongside the 7th call for proposals.
The Fund introduced a digital grant management system to allow end-to-end management of applications and grants. It is intended to increase the efficiency and transparency of the granting process from application, review, and award of grants as well as the monitoring and reporting. (globalebafund.smapply.io)

Following an extensive expert consultation process, UNEP produced a publication on “Harnessing Nature to build Climate Resilience: Scaling up the use of Ecosystem-based Adaptation” for the Global EbA Fund.

IUCN, jointly with Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) launched a free, self-paced EbA E-learning course – Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Working with nature to adapt to a changing climate. This is a massive open online course (MOOC) that equips learners with transferable and replicable skills in designing and implementing EbA initiatives.

The results of a global online survey hosted by UNEP Global Adaptation Network have been used to contribute to the EbA Barriers Analytical paper and compiled into an EbA Stakeholders Dialogue report released in April 2023. (www.unep.org/…)

Facts and information provided for each funded project, including the title, location, amount received and project approach are disseminated using an innovative and interactive format - ArcGIS Storymaps. (storymaps.arcgis.com/…)

The first newsletter of the Global EbA fund was published (globalebafund.org/…)

The Fund Secretariat released a policy brief on the Seven Lessons on Using Ecosystem Restoration for Climate Change Adaptation that examines a range of examples where restoration has led to increased climate resilience. (www.unep.org/…)

In May 2023, a webinar was held to launch the policy brief on the Seven Lessons on Using Ecosystem Restoration for Climate Change Adaptation. (www.youtube.com/…)

The Global EbA Fund organised the 9th EbA Knowledge Day in collaboration with the IUCN Friends of EbA and the UNEP Global Adaptation Network. The event attracted 244 participants. (www.youtube.com/…;t=5100s&ab_channel=FriendsofEbA%28FEBA%29)

The 10th EbA Knowledge Day was held in Bonn, Germany, in June 2024. It emphasised the role of EbA in supporting the synergistic achievement of the goals of the Rio Conventions. Summaries and recommendations from the sessions of the event can be found in the Summary Report (friendsofeba.com/…).

The Global EbA Fund Secretariat organized two regional grantee workshops to facilitate learning exchange and networking among grantees. The regional workshop for Central and Latin America was organised from 13 to 17 October 2024 in Cali, Colombia, bringing together twelve Global EbA Fund projects implementing projects across nine countries in the region. The regional workshop for Asia-Pacific was organized from 4 to 7 March 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, bringing together 18 projects across twelve countries in the region.

The Nature, Climate and Gender Symposium was held virtually from 10-12 June 2025, bringing together diverse voices to discuss the intersections of gender equality, climate action, and nature-based solutions. Along with the Global EbA Fund, this 3-day event was co-organised by IUCN’s NAbSA and PODONG initiatives, with generous support from GAC, BMUKN-IKI, NORAD and UNEP. The symposium highlighted the importance of inclusive approaches for a just and sustainable future. Read more. (Nature, Climate and Gender Symposium Day 1: Grounding in Justice and Action - Global EbA Fund)

The 11th EbA Knowledge Day was held in Bonn, Germany on 21 June 2025, bringing together practitioners and policymakers to explore strategies for scaling EbA in the face of uncertainty. The event featured interactive sessions and knowledge exchange, with key outcomes and recommendations available in the Summary Report. Read more here. (Scaling with Purpose: Advancing Ecosystem-based Adaptation in an Era of Uncertainty - Global EbA Fund)

Through its Core Indicator Framework, the Global EbA Fund is tracking progress and impact across its project portfolio. The analysis of the core indicator data across the first 4 cohorts (including a total of 37 projects) highlighted the following:

Indicator 1: 50 policies or policy instruments developed or influenced to incorporate EbA principles and approaches through direct engagement with national and sub-national governments, civil society and local communities.
Indicator 2: 12 coordination mechanisms established or improved at national and sub-national levels to promote the incorporation of EbA principles and approaches in policy and practice through councils, committees and coordination platforms.
Indicator 3: 8 Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) instruments introduced or improved to monitor the effectiveness of EbA actions at sectoral sub-national level.
Indicator 4: 10,044 beneficiaries were supported to increase their resilience to climate change impacts through capacity building, training and awareness raising activities. Out of those 36.9% were men and 29.5% women (for 33.6% disaggregated data not available).
Indicator 5: 10 supply chains adapted to include EbA approaches and improve resilience in the agricultural sector focused on commodities such as coffee, corn, beans, acai and brazil nut.
Indicator 6: 14 value chain actors influenced to include EbA approaches in their business models in livestock, agriculture and aquaculture sectors, as well as eco-labelling entities.
Indicator 7: 8 jobs created as a result of project activities.
Indicator 8: 39% increase in income of project beneficiaries as a result of project activities.
Indicator 9: 699,679 ha of ecosystems and an additional 15 km of coastline that are under conservation, restoration or sustainable use from projects activities.
Indicator 10: 191 EbA knowledge products were developed by the funded projects including products such as briefs, guidelines, methodologies, assessments, and events among others.
Indicator 11: 7,925,527 USD catalysed or mobilised as a result of projects activities.
Indicator 12: 15 financing instruments developed or improved.

Latest Update:
12/2025