What is the role of environmental services in climate change resilience?

1 What are environmental services?

Environmental services are the functions and processes that ecosystems perform to sustain life on Earth. They include provisioning services, such as food, water, and materials; regulating services, such as climate regulation, flood control, and pollination; supporting services, such as nutrient cycling, soil formation, and biodiversity; and cultural services, such as recreation, education, and spiritual values. Environmental services are essential for human well-being, health, and security, as well as for economic development and social equity.

2 How do environmental services support climate change resilience?

Climate change resilience is the ability of a system, such as a community, a sector, or a region, to absorb, adapt, and transform in the face of climate change impacts. Environmental services can enhance climate change resilience by providing natural buffers, reducing exposure and sensitivity, increasing adaptive capacity, and enabling transformation. For example, wetlands can buffer storms and floods, forests can regulate temperature and precipitation, coral reefs can protect coastlines from erosion, and agroforestry can diversify income sources and food security.

4 What are the benefits of conserving and restoring environmental services?

Conserving and restoring environmental services can provide multiple benefits for climate change resilience, as well as a range of other environmental, social, and economic goals. For instance, protecting and restoring forests, wetlands, grasslands, and peatlands can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon sinks. Maintaining and restoring natural buffers such as mangroves, dunes, and riparian vegetation can reduce disaster risk and enhance disaster recovery. Additionally, protecting and restoring watersheds, aquifers, and wetlands can improve water security and quality. Furthermore, sustainable agriculture, fisheries, and agroforestry can enhance food security and nutrition. Moreover, promoting ecotourism, green jobs, and ecosystem-based enterprises can support livelihoods and income generation. Finally, safeguarding sacred sites, indigenous knowledge, and cultural heritage can preserve cultural and spiritual values.

6 What can you do to support environmental services?

You can play a significant role in supporting environmental services and increasing climate change resilience by taking action at various levels. Individually, you can reduce your ecological footprint, adopt green habits, and support local and organic products and services that rely on environmental services. At the community level, you can participate in environmental awareness and education campaigns, join or initiate environmental groups and networks, and engage in environmental stewardship and citizen science activities. At the policy level, you can advocate for environmental rights and justice, influence decision-makers and policymakers, as well as monitor and evaluate environmental policies and programs.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?