Nature’s role in Community-based Adaptation: Insights from IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025

The role of healthy ecosystems in supporting climate-resilient communities is well established through the framing of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Ecosystems can provide buffers against climate shocks and support climate-resilient livelihoods in communities. NbS is therefore a highly context-specific endeavour, which relies on local knowledge and resources to deliver people-focused outcomes while also providing benefits to the local biodiversity. Due to its contextual relevance, NbS is well aligned to work hand-in-hand with a Community-based Adaptation (CBA) approach. An expert panel was gathered during IUCN’s World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, to discuss the opportunities and challenges for delivering nature-based CBA. This report outlines a few key learnings from that discussion.