The Green Climate Fund (GCF) recognizes that keeping global warming below 2 degrees requires nature-based solutions. CIFOR and COWI were selected by the GCF to write the Sectoral Guides on forests and land use, and on ecosystems and ecosystem services. CIFOR-ICRAF is involved in a number of GCF-supported projects:

• In The Gambia, where annual rainfall has decreased and become more erratic and temperatures have risen by up to 2°C, scientists are providing technical support to the government to use an ‘ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA)’ approach to restore degraded community forests and community protected areas, reduce human–wildlife conflict and help move the country towards climate resilience.

• In Sri Lanka, CIFOR-ICRAF partners across government are pioneering highland restoration to protect the water storage capacity of reservoirs – vital for irrigating lowland rice – and are introducing payments for environmental services to sustain it. This addresses the climate change double whammy of higher, more intense and erosive rainfall in the uplands but increased drought in the lowlands, where much of the nation’s staple food is grown. CIFOR-ICRAF also acts as delivery partner to support the National Designated Authority in implementing a GCF ‘readiness’ project.