Catalyzing Unconventional Collaborations in the Global South for Urban Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA)

The IAI Transdisciplinary Academy, in collaboration with the EPIC Network, is pleased to announce the funding of five projects under the program “Catalyzing Unconventional Collaborations in the Global South for Urban Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA).”

The initiative applies a transdisciplinary approach and the EPIC Model (University–Community Partnerships) to address key barriers to implementing EbA in the region, including gaps in financing, governance, and knowledge. By fostering co-creation between communities and universities, the program supports more inclusive urban planning and strengthens sustainable financing mechanisms for climate adaptation.

This program is funded by the Global EbA Fund, supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) of Germany, and co-managed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its partners.

Following a competitive selection process, the following projects have been funded:

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Argentina

Project Title: “CheCiencia”: Sustainable management of natural environments by a Mapuche community in the city of Junín, Buenos Aires: environmental impacts and risks posed by climate change

Description: The Mapuche community of Campo La Cruz, on the outskirts of Junín, Argentina, has long sustained itself through traditional adobe brickmaking—a practice central to its cultural identity but also one with significant environmental impacts.

Through a transdisciplinary approach, this project seeks to co-design ecosystem-based adaptation strategies that respect community traditions while building resilience to climate change. Key actions include:

  • Assessing climate-related environmental risks in Junín’s urban and peri-urban ecosystems.
  • Remediating degraded areas.
  • Supporting a transition from adobe bricks toward ecological alternatives, such as bricks made from recycled plastics.

These initiatives aim to reduce social and environmental vulnerability, strengthen flood protection and food security, and foster sustainable livelihoods, while revaluing the community’s cultural heritage and enhancing biodiversity.

Program Partners: Mapuche Community Campo La Cruz, Junín, Buenos Aires, Argentina, National University of the Northwest of the Province of Buenos Aires (UNNOBA), UBATEC, Higher Institute of Teacher Training N°129

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Colombia

Project Title: SERES Project: Sustainability and Ecology for the Restoration of Social Ecosystems

Description: The SERES Project works to promote sustainable agricultural practices and ecological restoration, while raising awareness of climate change in Pueblo Viejo and surrounding communities. By engaging schools and local residents, the initiative empowers communities to adopt cleaner, more resilient ways of living.  Key goals include:

  • Strengthen food security through small-scale urban gardens and inclusive practices.
  • Advance ecological restoration of nearby forests.
  • Promote environmental education on water conservation, rainwater harvesting, composting, and sustainable urban gardening.

Program Partners: Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Alcaldía de La Estrella, ICLEI – Gobiernos Locales por la Sostenibilidad (Colombia)

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México

Project Title: Los Laureles Canyon: Building Community Resilience and Restoring Biodiversity

Description: Los Laureles Canyon, part of the Tijuana River watershed, flows from Mexico into the Tijuana River estuary, a protected wetland in California. This unique ecosystem supports rich biodiversity but faces threats from vegetation loss, pollution, sedimentation, and high bacterial contamination.

The families living in the canyon are highly vulnerable to climate change. Floods, landslides, fires, and vector-borne diseases are increasing due to rising temperatures, biodiversity loss, water pollution, and trash accumulation. Contaminated runoff also affects cross-border waters, creating binational challenges.

This project seeks to strengthen community resilience, reduce vulnerability, and restore biodiversity through four main actions:

  • Monitoring water quality and mitigating wastewater pollution using phytoremediation.
  • Controlling soil erosion, cleaning up illegal dumps, and revegetating green areas.
  • Promoting environmental education and community stewardship.
  • Exploring legal pathways to secure the Right to a Healthy Environment.

Program Partners: Universidad Iberoamericana Tijuana, Costa Salvaje A.C., Comunidad de Rancho Las Flores

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México

Project Title: Ecosystem-based adaptation of the Tijuana River basin, focusing on the recycling of construction waste and glass.

Description:  The construction industry accounts for 40% of global energy use and 34% of greenhouse gas emissions. In northwestern Baja California, over 20 years of stone extraction, improper disposal of construction and demolition waste (CDW), and scrap glass have damaged soil, wildlife, and ecosystems, reducing aquifer recharge and increasing fire risk.

This project addresses these impacts by designing a collaborative model for comprehensive CDW and glass management. It includes four stages: diagnosing affected ecosystem services and identifying restoration sites along Las Palmas stream; developing ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) strategies for climate resilience; evaluating sustainable construction materials; and implementing EbA measures to conserve natural resources.

Teachers, students, civil society organizations, the local construction chamber, and a major cement producer collaborate to recycle CDW and glass as alternatives to natural aggregates. This supports biodiversity, aquifer recharge, flood risk reduction, and crop pollination, while protecting the ecosystem services of Las Palmas and surrounding areas.

Program Partners: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Proyecto Fronterizo de Educación Ambiental, Cámara Mexicana de la Industria de la Construcción, Empresa de Cemento CEMEX

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Panamá

Project Title: Land Use Planning and Ecosystem-Based Adaptation of Wetlands in the City of Chitré, Parita Bay, Panama.

Description: For the past five years, a coalition of individuals and institutions has advanced collaborative research on biodiversity and wetland conservation in Parita Bay, Panama, using a transdisciplinary approach to urban planning and ecosystem-based adaptation. These wetlands are the country’s second most important site for migratory shorebirds and provide essential ecosystem services for Chitré, the region’s largest and fastest-growing city.

Coastal communities—among the most vulnerable—depend on mangroves, sloughs, and salt marshes for fishing, mollusk harvesting, and tourism, but recognize that rapid urban growth threatens both ecosystems and cultural traditions. Grassroots leaders have joined the Parita Bay Conservation Program to preserve knowledge, create new opportunities for youth and women, and safeguard wetlands that provide fisheries, storm protection, and blue carbon. The main activities of this project include:

  • Document traditional practices in coastal and marine use.
  • Strengthen responsible fishing and tourism with universities and civil society.
  • Empower communities to participate in Chitré’s land use planning.

Program Partners: CATHALAC, CREHO, ACD, Summa Architects, USMA-McGill Urban Forum and Observatory, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Coastal Solutions Program, Municipality of Chitré, ANUMA