Use of Spatial Information in National Climate Strategies
As biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation continue largely unabated, it is becoming critical to strengthen nature-based solutions in national climate strategies, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). With the upcoming COP15 of the UN Convention on Biodiversity and the COP26 of the UNFCCC, interest in nature-based solutions and their operationalization as part of national climate strategies is growing. Spatial data is necessary to identify priority areas for conservation and restoration that underpin nature-based solutions. In this working paper we determine to what extent governments incorporate maps and other spatial information in their climate strategies. We find that out of 196 NDCs a mere 4% include a map and only one NDC contains actionable maps but these do not focus on nature-based solutions. Similarly, there are few references to spatial planning in NDCs. Only 12% of available LT-LEDS include maps, of these only two are actionable. As countries review their NDCs and submit LT-LEDS before COP26 and the 2023 stocktake under the Paris Agreement, they should consider spatial information, including actionable maps, in their climate strategies. This will help deliver nature-based solutions and advance the integration of biodiversity and climate. Several international resources are available to support countries in the generation and use of such maps.
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