Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solutions (SCeNe) Coalition
Deliver benefits for nature, climate, and people in Southeast Asia.
Aim
The Southeast Asia Climate and Nature (Scene) Coalition is a platform aiming to accelerate and scale-up Nature-based Solution (NbS) projects in the region. Scene Coalition strives to achieve the ‘Triple Benefits’ catalysing high-quality NbS projects to address climate change, contribute to human prosperity and are nature positive.
Where
Southeast Asia
Why
Healthy ecosystems are more effective in withstanding the consequences of climate crisis, as well as supplying us with essential resources like fresh water, nourishment, and shelter. Therefore, preserving the environment surrounding us is vital for stabilizing climate and improving welfare for people around the world. This is possible through Nature-based Solutions (NbS), which emphasizes protecting, sustainably managing, and regenerating our ecosystems, while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions and meeting the needs of local communities and indigenous peoples living in harmony with nature.
NbS are actions that utilize nature or natural systems to address various environmental issues. They include various techniques, such as restoring wetlands, planting trees, creating green roofs, and developing urban parks. Implementing nature-based solutions can provide numerous benefits for the environment, while also offer social well-being and economic welfare.
Southeast Asia contains 20% of all plant and animal species, as well as four of the world's biodiversity hotspots. The region boasts the highest blue carbon content globally, with several countries being home to significant areas of mangrove swamps and seagrass meadows. The tropical forests, which cover 500 million hectares, have significant potential for absorbing excess carbon dioxide. It also houses 25 million hectares of peatland and other diverse and valuable ecosystems.
However, Southeast Asia faces significant challenges to its ecosystems. The region loses at least 1.2% of its forests annually and is projected to lose up to 42% of all species by the end of this century. If Southeast Asia loses its biodiversity and ecosystems, it would incur substantial socioeconomic losses, especially viewed from a climate change lens. Moreover, Southeast Asia itself is among the most vulnerable regions to the impacts of climate change, with its coastal cities sinking the fastest globally, threatening millions of communities. Safeguarding the unique habitats in Southeast Asia through NbS would represent a significant opportunity to address the climate emergency while bolstering the resilience of biodiversity, ecosystems, and communities.
The Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solutions (SCeNe) Coalition believe that nature has a critical role in fighting the climate crisis and that bold action is needed today to scale up the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Climate required for tomorrow. The SCeNe Coalition focuses on accelerating and increasing implementation of and investment in high-quality, triple-benefit NbS across Southeast Asia. That is, NbS that delivers results for climate, nature and people.
How
Nature has the potential to realize a third of the emission reductions needed to limit global warming and keep the climate within safe boundaries. As demand for Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for Climate rises, a new challenge looms: where will credible Nature-based Solutions come from? How will we ensure these solutions benefit climate as well as local communities, wildlife species and biodiversity?
To address these challenges, the Scene Coalition is developing a suite of tools and resources designed to support the delivery of and investment in high-quality triple-benefit NbS in Southeast Asia:
- NBS Tool: Support FMOs through developing high-quality triple-benefit NbS projects and project documentation, including analyzing and providing data and information, and showcasing these projects to investors.
- Shared NbS Portfolio: Showcase high-integrity triple benefit NbS projects (including project delivery and funding) and direct market demand and climate finance to additional triple benefit NbS in Southeast Asia.
- NbS Incubator: Deliver scientific, regulatory, technical (including safeguards), technological, financial/market and business development support to FMOs at various stages of NbS project development, from pre-feasibility through carbon sales.
The ASEAN-NbS Tool Program under the ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund
The ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund (GTF) is the UK’s flagship programme to accelerate ASEAN’s transition to a clean and climate resilient economy by reducing emissions in key sectors, supporting green economic growth, and improving livelihoods of vulnerable people.
The scope of ASEAN-UK GTF focuses on five pillars: climate policy; green finance; clean and just transition; sustainable cities and transportation; and nature-based solutions.
The Pillar V: Nature-based Solutions aims to support ASEAN Member States (AMS) use nature to reduce emissions and protect communities from climate risks. The activities focus on practical actions for AMS to put Nature-based Solutions (NbS) at the centre of their climate and sustainable development strategy.
Under the Pillar V, WRI Indonesia will lead the ASEAN-NbS Tool project that aims to systematically close the gap between the potential of NbS and its large-scale implementation across ASEAN. We do this by strengthening inclusive, biodiversity positive, and climate-resilient NbS through two core SCeNe Coalition workstreams: the NbS Tool and the NbS Incubator.
Key objectives:
- Deliver ASEAN NbS Tool version 3 and a comprehensive user manual, featuring harmonised datasets and an embedded NbS MRV framework module, formally endorsed by ASEAN Member States.
- Launch an ASEAN Secretariat website page that houses lessons learned from NbS implementation and provides direct access to the NbS Incubator, the NbS Tool and the NbS Research and Development (R&D) financing framework.
- Produce an ASEAN-endorsed guidance report that enables ASEAN countries to design, implement and scale high-integrity NbS, using pilot case studies, hands-on application of the NbS Tool across the project cycle, and clear pathways to access NbS finance.
Consortium members: SCeNe Coalition, ADPC, SIG-NAL, NTU Singapore
Partners
The Scene Coalition is a collaboration between leading non-governmental organizations with an established presence in Southeast Asia aimed at accelerating and increasing implementation of and investment in high-quality, high integrity, triple benefit NbS across the region.
Coalition Member
With Support from
Strategic Partner
