Applies the IUCN Global Standard for NbS to lake ecotourism in Lake Sebu, Philippines,linking ecological condition, livelihoods, climate resilience, governance, and T'boli and Ubo Indigenous knowledge
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are promoted to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and livelihood insecurity, but their outcomes depend on how interventions are designed, governed, and implemented. Ecotourism can support inclusive local development, yet lake-based ecotourism is rarely assessed as an NbS. This study assesses whether ecotourism in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, Philippines, contributes to livelihood diversification, climate resilience, and local development, and whether it aligns with the IUCN Global Standard for NbS. It (1) characterizes the lake's ecological condition; (2) assesses ecotourism's livelihood and resilience contributions; (3) examines governance arrangements; (4) assesses the integration of T'boli and Ubo Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP); and (5) evaluates alignment with the Standard. A mixed-methods design combines secondary ecological data with a survey of 353 households, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Survey data are analyzed using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, the LVI-IPCC, and regression models; qualitative data are coded against Ostrom's Social-Ecological Systems framework. Findings are mapped to the Standard's 28 indicators, rated with the IUCN Self-Assessment Tool, and validated in a multi-stakeholder workshop. Results will inform local governments and protected-area managers and offer a replicable approach for assessing tourism-based NbS in Indigenous lake landscapes of Southeast Asia.
Analiza C. Diaz is a PhD candidate in Natural Resources Management at AIT, Thailand, and a DOST-PCAARRD staff member researching ecotourism and NbS in the Philippines.