Last updated: March 2025
Lomas are endemic seasonal ecosystems found in Peru and Chile. They provide a variety of benefits such as soil stabilisation, air purification, recreational spaces, water retention, and are habitats for endemic and threatened species (Ref 7). They are of great ecosystem value to the city of Lima, as green areas have been reduced in the urban area, occupying up to 24% of urban green ecosystems. These ecosystems are threatened by unplanned urban growth, traffic, pollution and lack of government regulation. Given this context, Eab Lomas is a project that focuses on the conservation, management and rehabilitation of the ecosystems found in the Lomas of Lima (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). It focused on 4 lines of action: conservation of Lomas' ecosystems; implementation of territorial planning; economic diversification focused on the conservation and recovery of vegetation through low-impact recreational activities; and management of water resources (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4).
Flowers and plants in a Loma of Lima
UNDP - https://www.undp.org/es/peru/noticias/conservar-las-lomas-un-ecosistema-unico-y-vital-en-lima
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Water security
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Effective management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Sense of community and community engagement
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: agriculture
- Economic development: industry
- Tourism support
- Employment/job creation
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable production
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Deforestation and forest degradation
- Physical water retention and availability
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Rapid urbanization
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Protection of natural ecosystems, Expansion of protected areas, Habitat restoration, Habitat conservation, n.a.2, Creating nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, or biodiversity hotspots to conserve unique ecosystems, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Strategy, plan or policy development, Implementation of city-wide or neighborhood initiatives focused on biodiverity protection (e.g. bee-friendly initiatives, butterfly protection, "Spring cleaning"), Community-based programs (e.g. "Green Your Laneway Program"), Improved governance of green or blue areas, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems), Habitat mapping, restoration and monitoring-focused management
Project objectives
The main goal of the project is to protect, conserve and sustainably manage Lomas ecosystems in the province of Lima (Ref 2, 7).
Specific goals:
- To ensure ecosystem conservation and land use/ occupation control (Ref 1)
- To contribute to the integrated management and protection of Lomas ecosystems in the Province of Lima (Ref 3)
- To reduce the risks of the degradation of Lomas ecosystems in the Province of Lima (Ref 7)
- To strengthen the capacity of local governments, the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima and SERNANP to plan and manage in a participatory manner the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of fragile Lomas ecosystems (Ref 7)
- To create jobs and livelihoods through the sustainable management of natural resources, ecosystem services, food production, tourism, chemicals and waste management (Ref 3)
- To strengthen local knowledge on climate variability and change, as well as the inclusion of women and youth in training and income-generating activities (Ref 2)
Implementation activities
The project included the following activities:
Detailed characterisation of 14 Lomas (Ref 3)
Technical and resource accompaniment and support (Ref 3)
Delimitation and establishment of protected areas (Ref 3)
Elaboration and approval of the Lomas Conservation Strategy and its Action Plan (Ref 3)
Support local governments in the elaboration of management policies, including land use, zoning and planning, with conservation and ecosystem services criteria (Ref 3)
Evaluate and strengthen public-private partnerships (Ref 3, 4)
Design and implement the Restoration Plan for Degraded Lomas Areas (Ref 3)
Identify low-impact sustainable practices for agriculture and pastoralism and train local farmers/pastoralists and mining concession holders in sustainable and low-impact practices (Ref 3, 4)
Design and implementation of Investment Plan for tourism infrastructure (Ref 3)
Elaboration of Monitoring Plan and establishment of monitoring sites for conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems (Ref 3, 4)
Development and implementation of the communication strategy (paper and virtual) and the citizen mobilisation campaign with a gender and youth focus (Ref 3)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
Climate change mitigation:
- Protect and restore coastal wetlands, mangroves and salt marshes, aiming at sequestering carbon dioxide and storing it in their soils
- Restore degraded forests thorough reforestation or ecological restoration to increase carbon storage in degraded forests (e.g. result of logging or fires)
- Implement sustainable forest management measures or protect existing old-growth forests to increase carbon sinks and/or protect existing carbon sinks.
- Halt desertification by restoring grasslands or other nature-based solutions
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
- Public engagement
- Capacity building
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Citizens or community groups
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
- Young people and children
- Marginalized groups: Children, young people or youth groups , Women
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- EU body
- Multilateral organisation
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Taskforce groups
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
United Nations Development Programme: Implementing organisation (2, 3, 5, 7), Co-financing entity (9)
Asociación Circuito Ecoturístico Lomas de Paraíso, Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima: Co-implementig organisations (3)
The Green European Foundation: Funding organisation (3, 4)
Peruvian Ministry of the Environment: Strategic partner (1, 3, 4, 5)
Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado: organisation attached to the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment (3, 5), Co-financing entity (9)
Groups of ecotourism and Lomas protection associations (3)
District Governments (3)
Regional Government of Metropolitan Lima (3)
Directorate of Education of Metropolitan Lima and the Ministry of Education: research activities (8)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Metropolitan Urban Development Plan (Plan 2040) and the Lima Climate Change Plan (Ref 1)
Conservation Strategy for Lomas de Lima (Metropolitan Environmental Agenda 2015-17 includes strategic action 2.2.4 which establishes the need for Lima's Municipality to work in Lomas) (Ref 3))
Type of enablers
Change agents (individual with major role influence on launching), City network or regional partnerships focused on climate change, sustainability, GI or NBS in the city, Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
€500,000 - €2,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- EU funds
- Multilateral funds/international funding
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Improved resilience against landslides
- Expected improved resilience against landslides
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of protection areas
- Achieved increased number of protection areas
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Restoration of derelict areas
- Achieved restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Achieved increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- More sustainable tourism
- Achieved more sustainable tourism
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Achieved increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Achieved increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Naumann, S.; Burgos Cuevas N.; Davies, C.; Bradley, S.; Mahmoud, I. H.; Arlati, A. (2023). Harnessing the power of collaboration for nature-based solutions . Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Mori-Clement, Y.; Zapata, F. (2023). Las Soluciones basadas en la Naturaleza y sus beneficios socioeconómicos para el Perú. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Fernández-Baca, E. (2021). Informe del cierre del proyecto - Conservación, Gestión y Rehabilitación de los Ecosistemas Frágiles de Lomas en Lima - Eba Lomas . UNDP Peru, Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
4.
UNDP Peru (n.d.). EbA Lomas. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
5.
UNDP Peru (2024). Conservación, gestión y rehabilitación de ecosistémas frágiles de lomas en Lima, promover mejores condiciones para la conservación de estos ecosistemas que albergan diversas especies de importancia global, y reducir los riesgos de degradación. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Peruvian Government (n.d.). Proyecto EbA Lomas concluye actividades contribuyendo a la conservación de 20 mil hectáreas de lomas de Lima. Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Clima de Cambios PUPC (2020). Lomas costeras: un paraíso por proteger. Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link];
8.
López Sotomayor, G. (2022). Detrás de la neblina Lecciones aprendidas en las lomas de Lima. UNDP Peru, Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link];
9.
UNDP (2022). TERMINOS DE REFERENCIA (TdR) PNUD/IC-474-2021 – Evaluación Final del Proyecto Conservación, gestión y rehabilitación de los ecosistemas frágiles de Lomas en Lima - EbA Lomas. Accessed on August 5, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Abanto Quino, D. (2022). Valoración Económica de Las Lomas de Lima. Accessed on August 5, 2024, [Source link];
Picture of a Loma of Lima
Peruvian Government - https://www.gob.pe/institucion/sernanp/noticias/570001-proyecto-eba-lomas-concluye-actividades-contribuyendo-a-la-conservacion-de-20-mil-hectareas-de-lomas-de-lima
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.