Protected Areas as nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation

Protected Areas as a carbon storage have evidently high value over the World. At the same time, they can play a significant role for climate change adaptation as nature-based solutions. In huge adaptation deficit, which results average in 60 billion rubles of losses in Russia from extremal weather events annually, the importance of protective ecosystem services is underestimated. Conservation of intact vegetation serves to stability of in several times larger territory, than within a Protected Area. In mountainous regions forests and grasslands prevent mudflows. In tundra and high mountains vegetation keep permafrost from fast degradation in warming climate. Forests maintain hydrological regime of rivers over the country: increase minimum low flow in droughts and decrease magnitude and pace of floods, what influence all territory downstream in the river basin. Protection of fields and settlements from strong winds by forests and tree-strips is using more than 100 years. For indigenous people, who are especially vulnerable for adverse climate change impacts, Protected Areas provide territory and natural resources for maintenance of traditional lifestyle. To highlight the value of Protected Areas as nature-based solutions it is critically important to asses the costs of provided ecosystem services and avoided losses. That can be used in planning of adaptation activities at National and local levels.