Promoting Upstream-downstream Linkages through Integrated Ecosystem Management in the Greater Mekong Subregion - Ecosystems Management Policy Brief

This policy paper examines how integrated ecosystem management can support biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and poverty reduction in the Greater Mekong Subregion by sustaining ecosystem services that underpin human well-being. It presents ecosystem management as an interdisciplinary approach that integrates ecological, social, economic and institutional considerations while maintaining ecosystem structure, function and resilience through research, monitoring and adaptive planning. The paper evaluates challenges and opportunities for implementing this approach across the subregion, highlighting policy, knowledge and institutional gaps, the need for stronger transboundary cooperation, and the role of ecosystem management in supporting climate adaptation and a green economy. It also presents practical examples and recommends integrating ecosystem management into national policies to strengthen regional environmental governance and sustainable development.