Definition of NbS: Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems to address societal, economic, and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively.
Key Social and Environmental Roles:
- NbS address diverse challenges such as climate change, food and water insecurity, disaster risks, human health, and biodiversity loss.
- They provide multiple benefits simultaneously, including human well-being, ecosystem services, resilience, and biodiversity enhancement.
- Some planetary crises, particularly biodiversity loss and climate action, cannot be fully resolved without the contribution of NbS.
Global and National Recognition:
- Recognition of NbS value has grown significantly across international (e.g., UNEA, G7, G20), national (e.g., NDCs, NAPs), and local levels.
- In 2022, 193 Member States at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) agreed on a multilateral definition of NbS.
Main Challenges and Concerns:
- Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs): Concerns exist that NbS could infringe on land tenure rights or access to natural resources.
- Integrity and Misuse: NbS are sometimes perceived as "false solutions" that might distract from necessary decarbonization or be misinterpreted through poor practices like monoculture tree planting.
- Effectiveness and Measurement: Scepticism remains regarding their effectiveness in different circumstances, partly due to challenges in quantifying and monitoring long-term impacts.
Recommendations for Scaling Up:
- Build Common Understanding: Actively support intergovernmental consultations to share best practices and build consensus among stakeholders.
- Adopt Integrated Approaches: Embed NbS into various sectoral policies (e.g., agriculture, infrastructure, urban planning) backed by concrete targets and financial strategies.
- Apply Robust Safeguards: Further develop and apply transparent, gender-responsive safeguards and standards to ensure environmental and social integrity.
- Enable Locally-Led Action: Empower IPLCs, women, and youth by recognizing their rights to land and resources and providing targeted financial and technical support.
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