Nature-Based Solutions: Key to Climate Change Mitigation

What are nature-based solutions?

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are actions to address societal challenges through the protection, sustainable management and restoration of ecosystems, benefiting both biodiversity and human well-being. NbS can help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from land use change, enhancing carbon storage in natural and modified ecosystems, and increasing resilience to climate hazards such as floods, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires.

According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), NbS could contribute around 30% of the global mitigation required by 2030/2050 to achieve the 1.5/2°C temperature rise goal agreed to under the Paris Agreement. NbS could also deliver emission reductions and removals of at least 5 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) per year by 2030 (of a maximum estimate of 11.7 GtCO2e per year).

What are the benefits of nature-based solutions?

NbS offer multiple benefits for people and nature, such as:

• Enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as water regulation, soil fertility, pollination, pest control and recreation.
• Supporting livelihoods and well-being of local communities, especially those who depend on natural resources for their food, income, health and culture.
• Providing cost-effective and flexible options for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, such as mangroves that protect coastal areas from storm surges, wetlands that buffer floods, and forests that prevent landslides.
• Creating opportunities for green jobs, innovation, education and social inclusion, such as through community-based forest management, agroforestry, ecotourism and nature-based education.

A study by IUCN and partners estimated that using NbS could reduce the intensity of climate hazards by 26% and save USD 393 billion in cost savings by 2050.

What are the challenges and opportunities for nature-based solutions?

Despite their potential and multiple benefits, NbS face several challenges, such as:

• Lack of awareness and recognition of their value and effectiveness among decision-makers, investors, practitioners and the public.
• Insufficient funding and incentives to support their implementation and maintenance, especially compared to more conventional approaches such as grey infrastructure.
• Inadequate governance and institutional arrangements to ensure their sustainability, equity, quality and scalability.
• Trade-offs and risks associated with some NbS practices, such as monoculture plantations, bioenergy crops or poorly designed restoration projects that may have negative impacts on biodiversity, land rights or food security.

To overcome these challenges and harness the opportunities of NbS, some key actions are needed, such as:

• Developing clear definitions, standards and principles for NbS to ensure their quality, effectiveness and alignment with international commitments such as the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Increasing investment and financing for NbS from public and private sources, including through innovative mechanisms such as carbon markets, green bonds, blended finance and payment for ecosystem services.
• Strengthening the enabling environment for NbS through supportive policies, laws, regulations and incentives that integrate NbS into national and subnational climate plans, sectoral strategies and spatial planning.
• Building capacity and knowledge for NbS among stakeholders at all levels, including through research, monitoring, evaluation, learning and sharing of best practices and lessons learned.
• Promoting participatory and inclusive approaches for NbS that involve local communities, indigenous peoples, women, youth and other marginalized groups in their design, implementation and governance.

Conclusion

Nature-based solutions are key to climate change mitigation as they can reduce emissions, enhance carbon sinks and increase resilience. They also provide multiple benefits for biodiversity and human well-being. However, they face many challenges that require urgent action from all stakeholders. By investing in NbS, we can not only address the climate crisis but also create a more sustainable future for people and nature.

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