Blue nature-based solutions in Nationally Determined Contributions: A booklet for successful implementation

This booklet provides a detailed look into how existing leading examples on coastal and marine (blue) nature-based solutions (NbS) can inform and inspire the design and the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in the national, sub-national and project level contexts, including for NDC transparency and review cycles. This report also aims to inspire governments and other stakeholders to embrace Blue NbS in their NDCs and to refine their global commitments by focusing on specific realization pathways.

This booklet identifies that NDCs have become key vehicles of both national and international climate change planning and implementation. Challenges abound, however, including the difficulty of identifying the role of ecosystems for mitigation and adaptation purposes; a lack of capacity to clearly monitor, report and measure nature-based interventions; and the absence of good practices of how to integrate NbS in NDCs. However, there is plenty of compelling, on-the-ground evidence demonstrating how NbS have positive impacts on stressed microclimates and how they can inform NDCs and the NDC process, and help countries realize their most ambitious contributions and action targets.