Nature-based solutions to operationalize the biodiversity conservation and climate action interface

Nature-based solutions are emerging as approaches that can be leveraged to operationalize the biodiversity climate nexus. They are fundamentally a social-ecological system, where local human communities are inseparable from the ecological elements. There is wide agreement on the role of nature-based solutions in strengthening, emulating, and drawing upon natural processes through the protection, sustainable management, and restoration of nature to harness their associated environmental, social, and economic contributions towards improved resilience and to support communities in addressing societal challenges. In some definitions, the cost-effectiveness dimension is also considered.

The present report aims to identify parts of the Arab region where nature-based solutions would generate the greatest biodiversity and climate synergies; explore the potential of the predominant biome to generate climate and biodiversity benefits; understand the full scope of generated benefits beyond the climate and biodiversity nexus and across the various ecosystem service value categories; generate advice regarding recommended context-specific nature-based solutions, and; demonstrate how the generated ecosystem services can enhance climate resilience, notably those of a hydrometeorological nature.