Scaling nature-based solutions for climate resilience and nature restoration

This briefing looks into applied assessment frameworks and the scaling potential of selected NBS, and how they may contribute to ecosystem restoration outside protected areas. Wider application of nature-based solutions (NBS) to climate change adaptation would deliver multiple societal benefits and contribute to biodiversity conservation.

Key messages from this briefing include:

• Nature-based solutions (NBS) for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction can contribute to the EU nature restoration agenda. Applied at scale, they would enhance biodiversity in both urban and rural landscapes.
• Accelerating and scaling NBS across Europe is key to achieving EU policy targets. Expanding and replicating local initiatives will be necessary to respond to the growing climate and biodiversity crises.
• More insight is needed into the factors that enable local success, and the barriers to scaling. This requires systematic monitoring, reporting and evaluation schemes to inform about the effectiveness and efficiency of NBS in the long term.
• The costs and benefits of NBS need to be clear to stakeholders and potential investors. While NBS serve multiple purposes, the quantification of social and economic aspects, including the distribution of costs and benefits across stakeholders, is still limited.
• To realise the full potential of NBS, further targeted governance and coordination would be needed. Apart from financial incentives, NBS uptake would benefit from regional planning based on risk profiles, a catalogue of corresponding NBS, and baseline information on their current application.