Nature-based solutions: A tool for climate adaptation and other societal challenges

This report defines and explains nature-based solutions, while offering guidance on implementation together with a selection of real-world cases that demonstrate nature-based solutions in different landscape types including wetlands, urban areas, coastal areas, forests and agricultural landscapes. The world is currently facing a double crisis – a changing climate and the accelerating loss of biodiversity. These two crises are closely interrelated and affect each other. Since nature-based solutions can simultaneously help to address both climate change and biodiversity loss, these types of solutions serve as a critical tool in climate adaptation efforts.

Nature-based solutions are multifunctional, cost-effective actions for addressing various societal challenges by protecting, developing or creating ecosystems while promoting biodiversity and human well-being. In other words, they can be used to address different types of challenges that we face. In this report, however, we have focused on how they can be used in climate adaptation efforts. The purpose of this report is to disseminate knowledge and information about nature-based solutions and to offer guidance on how they can be planned and implemented to meet the challenges brought on by a changing climate, while promoting sustainable development through increased resilience and reduced vulnerability.