What Do We Mean By Nature-Based Solutions?

There’s so much talk surrounding the importance of Nature-Based Solutions… But when we talk about Nature-Based Solutions or NBS, what exactly do we mean?

Nature-based solutions are “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, which address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being, ecosystem resilience, and biodiversity benefits”, according to the definition adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022.

“They are designed to address major societal challenges, such as biodiversity loss, climate change, land degradation, food security, disaster risks, urban development, water security, as well as social and economic development,” it adds.

What we generally call natural climate solutions (NCS) are specific interventions designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon storage in forests, grasslands, and wetlands, through conservation measures, such as halting deforestation, and the adoption of sustainable land use practices and restoration practices.

Carbon credits generated through natural climate solutions offer the opportunity to businesses to compensate for their emissions in a way that also contributes to the halt of, and possibly reverses the loss of nature.

NCS can be used to reduce value chain emissions from the forestry and agricultural sectors. Companies also use natural climate solutions to compensate for their residual carbon footprint after taking all measures to reduce their annual emissions.

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