Nature-Based Solutions: The Emerging Frontier in Combating Climate Change By Daniele Savietto

At the end of COP28, held in December in Dubai, the “Global Stocktake”, the first global climate assessment report, issued a critical alert about the delay in global climate goals. This scenario highlighted the growing importance of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) as vital strategies not only for addressing the challenges posed by climate change but also for promoting human well-being more comprehensively.

NbS encompass a range of practices that include the protection, sustainable management, and restoration of ecosystems, both natural and modified. The primary goal of these solutions is to strengthen the resilience of ecosystems, leveraging the benefits of ecosystem services to mitigate risks and offset losses. Despite their fundamental importance in the fight against climate change, NbS still face a significant lack of investment.

The final agreement of COP28 marked an important milestone, recognizing NbS as an essential tool for adaptation to the climate emergency. The inclusion of this concept in the conference document underlines the role of nature as a valuable ally in tackling climate change and reducing disaster risks.

NbS have the potential to make cities more resilient, reduce water treatment costs, lessen disaster risks, minimize the impacts of floods and droughts, promote human well-being, create jobs, and stimulate economic development through tourism, among other benefits.

Furthermore, these solutions are not limited to technical alternatives for containing global warming and reducing disaster risks but also encompass the conservation and revitalization of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. They are capable of preventing CO₂ emissions or removing it from the atmosphere through practices such as preventing deforestation, reforestation, and regenerative agriculture.

In addition to combating CO₂ emissions, NbS offer additional benefits such as climate resilience, biodiversity preservation, provision of vital ecosystem services like potable water and sustainable raw materials. They also contribute significantly to sustainable development, soil health, species diversity, and human quality of life.

In summary, Nature-Based Solutions represent a promising and multifaceted path to addressing climate change and promoting environmental and social sustainability. The global adoption of these solutions, evidenced at COP28 and on other international platforms, signals a significant advance in the fight against the climate crisis. However, the success of these initiatives crucially depends on robust investments and collaboration between governments, the private sector, and local communities.