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Seagrass ecosystem contributions to people’s quality of life in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories
McKenzie et al. 2021 Seagrass meadows are receiving growing attention, especially in relation to their potential for carbon sequestration. However, a broader appreciation of the contributions of seagrass meadows to people’s quality of life will inform better interventions that enhance seagrass ecosystem health whilst also benefiting local people. This paper reviews how seagrass in the […] -
Assessing People’s Values of Nature: Where Is the Link to Sustainability Transformations?
Stålhammar 2021 In the context of ecosystem service research, there has been an increasing focus on measuring social and cultural values, beyond biophysical assessments. To that end, there has been growing interest in applying non-monetary methods to capture non-material social and cultural aspects of benefits in ecosystems. However, as Sanna Stålhammar’s perspective article highlights, there […] -
Biodiversity and the challenge of pluralism
Pascual et al. 2021 Biodiversity is often defined in the scientific community as the diversity of life at the level of genes, species, functions and ecosystems. However, Pascual et al. explain that the way biodiversity is understood by scientists is not value-neutral. There are in fact many different ways of understanding living nature; this means […] -
The economic consequences of conserving or restoring sites for nature
Bradbury et al. 2021 This paper compared the economic costs and benefits of conserving or restoring habitats, with those of alternative land uses. The economic consequences of conservation or restoration was assessed in terms of value of ecosystem services across 62 sites. The benefits from conservation/restoration were divided into private benefits (i.e. excludable benefits: private […] -
The value of US coral reefs for flood risk reduction
Reguero et al. 2021 This study assessed the value of coral reefs in the US for reducing flooding by modelling the effects of losing the top one metre of coral reefs across 3100 km of coastline. This level of vertical reef loss is possible over coming decades if threats to the reefs are not mitigated […] -
Coffee farm restoration and infiltration ditches to prevent flooding in El Salvador
Climate change is increasing the intensity of storms in El Salvador, causing erosion, landslides and flooding. The capital city, San Salvador, suffers especially badly from flooding due to the dominance of impervious surfaces and hence low capacity for infiltration. To address this, 1150ha of forest and coffee plantations will be restored over the next two […] -
NbSI Director speaks on Energy Policy Podcast
Professor Nathalie Seddon spoke on the Energy Policy Now podcast about the promise, challenges and potential moral hazards of nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Nathalie explains why and how NbS need to be led by local people, and why they need to support diverse, healthy, resilient ecosystems. She also delves into the […] -
Community forests in Nepal
Many community forest projects have been set up in Nepal. A study of 105 of these found that they have been broadly successful for both increasing carbon sequestration and providing social benefits. The projects have been strengthened as part of the United Nations Reduced Emissions through Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), which provides incentives for […] -
Enhancing smallholder climate resilience in banana and cocoa global food value chains
The global food system is a complex socio-ecological system performing the critical service (with varying degrees of success) of nourishing humanity’s food and nutrition needs. This system is under threat from, amongst others, a range of climate related shocks, including extreme weather events as well as more gradual stressors. -
We are hiring a Research Coordinator
We are seeking a Research Coordinator with communications experience to support work on evidence synthesis and dissemination, communications and outreach. The post holder will work closely with the NbSI team to support a wide range of ongoing projects, with a focus on helping to synthesise and communicate evidence on the socioeconomic effectiveness of NbS, coordinating […] -
Liberty Market forest: an urban forest in Pakistan
A densely planted urban forest in the centre of the second-largest city in Pakistan has been designed to be inclusive of marginalised local people, creating a safe place to socialise, enjoy nature and harvest fruit. In just two years the mini forest has become a haven for biodiversity, as well as filtering air pollution and […] -
On the misuse of nature-based carbon ‘offsets’
Nature-based solutions (NbS*) are being misused for greenwashing. Promoting NbS as carbon ‘offsets’ while continuing business as usual in fossil fuel use is not a solution to climate change. In fact, it can encourage continued or even increased fossil fuel consumption leading to more emissions overall and can distract from the need for systemic change […] -
WRI report: Consideration of NbS as offsets in corporate climate change mitigation strategies
This report from the World Resources Institute addresses urgent questions about how NbS may be used as carbon offsets as part of corporate climate change mitigation strategies. The authors give an overview of how NbS are currently being used as offsets, the risks associated with nature-based offsets, and methods for mitigating those risks. They provide […] -
Saint Lucia: National Infrastructure Financing Strategy.
The National Infrastructure Financing Strategy (NIFS) is the second milestone in the ongoing partnership between the government of Saint Lucia, UNOPS and the University of Oxford. NIFS builds on the National Infrastructure Assessment, which provides a robust pipeline of projects to meet long-term infrastructure needs, in line with national development objectives, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. -
State and Trends in Adaptation Report 2021: Africa – Chapter 2
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Why efforts to address climate change through nature-based solutions must support both biodiversity and people
In an essay published by the Royal Society, NbSI Director Nathalie Seddon describes the potential of working with nature to address the causes and consequences of climate change and discusses why NbS must be designed, implemented and adaptively managed by or in partnership with local communities to provide measurable benefits for biodiversity and ecosystem health. […] -
NbS in Peru: Vanguard Country for Global Commission on Adaptation & National Climate Change Strategy update
Two important events in the past month have highlighted Peru’s commitment, ambition and leadership on climate action and NbS. First, as a “Vanguard Country” for the Natural Environment Action Track of the Global Commission on Adaptation, Peru played a key role in the Climate Adaptation Summit on January 2021. In this global event, Peru shared […] -
Conference postponed to 5-7 July 2022 due to COVID-19
In close consultation with our Steering Committee, we have had to take the decision to postpone the Nature-based Solutions in a Changing Climate conference for another year, to Tuesday 5th – Thursday 7th July 2022. Whilst this is a disappointment, the committee unanimously agreed that it is the correct choice. In a hopefully post-pandemic world, […] -
World Economic Forum: Building a net-zero, nature-positive economy
The World Economic Forum was held in the last week of January, with its online format transforming it into an event accessible to everyone. Here we summarise the session on ‘Building a net-zero, nature-positive economy’, which featured a range of high-profile speakers from all the major societal sectors. Key messages: – Making peace with nature […] -
Dhaka Climate Tribune issue on NbS
The Dhaka Tribune is a national daily newspaper published in Dhaka, Bangladesh; each month one of the issues is dedicated to climate change – the monthly Climate Tribune, published by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD). The January 2021 Climate Tribune was dedicated to Nature-based Solutions, with articles encouraged and collated by […] -
World Economic Forum consultation on Nature and Net Zero
This report from the World Economic Forum and McKinsey explores the potential and challenges of natural climate solutions (NCS) i.e. nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation. The report builds on the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets, which together aim to provide guidance on the role on NCS in decarbonisation of the private sector. The […] -
Building a resilient economy: analysing options for systemic change to transform the world’s economic and financial systems after the pandemic
This report, from WWF in collaboration with ZOE, Wellbeing Economy Alliance and the New Economic Foundation, tackles the question of how the UK can ‘support a fundamental transformation of its economic system towards a resilient economy’. It outlines a set of policies that could be implemented by the UK government to enable long-term systemic change, […] -
One World, One Health: Recommendations to harness the power of landscapes
The Global Landscape Forum (GLF) Biodiversity Conference in October 2020 focused on the relationship between biodiversity and health, and highlighted the power of landscapes for transformative change towards inclusivity and sustainability. The GLF together with the Youth in Landscapes Initiative created the One World, One Health report which synthesises perspectives from the session at the […] -
Scottish Highlands landscape restoration at Bunloit
This landscape-scale programme will restore 1200 acres of land to boost biodiversity, enhance carbon stores, and provide sustainable livelihoods for local people. Sustainable businesses will provide employment and affordable zero-carbon housing will be constructed from local materials; this will contribute to COVID recovery and set an example of how to deliver a rural green new […] -
Nature-based solutions on Radio 4
NbSI Director Nathalie Seddon talked to Tom Fielden of the BBC in Wytham woods, Oxfordshire, about the critical importance of getting the message right on nature-based solutions to climate change in this pivotal year for addressing biodiversity loss and climate change. Listen to the clip here: