Presentation by Aloke Barnwal, Sr. Climate Change Specialist; Coordinator - Sustainable Cities Program, Global Environment Facility, as part of the webinar "Nature-Based Solutions as a Catalyst for Achieving Mutual Benefits for People, Nature, and Climate: Lessons learned from China and globally."

1. Nature Based Solutions- Integrated solutions for climate,
biodiversity and societal benefits
Aloke Barnwal
Sr. Climate ChangeSpecialist; Coordinator - SustainableCities Program
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2. Evolution of Nature Based Solutions (NBS)
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- Rooted to the Ecosystem Based Approach of Convention on Biodiversity,
- NBS term was used first in 2008 in a World Bank Report on Climate and Biodiversity,
- Since then, it became core to CBD, IPBES and GEF
- To a key strategy of the IUCN (eventually to Global NBS standards in 2020)
- Embraced in UN Climate Action Summit 2019 linking its significance in tackling climate
change
- Championed globally by the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) as a key solution for
global and local climate adaptation and for resilient recovery post COVID-19
Ref: GEF-STAP Study on Nature Based Solutions(2020)

3. NBS- a more integrated and proactive approach
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- Holistic approach going beyond biodiversity to climate change mitigation to
climate resilience and socio-economic benefits.
- Proactive approach going beyond protection, restoration and management of
nature to construction i.e. using nature-based infrastructure for climate and
development benefits.
- Systemic solution Central to integrated and systems based to tackle human and
natural system conflict which are the root cause of health pandemics.
- Comprehensive approach for benefits at global scale, landscapes, food value
chain, cities and villages.

4. Systemic barriers for large scale adoption
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- Still many unknowns limiting conversion of policy targets into practice and investment
- Limited evidence metrics and indicators for measurement
- Short term vs long term benefits
- Monetary value (comparability with built infrastructure, competitive land use)
- Equity issues
- Institutional limitations
- Large scale NBS requires cross sectoral and landscape approaches such as in cities
where institutions still function in sectoral silos
- Requires capacity at all levels in government and private sector
- Knowledge gap
- Design of NBS
- Use of science
- Community awareness
- Finance gap
- Limited flow of public domestic mainstream finance and private finance
- Limited mechanisms to internalize externalities and create incentives
- International environment finance not fully aligned with the holistic nature of NBS

5. Emerging policy and financing landscape for NBS
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- Strong political leadership for NBS for biodiversity and tackling climate change
- Canada and Mexico - for adaptation (GCA)
- China – for sustainable cities (sponge cities)
- UK- to make NBS central to COP26
- Vanguard countries and cities under GCA committing for NBS for climate
action
- Many more..
- Enhanced flow of climate funds for NBS
- France and UK’s climate finance commitment for NBS (25% and 30% of
climate finance for NBS respectively committed in One Planet Summit)
- GEF’s Special Climate Change Fund’s $2 million fund project with IISD and
UNIDO for assessing dollar value of nature-based infrastructure
- NBS central to GEF’s $160 million GEF 7 Sustainable Cities Impact Program
delivering integrated biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation benefits
- $27 million USD project in China through World Bank to focus on NBS
- Other countries prioritizing NBS under cities program include India,
Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Costa Rica and Argentina.

6. Enabling environment for scaling up of NBS
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- Private sector is stepping up
- Innovative financing for NBS for adaptation emerging e.g. blue
bonds, insurance for restoration of nature, coral reef insurance,
landscape resilience fund, water fund in Lima (eq. to PES)
- Knowledge creation
- IUCN NBS standards
- GEF’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel
- Global Commission on Adaptation- NBS Action Track
- Global partnerships emerging and strengthening
- Between Cities by ICLEI, C40, WRI
- Alliances such as WBCSD are advancing NBS for private sector
- Science Based Target Network of Global Common Alliance enabling
companies and cities to set targets for nature
- Great Green Wall Initiative

7. Opportunities and way forward
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- Application of science for robust and durable Nature based solutions planning, design and
implementation
- Integrated planning and governance
- Greater collaboration among stakeholders – UNFCCC COP 26 UK and CBD COP 15 China
great opportunity to build momentum on efforts by GCA
- Greater private sector engagement for financial innovation, technology solution and
investment through policy incentives and corporate leadership
- Making NBS central to green and inclusive economic recovery
- Adopting NBS as a benefit multiplier - an alternative as well as complementary to grey
built infrastructure.