About Nature-Based Solutions
Nature-based solutions are defined by the United Nation's Environment Assembly as "actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage natural or modified terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, which address social, economic and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being, ecosystem services and resilience and biodiversity benefits".
This is an ambitious and comprehensive definition, but what does this mean in practice?
The concept is clearly very broad and can contain everything from green roofs and community gardens to restoration of wetlands, agroforestry, and flower edges at crop fields.
The nature-based solutions concept has been used in connection with climate adaption for a long period already. Through nature-based solutions, we can address this reality, while simultaneously addressing and tackle the triple planetary crisis; climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
The Nordic countries have immense potential in going from theory to practice in nature-based solutions. Nature-based solutions can benefit both the green transition of our Nordic societies and become a role model for the rest of the world.
