Integrating justice in Nature-Based Solutions to avoid nature-enabled dispossession

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Social Justice

Background:

• Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are increasingly integrated into global climate policy.
• Debates persist regarding NBS's effectiveness in achieving both environmental and social goals, particularly concerning equity and justice.
• The mainstreaming of NBS raises questions about their capacity to deliver intended benefits without exacerbating existing inequalities.

Approach:

• A critical review of current debates and perspectives on NBS implementation.
• Analysis of how NBS are often embedded in elite-driven development models in urban and rural settings.
• Development of an alternative, justice-oriented framework for NBS design and application.

Key Points:

• NBS uptake is frequently linked to speculative and elite-based development pathways.
• Current NBS designs may lead to nature-enabled dispossession, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities.
• An equity-focused approach is crucial for successful and just NBS implementation.

Conclusions:

• A justice-oriented approach to NBS is necessary to ensure equitable outcomes.
• Prioritizing the needs, identities, and livelihoods of vulnerable residents is essential for nature-inspired justice.
• NBS must be designed to avoid dispossession and promote inclusive, sustainable development.