Opportunities for Nature-based Solutions to contribute to Climate-Resilient Development Pathways.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Sustainable Development

Background:

• Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer integrated approaches for climate mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development.
• The potential of NbS to achieve Climate Resilient Development (CRD) is significant but not fully realized due to complex interdependencies.
• Existing frameworks often overlook the political dimensions and trade-offs inherent in NbS implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the complex relationship between NbS and CRD using a CRD Pathways (CRDP) approach.
• To integrate a climate justice lens to identify how NbS can support or undermine CRD objectives.
• To develop an analytical framework for assessing NbS potential in specific contexts.

Main Methods:

• Utilized stylized vignettes of potential NbS to explore their contribution to CRDP.
• Applied a climate justice framework to foreground political considerations and trade-offs in NbS.
• Examined tensions between local and global climate objectives within NbS projects.

Main Results:

• NbS can support CRDP, but their effectiveness is contingent on equitable benefit distribution and addressing power dynamics.
• The framing of NbS can inadvertently reinforce existing inequalities or unsustainable practices if climate justice is not prioritized.
• Potential conflicts arise between local adaptation needs and global mitigation goals in NbS implementation.

Conclusions:

• A combined framework of climate justice and CRDP is essential for maximizing the positive impacts of NbS.
• This framework provides an analytical tool to evaluate the suitability and equity of NbS for CRD in diverse settings.
• Prioritizing climate justice is crucial for ensuring NbS contribute to truly resilient and equitable development pathways.