The Anthropocene era marks a time when human activities have significantly impacted the planet. From the degradation of forests, wetlands, and coastlines to the warming of the planet due to greenhouse gas emissions, our actions have led to frequent natural disasters and insecurity surrounding food, water, and livelihoods. Marginalized communities, despite contributing the least to the crisis, often face its harshest consequences.
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) emerge as a powerful response to the climate crisis. These ecological approaches harness the potential of natural ecosystems—forests, wetlands, water bodies, or urban green spaces—to address societal challenges. NbS not only mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon emissions but also help communities adapt to its impacts, such as floods and extreme heat. By focusing on equity and justice, they protect vulnerable populations while restoring biodiversity and providing benefits like clean air, fresh water, and sustainable agriculture.
How NbS Work: Preserving and restoring ecosystems is at the core of NbS. Forests and mangroves act as natural carbon sinks, sequestering CO₂ and reducing global warming. Coastal ecosystems like wetlands and mangroves provide resilience against storms and flooding, while urban green spaces lower temperatures and improve air quality. Research suggests that NbS could achieve up to 37% of the emission reductions required to limit global warming to under 2°C, making them a cost-effective and synergetic solution.
Historical Context and Development:
The concept of NbS gained recognition in 2009 when the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) advocated for their integration into climate strategies during the Copenhagen COP meeting. By 2016, IUCN formalized a Global Standard for NbS, outlining benchmarks for implementation and assessment. This framework reframes existing conservation and environmental practices, integrating ecological and human-centric goals to address climate change holistically.
Examples in Practice:
NbS initiatives span diverse landscapes and challenges:
· Reforestation and Sustainable Forestry: India’s goal of increasing forest cover to 33% by 2030 involves afforestation, reforestation, and community-based forest management. Projects in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, demonstrate how village assemblies restore degraded forests and sustainably harvest forest products.
· Coastal Protection: Restoring mangroves and wetlands strengthens coastlines against erosion and storm surges while supporting marine biodiversity. In Chennai, a restored wetland enhances flood resilience and water quality.
· Sustainable Agriculture: Practices like agroforestry, crop rotation, and natural farming improve soil health, increase crop resilience, and reduce emissions. India’s National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture promotes these methods alongside traditional water harvesting systems.
· Urban Green-Blue Infrastructure: Cities like Mumbai are integrating urban forests and green roofs to combat heat islands and improve air quality, showcasing how natural elements can mitigate urban environmental challenges.
The Role of NbS in Urban Planning
Cities across India are beginning to adopt NbS as a part of their climate action strategies. Delhi’s Master Plan 2041 envisions a sustainable urban landscape with enhanced green and blue assets, such as forests, parks, and protected water bodies, to combat pollution and restore environmental harmony. Similarly, initiatives like the Nagar Van Scheme aim to create urban forests in 200 cities nationwide, inspired by success stories like Pune’s Warje Urban Forest.
Efforts to restore wetlands, such as the East Kolkata Wetlands, showcase how nature-based approaches can tackle environmental degradation while delivering essential services like organic wastewater treatment. These solutions sequester carbon, reduce public health risks, and provide livelihoods. Cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Mumbai have also adopted innovative methods, such as Miyawaki forests and vertical gardens, to increase green cover, lower pollution, and create vibrant urban ecosystems.
Challenges and Considerations:
While NbS offer immense potential, they are not without challenges. Land and water requirements often conflict with the rights and needs of indigenous and marginalized communities. Critics argue that NbS projects sometimes displace these groups, perpetuating exploitation, while major contributors to climate change, like fossil fuel industries, evade accountability.
Financing is another significant hurdle. Developed nations have the resources to implement NbS effectively, but low-income countries often receive inadequate support. Moreover, measuring the impact of NbS initiatives remains complex. Projects must be context-sensitive, avoiding invasive species or monoculture plantations, and should prioritize community ownership, land tenure, and ecological integrity for long-term success.
Conclusion:
Nature-based Solutions represent an opportunity to address the climate crisis in an inclusive and sustainable manner. By blending ecological restoration with community resilience, NbS can mitigate climate impacts, enhance biodiversity, and secure livelihoods. However, for NbS to reach their full potential, they must be implemented thoughtfully, with equitable participation and robust policy support.
Note : Saloni Meghani contributed to main article, published by IDROnline with inputs from Srishti Kochhar, WRI, and Ashali Bhandari, Transitions Research.Stay tuned to Development Connects for more insights on sustainable approaches to global challenges.
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