Our ability to face the challenges of climate change, thereby ensuring the stability and efficient functioning of our socio-economic systems, is closely related to the protection and restoration of natural systems. Ecosystems absorb almost half of the CO2 emissions produced annually by human activities, demonstrating their immense importance for climate change mitigation. By focusing on the natural wealth of our territories, we can achieve climate policy successes on a par with the implementation of adaptation measures in the private sector. The economic potential is enormous: reversing land degradation alone could generate economic benefits of up to €1.3 trillion per year globally.

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) not only provide a strengthening of our socio-economic systems, but also a response to the twin challenges of biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation. These solutions are particularly effective in creating adaptation strategies across different sectors of activity. NBS are often more cost-effective than traditional technical (“grey”) solutions and require fewer resources. They also have the advantage of not having negative side effects and being multifunctional, providing benefits for both the environment and people.

The implementation of NBS is associated with many other benefits, such as the creation of new environmental jobs, improved air and water quality, mitigation of heat waves and floods, increased agricultural yields, and the creation of new opportunities for recreational activities and ecotourism. These co-benefits demonstrate that nature-based solutions have a broad and positive impact, helping not only our adaptation to climate change, but also overall improvements in quality of life and sustainable development. (Co2AI)