Opportunities to scale up nature-based solutions in the Nordics

Published 27 February 2023

En liten flicka står i ett grönt landskap och tittar ut över ett vattendrag. Fotografi — Restored wetlands, rainbeds and urban green spaces are all examples of nature-based solutions that can help mitigate climate change and protect biodiversity. Photo: Helena Hanson

Nature-based solutions offer excellent opportunities to address environmental and social challenges. They can help mitigate climate change and protect biodiversity. However, better governance and funding, complemented by clear political priorities, are needed to scale up such solutions in the Nordic region. This is the finding of a new research report from the Nordic Council of Ministers, in which researchers from the Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, and members of BECC, participated.

In the Nordic countries, the knowledge and use of nature-based solutions are now increasing, according to the new report "Working with Nature-Based Solutions: Synthesis and mapping of status in the Nordics". The report provides an overview of the research situation, the countries' governance structures, the main challenges and examples of projects implemented. Nature-based solutions are highlighted as a cost-effective way to achieve sustainable development goals and include the environment, climate and human well-being.

Five key points for success

What will it take for the solutions to be implemented on a larger scale in the Nordic region? The researchers list five key points:

Clear political priority to integrate nature-based solutions into policy and practice.
Effective institutional structures, processes and policy instruments at all levels of government to facilitate the implementation of nature-based solutions.
Improved financing structures for nature-based solutions.
Common standards, long-term monitoring and better cost-benefit analysis of nature-based solutions.
Strengthened evidence base at all stages of nature-based solutions projects.

The report was produced by researchers in the S-ITUATION project, led by NIVA (Norwegian Institute for Water Research) and funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers.