Nature-based solutions

How it is used

Usually plural and often shortened to NbS. Examples are restoring wetlands to reduce floods, planting mangroves to protect coasts, green roofs and urban parks to cool cities, and protecting forests to store carbon. They are often contrasted with grey infrastructure such as concrete walls and pipes.

Example sentences

1. The city chose nature-based solutions, such as restoring the floodplain, instead of building higher walls.

2. Nature-based solutions can deliver both climate adaptation and biodiversity benefits.

Common collocations

• implement nature-based solutions
• green infrastructure
• wetland restoration
• grey infrastructure

Related terms

• adaptationChanges in how people, cities, businesses and ecosystems work so that they can cope with the current and expected effects of climate change.
• ecosystem servicesThe benefits people get from nature, such as clean water, pollination of crops, flood protection, climate regulation, food, timber and places for recreation.
• reforestationPlanting trees, or helping forests grow back naturally, on land where forest was recently cut down, burned or otherwise lost.
• resilienceThe ability of a community, city, business or ecosystem to prepare for, cope with and recover quickly from shocks such as floods, heatwaves or droughts.
• carbon sinkA natural or artificial system, such as a forest, ocean, soil or wetland, that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases.

More terms: Climate Action: Mitigation and Adaptation

• renewable energy
• mitigation
• energy efficiency
• climate finance
• just transition