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The race to 1.5 is on and we must all act now to ensure a climate-resilient world for future generations. Nature is our path and a powerful ally to meet the goals set by the Paris Agreement. Nature-based solutions are known for protecting, sustainably managing, and restoring natural and modified ecosystems in ways that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, to provide both human well-being and biodiversity benefits. They are underpinned by benefits that flow from healthy ecosystems and target major challenges like climate change, disaster risk reduction, food, and water security, and health and are critical to economic development.

We are all in this together. Effective climate action requires nature-positive actions. Governments, scientists, investors, activists, and indigenous and local peoples must work together to ensure the preservation and restoration of our ecosystems. Investing in nature-positive actions also increases the health, abundance, diversity, and resilience of species, populations and ecosystems so that by 2030 nature is visibly and measurably on the path to recovery.

For many, nature-based solutions are an abstract concept. For others, past challenges associated with the deployment of nature-based solutions has created a lingering sense of skepticism. The goal of this project is to demonstrate that action is already taking place at all levels, and that NbS represent a story of continuous improvement. There are few case studies that have not faced challenges, but from these challenges lessons are learned and best practices are developed.

From international organizations to national governments and local communities, people are deploying good practices and addressing lessons learned in every region of the planet. This guide provides a first glance at projects that consider protection, restoration, and improved land management actions that increase carbon storage or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in forests, wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural lands, while delivering a range of other benefits for the people and the planet.

We have compiled over 66 case studies that highlight action on the ground, a product of a collaborative effort to enhance knowledge and to bring to the surface the development of nature-based solutions in countries around the world. The projects showcased in this index are not exhaustive, as we understand that there are many more excellent examples that were not included in this list. This is just the start; the result of the first step in the journey to crowdsource case studies from around the world.

This list of case studies is a product of the work of many and could not have been done without the support of Nature4Climate and its partners who have submitted the projects. We would also like to acknowledge our team of volunteers, who helped compile, curate, and present such results. The Index will continue to be updated and improved continuously throughout the coming months. It currently also does not comprehensively assess levels of implementation and impacts on the ground, instead, it provides a first overview of what and where climate action linked to NbS is taking place. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for new case studies to be featured in this study. As mentioned above, this is a collaborative effort. Enjoy your read!

Notes

The projects below were categorized in accordance to which function they serve best, following the definitions explained below:

PROTECT - By protecting the world's natural ecosystems, and the respective Indigenous and local communities that manage them, from unsustainable practices and degradation, we can unleash their potential to draw down carbon and provide critical ecosystem services and boost resilience to the impacts of climate change.

MANAGE - By 2030, farming systems and working lands must shift from being net carbon emitters to carbon sinks. We have a huge opportunity to adapt and transform food and agriculture systems to get the world to net-zero in line with the Paris Agreement, build resilience, and put nature on a positive trajectory.

RESTORE - One-third of the planet's land is degraded. We need a global effort to restore what is lost, combined with an ambitious framework for biodiversity. Restoring forests, peatlands and mangroves globally has the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 10 billion tons annually, as well as generating major economic, employment and biodiversity benefits.
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