Social Impact Framework for Nature-based Solutions

This evidence brief, produced as part of the NBSPLUS project, introduces a social impact framework designed to help local planners and policymakers intentionally design, govern, and assess the societal wellbeing benefits of nature-based solutions (NbS).

• The document defines nature-based solutions (NbS) as the use of blue-green infrastructure and natural processes—including restored waterways, green roofs, wetlands, and parks—to tackle societal, biodiversity, and climate challenges while enhancing quality of life.
• The NBSPLUS project developed a social impact framework to evaluate how NbS enhance societal wellbeing, categorizing impacts into several areas: physical and mental health, economic value and food security, recreational value, place attachment, knowledge and learning, pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour, social cohesion and interaction, distributive and recognitional justice, procedural justice and empowerment, and meaningful participation.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2026). Social Impact Framework for Nature-based Solutions. https://www.sei.org/publications/social-impact-framework-nbs/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Social Impact Framework for Nature-based Solutions. 2026. https://www.sei.org/publications/social-impact-framework-nbs/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Social Impact Framework for Nature-based Solutions |date=25 May 2026 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/social-impact-framework-nbs/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2026social, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Social Impact Framework for Nature-based Solutions}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/social-impact-framework-nbs/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }