Principles for just and equitable nature-based solutions

This SEI discussion brief argues that nature-based solutions (NbS) are often framed as apolitical, leading to the neglect of social equity and justice in their design and implementation. The document proposes five core principles to ensure NbS do not reproduce existing inequalities and provides a case study from Kaptembwa, Kenya, to illustrate the integration of these principles in an urban informal settlement.

• Nature-based solutions (NbS) are frequently presented as apolitical, which results in the overlooking of social equity and justice issues during design, governance, and implementation. This framing leads to an over-emphasis on co-benefits while ignoring potential trade-offs and unintended consequences.
• The authors propose five principles for just and equitable NbS: ensuring inclusive and transparent processes; addressing the root causes of marginalization and injustice; limiting economic and non-economic losses while avoiding unjust risk redistribution; prioritizing the most at-risk communities and places; and utilizing valuation tools that measure social and political change.
• The redistribution of risks and costs in NbS can occur across four dimensions: geographic (transferring risk between places, such as upstream to downstream), jurisdictional (transferring burdens between sectors), social (reducing risk for some groups at the expense of others), and temporal/generational (ignoring future risks to address current ones).
• A case study in Kaptembwa, Nakuru, Kenya, demonstrates the application of these principles. Residents in this semi-informal settlement face challenges including flooding, pollution, and a lack of green spaces, which correlate with lower well-being, particularly among women.
• In Kaptembwa, participatory workshops identified the River Ndarugu as a potential basis for NbS to address stormwater management, flood mitigation, and rainwater harvesting. Residents emphasized that for these solutions to be valuable, they must also provide recreational opportunities and support economic development for those living in poverty.
• Implementing NbS in informal settlements like Kaptembwa is complicated by several planning challenges, including uncertain land rights, a lack of formal investment mechanisms, and the co-location of nature-based areas with infrastructure such as oil pipelines and electricity towers.

APA

Boyland, M., Tuhkanen, H., Green, J., & Barquet, K. (2022). Principles for just and equitable nature-based solutions. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/principles-for-just-and-equitable-nature-based-solutions.pdf

Chicago

Boyland, Michael, Heidi Tuhkanen, Jonathan Green, and Karina Barquet. Principles for just and equitable nature-based solutions. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2022. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/principles-for-just-and-equitable-nature-based-solutions.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Boyland |first1=Michael |last2=Tuhkanen |first2=Heidi |last3=Green |first3=Jonathan |last4=Barquet |first4=Karina |title=Principles for just and equitable nature-based solutions |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=May 2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/principles-for-just-and-equitable-nature-based-solutions.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{boyland2022principles, author = {Boyland, Michael and Tuhkanen, Heidi and Green, Jonathan and Barquet, Karina}, title = {{Principles for just and equitable nature-based solutions}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/principles-for-just-and-equitable-nature-based-solutions.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }