Key Barriers to Advancing Climate Change Adaptation through Nature-based Solutions: Knowledge, Evidence and Capacity Gaps

The document argues that interdisciplinary knowledge gaps, limited technical capacity, and inadequate monitoring tools are major barriers to the adoption of nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate adaptation. It highlights a significant lack of evidence and technical expertise in developing countries, noting that 60% of a global analysis of NbS case studies for natural hazard reduction were located in Europe. Key barriers include a shortage of trained professionals, limited access to geospatial technology, and the failure to integrate indigenous knowledge. These gaps make it difficult to build business cases for NbS, leading to a continued reliance on conventional engineered infrastructure.

• Knowledge and evidence gaps, particularly regarding the effectiveness of NbS in different local contexts and time frames, are hindering the integration of these solutions into climate adaptation strategies. This is especially acute in developing countries; a global analysis of 546 NbS case studies for reducing natural hazards found that 60% were situated in Europe.
• There is a pervasive lack of technical and institutional capacity for climate adaptation. By June 2024, all 56 National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) submitted to the UNFCCC mentioned the need for capacity-building, and 67% of the Second Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) listed capacity-building as a requirement for implementation.
• A critical shortage of trained professionals capable of bridging multiple disciplines to design and implement NbS exists. Much of the current NbS employment in developing countries is precarious, consisting of part-time or limited-term project-based work, which obstructs the development of long-term technical capacity.
• Existing monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) tools are inadequate for NbS because they are often designed for short-term, static projects and cannot effectively quantify or attribute the reduction in vulnerability over the long timescales required for NbS outcomes.
• Technological barriers include a lack of regional knowledge-sharing platforms and a scarcity of tools that integrate computational power and geospatial data for NbS modelling and simulation.
• Significant barriers prevent the access and integration of traditional knowledge held by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, which represents a missed opportunity for more effective NbS implementation.
• The combination of these gaps makes it difficult to establish a business case for NbS, often resulting in decision-makers prioritizing conventional engineered solutions over nature-based ones.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). Key Barriers to Advancing Climate Change Adaptation through Nature-based Solutions: Knowledge, Evidence and Capacity Gaps. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/338/7r14qye02p_Technical_Brief_03_Knowledge_Evidence_and_Capacity_Gaps.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Key Barriers to Advancing Climate Change Adaptation through Nature-based Solutions: Knowledge, Evidence and Capacity Gaps. n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/338/7r14qye02p_Technical_Brief_03_Knowledge_Evidence_and_Capacity_Gaps.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Key Barriers to Advancing Climate Change Adaptation through Nature-based Solutions: Knowledge, Evidence and Capacity Gaps |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/338/7r14qye02p_Technical_Brief_03_Knowledge_Evidence_and_Capacity_Gaps.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndkey, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Key Barriers to Advancing Climate Change Adaptation through Nature-based Solutions: Knowledge, Evidence and Capacity Gaps}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/338/7r14qye02p_Technical_Brief_03_Knowledge_Evidence_and_Capacity_Gaps.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }