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The document identifies a significant funding gap for nature-based solutions (NbS), noting that current annual investments of USD 200 billion must increase to USD 542 billion by 2030 to meet global goals. Key barriers include a heavy reliance on public finance (over 80%), a lack of bankable models for ecosystem services, and a dearth of business cases for the private sector. To address these, the brief suggests blended finance to mitigate risk, innovative instruments like green and blue bonds, and the use of natural capital accounting to assign economic value to nature's benefits.

The document outlines four critical barriers to the adoption of nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate adaptation: lack of awareness, policy and governance gaps, knowledge and capacity deficits, and financial challenges. It argues that NbS, also known as Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), are underutilized despite their ability to reduce disaster risk and enhance resilience. To address these issues, WWF and partners are developing a global NbS platform to provide tailored technical assistance to governments, particularly in the Global South, to help them mainstream NbS into national strategies like NDCs and NAPs.

The document argues that Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are underutilized for climate change adaptation because policy makers and practitioners often perceive them only as biodiversity measures rather than critical tools for flood control, drought mitigation, and coastal protection. It identifies several barriers, including institutional silos, a lack of robust performance metrics, and the prioritization of familiar engineered solutions. To address these, the briefing recommends cross-sectoral communication, the use of participatory and inclusive approaches, and the integration of NbS into educational curricula. It highlights successful initiatives such as the Nature-based Solutions Initiative (NBSI) and specific projects in Grenada, Peru, and Sub-Saharan Africa as models for increasing awareness and mainstreaming NbS.

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.