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This briefing introduces a four-part series by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) designed to address knowledge gaps regarding the social and economic sustainability of nature-based solutions (NbS). The series focuses on the potential risks, trade-offs, and the necessity of ensuring social equity, finance, and scale are integrated into NbS to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities.

This case study describes the Green Corridors programme in Medellín, Colombia, which implemented urban vegetation to combat rising temperatures and improve public health and air quality between 2016 and 2019.

This report discusses the necessity of integrating conservation finance into broader economic recovery and climate goals to address the rapid degradation of Africa's natural resources.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides recommendations for the development of Canada's first-ever National Adaptation Strategy (NAS). It analyzes adaptation planning trends globally and across 11 peer countries, evaluates Canada's existing domestic policy and institutional foundations, and proposes 13 considerations to ensure the NAS is inclusive, accountable, and effective in mobilizing federal action.

Friends of the Earth International argues that the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) draft decision to "mainstream biodiversity" across all economic sectors is dangerous and ineffective. The organization claims the proposal prioritizes corporate profit over nature and indigenous peoples, relying on voluntary business actions and "greenwashing" mechanisms like offsetting and ecosystem accounting rather than enforceable governmental regulations to halt the drivers of biodiversity loss.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines a framework for corporate financing of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to ensure they support rather than hinder global climate goals. The authors argue that carbon credits should only be used to "counterbalance" residual emissions after a company has demonstrated aggressive internal decarbonization aligned with 1.5°C science-based targets. The document emphasizes the need for high-integrity supply-side standards, advocating for a "jurisdictional approach" over project-scale credits to better manage risks like leakage and permanence.

This report presents a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of three stormwater infrastructure options in the Paterson Park Precinct of Johannesburg, South Africa: a grey concrete culvert, a nature-based stream renaturalization, and a hybrid solution. Using data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the study compares these options through an integrated cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and climate change scenario analysis over 20- and 40-year horizons. The findings demonstrate that nature-based infrastructure is the most cost-efficient and climate-resilient choice, providing significant co-benefits in flood mitigation and water supply.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute examines the role of nature-based solutions (NBS) as carbon offsets within corporate climate mitigation strategies. It argues that while NBS are critical for achieving global net-zero goals by 2050, their use as offsets is controversial due to risks of 'greenwashing' and technical challenges regarding credit quality. The authors advocate for a 'both/and' approach where companies combine aggressive direct fossil fuel abatement with high-quality NBS investments, emphasizing the need for robust standards to ensure environmental and social integrity.

This fact sheet explains the structure and application of revolving loan funds (RLFs) as a financing mechanism for environmental and climate resilience projects. It details the operational history of Maryland's Shore Erosion Control RLF and a feasibility study for a proposed RLF in the Puget Sound region of Washington state to support shoreline restoration and hazard mitigation.

This research paper by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) identifies key strategies to accelerate climate change adaptation across Africa. Based on interviews with African scientists and practitioners, the paper advocates for a shift toward locally-led, inclusive solutions that integrate indigenous knowledge with scientific projections. It proposes three primary investment pillars: enhancing people's skills and knowledge, building climate-resilient economies, and investing in nature-based solutions.

The Water Infrastructure Criteria, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative in January 2021, provide a technical framework for certifying bonds that finance water-related assets. The criteria cover engineered, nature-based, and hybrid infrastructure used for water collection, storage, treatment, distribution, flood protection, and drought resilience. To achieve certification, assets must meet both mitigation requirements (reducing GHG emissions) and adaptation and resilience requirements (demonstrating robustness to climate change).

This fact sheet explains how revolving loan funds (RLFs) can be used to finance coastal resilience and environmental improvements. It details the mechanics of RLFs, discusses federal legislative priorities like the STORM Act, and provides a detailed case study of the Maryland Shore Erosion Control Revolving Loan Fund alongside a feasibility study for a similar program in Puget Sound, Washington.

This executive summary describes a scoping study on Ecosystem-based Flood Risk Management in five Sub-Saharan cities: Accra, Cape Town, Durban, Nairobi, and Mombasa. It evaluates the integration of nature-based solutions (NbS) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) alongside traditional grey infrastructure to address urban flooding exacerbated by climate change, rapid urbanization, and poor urban planning.

This 2021 report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) provides a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code (Law No. 12.651/2012) across Brazilian states. It focuses on the progress of the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), identifying significant bottlenecks in the analysis and validation of registries and the low rate of producer adherence to regularization programs. The report highlights disparities between states, noting that while registration is advanced nationwide, the transition to actual environmental recovery remains a major challenge.

This executive summary provides a 2021 snapshot of the implementation of Brazil's Native Vegetation Protection Law (Forest Code), specifically focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (PRA). While property registration is well-advanced nationwide, the report identifies significant bottlenecks in the analysis and validation of these registrations and a lack of producer interest in joining the PRA, leaving the final stage of environmental regularization as a major challenge across most states.

The COP26 Resilience Hub Synthesis Report outlines the outcomes of the Resilience Hub, which served as the home for the UNFCCC’s Race to Resilience during COP26. The report identifies five core messages for advancing global climate adaptation and resilience, emphasizing the need for locally led action, diversified finance, knowledge brokering, nature-based solutions, and the inclusion of marginalized groups in decision-making.

The COP26 Resilience Hub Synthesis Report outlines key messages and future directions for climate adaptation and resilience, emphasizing the need for locally led action, diversified finance, and the integration of nature-based solutions. It synthesizes findings from the Resilience Hub's activities at COP26, focusing on three pillars (urban, coastal, and rural) and ten thematic areas to guide action toward COP27.

This guide, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in 2021, provides a framework for the integrated development of small islands near cities into 'eco-islands'—sustainable tourism destinations. Based on projects on Aegna and Vasikkasaari, it outlines a strategic planning process involving visioning, sustainability assessment, and the implementation of 'smart solutions' such as digital monitoring and citizen science to balance tourism with environmental preservation.

This guide provides a framework for project champions and funders to secure capital for natural infrastructure in Canada, focusing on bridging the gap between early-stage valuation and project finance.

This report analyzes 19 National Adaptation Plan (NAP) documents to determine how ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is integrated into national climate strategies. It highlights EbA as a nature-based solution that provides social, economic, and environmental benefits to build climate resilience.