Brief: Mainstreaming NbS into policy

Despite growing policy recognition of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) potential to address climate change, biodiversity loss and increasing disaster risk at multiple levels, their large-scale implementation is still limited. A critical challenge is translating strategic ambitions into concrete, bankable projects capable of attracting sufficient public and private investment. A review of 13 EU NbS-related policies and 5 sustainable finance frameworks was conducted across climate change, disaster risk reduction, and biodiversity protection policy domains. 

The review examined to what extent those instruments support the implementation of NbS across different landscapes. Living Labs provided insights into practical experience and context-based evidence

This brief presents insights of the Invest4Nature (I4N) policy framework assessment for NbS implementation across different policy domains, including the current EU Sustainable policy framework. It highlights:

• Gaps and barriers in current policies that limit investment flows towards NbS.
• Specific shortcomings in the EU Sustainable Finance policy framework, including the EU Taxonomy, for integrating NbS.
• Recommendations to strengthen NbS’ s role in sustainable finance policies and accelerate uptake.