“Report on the Strategic Workshop on Nature-based solutions”
In October 2022, Biodiversa+ organised a strategic workshop in Oslo to define the role of biodiversity research and innovation in supporting the development and implementation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The workshop brought together participants from research, policy and funding organisations to build a shared vision and provide strategic guidance for Biodiversa+ activities on NbS. This report presents the key outcomes of the discussions and their contribution to shaping Biodiversa+’s flagship programme on Nature-based Solutions.
Nature-based Solutions are increasingly recognised as key responses to biodiversity loss, climate change and societal resilience challenges. They are embedded in international and European policy frameworks, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Requiring more than project-level experimentation, scaling up NbS calls for:
- Strong scientific evidence
- Robust monitoring and impact assessment
- Governance innovation
- Engagement with business, finance and society
The workshop explored how Biodiversa+ can strategically support these needs.
Key takeaways
Participants highlighted that biodiversity R&I should:
- embed NbS within broader transformative change processes;
- adopt a social-ecological systems perspective;
- strengthen links between biodiversity, climate and human well-being;
- support operationalisation through standards, indicators and guidance.
Priority areas identified included:
- addressing knowledge gaps and fostering interdisciplinary research;
- developing monitoring frameworks and cross-sectoral indicators;
- advancing socio-economic and governance dimensions;
- engaging business and finance actors;
- strengthening capacity building and communication.
From strategy to implementation
The report provides a strategic reference for Biodiversa+’s ongoing work on NbS, underpinning its flagship programme “Better knowledge to develop, deploy and assess Nature-based Solutions”. It is also to contribute to the design of Biodiversa+ joint calls on NbS and to alignment with European initiatives such as NetworkNature.
