News articles

Adaptation and Climate resilience involves many sectors and levels of governance. In order to tackle climate change future leaders must be equipped to create future solutions. To this end, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), Centre for Environment Education (CCE), and Foundation for...

Working with nature to strengthen urban resilience can be cost-effective for addressing climate adaptation and mitigation while bringing out broader benefits for biodiversity, communities, and the local economy. Nature-based solutions like urban park development and river restoration are found...

The European Commission under the The Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy - Europe, has launched a Policy Support Facilit y . This innovative initiative will support local and regional authorities implement climate change adaptation actions. Cities and regions from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech...

UNCCD’s evidence-based flagship Global Land Outlook 2 (GLO2) report, five years in development with 21 partner organizations, and with over 1,000 references, is the most comprehensive consolidation of information on the topic assembled.

It offers an overview of the breadth and projects...

Youth around the world are voicing their stances on a wide set of environmental issues, including recent engagement on Nature-based solutions (NBS). During the course of the European Year of Youth , dedicated young leaders for climate and nature produced an position paper on Nature-based...

The CLEARING HOUSE project announces its first knowledge exchange mechanism.

The global objective of the knowledge exchange mechanism is to promote capacity development and exchange of knowledge and practices on urban forests as nature-based solutions (UF-NBS), based on peer-to-peer...

The foundation for upscaling the use of Nature-based Solutions lies in creating awareness and strengthening knowledge about the natural world early in life and throughout our education. While awareness of the benefits of nature for human health is spreading, there seems to be a clear need to...

In the framework of a market assessment project conducted on behalf of the European Investment Bank (EIB) on the topic of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) financing, Bankers without Boundaries is collecting information of currently existing projects at the EU level.

This project aims at...

Awareness for nature based solutions is spreading. NetworkNature is proud to take these lessons learned to the classroom - schools, higher education, and professional training are often the places where people’s thinking, understanding, and perceptions are transformed, leading to long term...

A unique new online business course developed by the Capitals Coalition supported by We Value Nature has launched.

The free course, ‘ Valuing nature and people to inform business decision-making' , comes in response to an increased demand from businesses and the finance sector for the...

The European Commission has today launched an invitation to EU regions and communities to join the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change.

The Mission’s objective is to support 150 regions and communities to accelerate their transformation towards climate resilience by helping them...

NetworkNature is launching a call for its semester on nature-based solutions standards . NetworkNature semesters cover timely issues in the nature-based solutions (NbS) field, to gather, share knowledge and raise awareness on the topic together with the wider nature-based solutions community....

This toolkit provided by the IUCN equips people with the tools, knowledge, and resources necessary to restore ecosystems back to productive and healthy spaces. Readers are shown examples of the importance of community organizing, potential aspects of projects, successful examples of community...

The CONEXUS project is collecting NBS professional skill gaps in order to recommend a professional training curriculum in Nature-based Solutions that can respond to local needs and challenges for successful NBS planning and implementation.

Local governments, international cooperation...

The new European Biodiversity Partnership Biodiversa+, co-funded by the European Union is bringing together 74 research programs, funders, and environmental policy actors from 37 European and associated countries to help put nature back on a path of recovery. Biodiversa+ started on the 1st of...

Curious about what nature-based solutions are? NetworkNature created a new publication with some basic facts to get you started!

To achieve a sustainable future, we should work with, not against nature to achieve global goals. Nature-based solutions are a great pathway forward. This...

What is an ecological restoration approach?

Restorative actions exist at first to bring more nature, ecological functions and natural features from natural areas to fully anthropized ones. In Brussels, Belgium, the city is setting up insect hotels and meadows in green spaces to recreate...

In this new study from the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences by Jantsje M. van Loon-Steensma , Christopher Goldsworthy published on Springer journal Ambio , based on work done the BRIGAID project (supporting innovators to bolster resilience to floods, droughts and extreme weather), a test...

UrbanByNature, the global capacity-building programme in Nature-based Solutions (NBS) coordinated by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability , is starting 2022 with a new, standalone website and a revamped logo. The UrbanByNature website ( www.urbanbynature.eu ) allows participants to...

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are seen as cost-effective and effective solutions to help governments address the growing challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, increased frequency of extreme weather conditions and natural hazards, as well as others man-made environmental disasters. The...

In Europe, almost one-third of the landscape is covered by cities, villages, agriculture and forests. There are lots of different types of trees, bur also damaged forest areas due to human activities and climate change consequences. At the European level a series of political commitments are...

At the September IUCN UK Peatland Programme/LIFE Conference film night, the North Pennines AONB Partnership launched its new film: PeatLIFE People .

The documentary-style film shows some views of UK's peatland landscapes and the work of the Pennine PeatLIFE project and, as said by the...

The “ Water Framework Directive” (DIR 2000/60/EC) has radically changed the policies of European countries regarding water, which throughout the 1900s were mainly aimed at facilitating its use for human activities and protecting public health from the risks associated with pollution. The...

European cities are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to become a stop on the Connecting Nature Roadshow - a mobile exhibition showcasing innovative solutions to co-create, implement and manage nature based-solutions.

The Roadshow will customize interactive workshops...

On 1st December, the European Business Statement was officially delivered to the European Commission at the EBNS 2021.

The statement calls businesses and policy makers to mainstream biodiversity in all decisions and policies. In particular, the European businesses are called upon to...

How to best utilise nature-based solutions to treat urban wastewater? Help the EU-funded NICE project design software to help achieve urban circular water loops!

NICE will undertake experiments to establish with precision how effective various nature-based solutions are at treating...

As part of the NetworkNature semester ‘ Nature-based solutions for ecosystem restoration ’, which aims to create opportunities for local, regional and international cooperation on nature-based solutions and to explore how ecosystem restoration can contribute to biodiversity conservation whilst...

How can stakeholders balance the potential risks, drawbacks and concerns of the Nature-Based Solutions Framework with its benefits and opportunities? A brief is now available pertaining to this very topic. As a partnership between Global Youth Biodiversity Network, Youth4Nature and YOUNGO, the...

The new report "Nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation", authored by experts from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Union or Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) finds the...

The new Horizon2020 funded NICE project aims to promote the use of nature-based solutions for circular urban water management. The project will generate knowledge for the design and implementation of NbS with the goal of closing urban water loops. The solutions will capture water,...

On 21 st October, Network Nature held its first Annual Event which focused on the Network Nature semester theme “ Ecosystem restoration through nature-based solutions ”, in line with current EU ambitions for achieving the European Green Deal and the start of the UN Decade on Ecosystem...

NATURVATION and NetworkNature have collaborated to create the first NetworkNature project group.

NetworkNature project groups will bring together project case studies, resources and news. This content will be preserved in NetworkNature and in Oppla long after the project has finished....

New awarenesses are emerging today: the need to curb the growth of GHG emissions for global economic recovery and the destruction of the natural world. Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) help address both these problems and increase resilience to climate change. NCS are conservation, restoration...

AIPH , the International Association of Horticultural Producers and the world’s champion for the power of plants proudly presents the AIPH World Green City Awards , which recently opened for entries for the 2022 inaugural edition.

The leading role of city authorities is...

The Urban Forest Innovation Lab (UFIL) , is a innovation lab in forest bioeconomy based in the city of Cuenca (Spain) and hosts a prestigious entrepreneurship program. UFIL's main objective is to provide participants with the necessary tools and knowledge to become entrepreneurs in the...

The Open Rivers Program was officially launched on October 8, 2021, thanks to an investment of 42.5 million euros in six years by Arcadia, a charity fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin. The motivation of this Programme lies in the fact that European rivers are the most fragmented in the...

As part of the Global Platform for Sustainable Cities - World Bank Webinar series “ Bringing Nature to Cities: Integrated Urban Solutions to Biodiversity Loss and Climate Change ” , NetworkNature hosted a webinar on mainstreaming biodiversity and climate change into EU Urban Planning and Policy...

On 21st September an insightful event took place to highlight a crucial topic for preserving our environment and mitigating climate change; Nature-based solutions Webinar on Peatland Restoration , organised by Scotland House Brussels and ICLEI Europe. The webinar gathered experts together to...

The FAO e-learning on Sustainable financing of forest and landscape restoration (FLR) is now available in French . To meet countries’ national commitments to restoring degraded landscapes, adequate public and private investments are needed to support the different steps of the FLR cycle....

In the aftermath of a society altered by COVID-19, cities have a unique opportunity to “build back better” and harness the power that Nature-based Solutions have to offer.

A report, “Smart, Sustainable and Resilient cities: the Power of Nature-based Solutions'' produced by UNEP together...

A new report on Nature-based Solutions business models is now available. The report titled, “State of the Art and Latest Advances in Exploring Business Models for Nature-Based Solutions” was created by the EU NbS Clustering Task Force 3, coordinated by NetworkNature and offers insight...

A new report from the EU Commission Directorate titled, “Evaluating the Impact of Nature-Based Solutions: A Summary for Policy Makers”, was released providing a high-level summary for practitioners and policy-makers alike to assess the impact of nature-based solutions (NbS) using...

PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency launched a new website dedicated to information on Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The main objective of the website is to inform decision makers about the potential of...

Coastal dunes are high-value areas of biodiversity, providing a home to rare flora and offering protection to coasts against storms. They can, however, be vulnerable to degradation and should therefore be protected. The challenge lies in the changing nature of dunes as an ecosystem...

The new IPCC special report on effects of global warming above pre-industrial levels , sounds an alarm on the irreversible negative impacts of human activity on our own habitat. In order to to steer away from a climate catastrophe, scientists state that stark and immediate cuts on emissions are...

Nature should be at the heart of our cities, because they are the places where we work, play and engage. Today, more than 55% of the world's population lives in cities and this figure is likely to continue to grow, as urbanization is growing at an unprecedented rate and this contributes...

The SINCERE project has released a new policy briefing , which draws on the global experiences of Payments for Environmental Services (PES). The aim is to provide policymakers insights into best practices and preconditions for a successful implementation of PES in Europe. Indeed, PES have become...

A new paper has been published on the Ecosystem Services Journal on using ecosystem services to measure the degree to which a solution is nature-based.

Recently, Nature-based Solutions have gained increasing interest as a broad concept which encompasses several fields (sociology,...

The first draft of a new global framework on biodiversity was released by the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to guide actions around the world until 2030 for the conservation and protection of nature and its essential services to people. At the end of...

NetworkNature highlights timely topics in the nature-based solutions field with its semester themes , identified in consultation with the nature-based solutions community. Each semester NetworkNature will focus on a specific...

Economic entities are increasingly regognizing that nature is tied to all activities and that the state of the environment also affects the economy. OECD launched a new policy guide for finance, economic and environment ministes titled ' Biodiversity, natural capital and the economy ' in May...

During the NetworkNature semester ‘ Nature-based solutions in light of the pandemic ’ we have explored how these solutions affect health and well-being. There is increasing research and findings indicating that among the many benefits of natural spaces, are improvements to mental and physical...

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Natural Course have created a Natural Capital User Guide, a resource for urban planners, businessess, funders, project developers, partnerships, infrastructure planners and decision makers to learn about Manchester's approach and the natural capital...

The 2021 Transformative Action Award is now accepting applications from cities, regions, and civil society organisations who are pioneering transformative actions to create sustainable, resilient, and liveable cities.

The actions taken reflect local or regional contributions to the...

This article originally appeared on ICLEI Europe, republished with permission.

This World Environment Day (5 June) marks the official launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), a global movement initiated by the UN General Assembly to help halt and reverse the...

There is currently an active debate in the role that nature-based solutions should take in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Some parties advocate for the great potential of nature-based solutions to advance the protection sustainable using and restoration of biodiversity, while...

The United Nations has dedicated May 22nd each year as The International Day for Biological Diversity , to increase awareness and understanding of biodiversity. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has set the theme for Biodiversity Day 2021 as “ We’re part of the...

The concept of therapeutic or healing gardens is both modern and ancient. Ancient Egyptian, Persian and Greek gardens were all considered healing environments and all of them had well established guidelines in relation with the knowledge of that time and, most important, people were aware of...

New European Commission Carbon Farming Initiative

On the 27th of April 2021, the European Commission published a ‘ Technical Guidance Handbook: Setting up and implementing results-based carbon farming mechanisms in the EU ’ This guide is the result of a two-year study on how best to set...

The European Environment Agency presents a new report that gives valuable insights in how working with nature can help prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and biodiversity and ecosystem loss. Nature-based solutions offer multiple ways to do this. Science and policy have begun to...

Nature-based solutions are an increasingly popular means for tackling urban sustainability challenges. Nonetheless, there’s no one-size-fits-all method for every city, even when we are dealing with the same topic. Here are a few points/tips/inspirational stories you could learn from when taking...

UNEP has opened a call for best practices on investment in nature-based solutions, under their State of Finance for Nature initiative.

Contribute to shaping the financing landscape for nature-based solutions, by submitting best practices, to help demonstrate how investing in nature-...

Editorial for March 2021 edition of NetworkNature Newsletter.

“Nature is good for us and the society”. That was – in short – the main message by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) back in 2005. The outcomes of the MEA were an eye-opener and have led to new knowledge and new...

The Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform is inviting tenders from suitably qualified individuals to serve as a Community Ambassador for the NBS for Health and Well-Being Community on the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform for the period from May 2021 – April 2022.

In the wake of the pandemic, the realization that access to nature is crucial for well-being has dawned on many. Although the pandemic stems from nature, the role of human-led destruction of natural environments is a major causal factor, and thus a potential solution lies in re-establishing a...

News originally published on the GrowGreen website . Republished with permission from GrowGreen.

Download the summary and the full report produced by IUCN for GrowGreen on the Chinese Sponge Cities Programme.

Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province , is well-known as the “...

Nature-based solutions may often be small in scale, but this is wherein their power lies – they lend well to replication. To support their spread, NetworkNature , a new Horizon 2020 funded project, spearheaded by ICLEI Europe , IUCN , BiodivERsA , Oppla and Steinbeis 2i , gathers the nature-...

News originally published on the IUCN website . Republished with permission from IUCN .

Gland, Switzerland - The European Green Deal is aligned to mobilise action on nature-based solutions (NbS) and, at the same time, help deliver the European Recovery Package, according to IUCN, which...

A new Horizon 2020 funded project – GoGreenRoutes - will apply innovative solutions such as urban nature-based interventions, data analysis and citizen science to investigate the links between green spaces and health.

The need for urban green spaces has gained worldwide attention in...

Blog originally published on the IUCN website . Republished with permission from IUCN .

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of green and blue infrastructure in cities as a refuge for urban residents, providing a range of health and other benefits. A webinar held on 29th...

News originally published on the GrowGreen website . Republished with permission from GrowGreen.

The new Espai Verd Benicalap (Green Space Benicalap), located in the Benicalap neighborhood in València, has been inaugurated with an open day for citizens. This project is one of the...