Local Action, Global Impact: Scaling Nature-based Solutions Through Landowners

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) play a crucial role in addressing climate risks and restoring ecosystems, yet their large-scale implementation often depends on cooperation with private landowners. Local governments and planning authorities are therefore key actors in translating European climate and biodiversity ambitions into concrete action on the ground. Evidence from the LAND4CLIMATE regions shows that limited trust, complex administrative procedures, unclear incentives and insufficient technical guidance often slow down implementation. To support the wider implementation of NbS on private land, this policy brief highlights the importance of building long-term trust with landowners through credible intermediaries, simplifying contracts and permitting procedures, providing clear and predictable economic incentives, and strengthening local technical capacity and demonstration initiatives.

Thomas Thaler Senior Researcher, Institute of Landscape Planning, BOKU
Marcelo Daniel Gerlach Expert in Biodiversity & Nature-based Solutions, ICLEI Europe
Simon Racé Junior Expert in Biodiversity & Nature-based Solutions, ICLEI Europe
Roger Roca Vallejo Expert in Biodiversity & Nature-based Solutions, ICLEI Europe