ABSTRACT
At the Fifth Meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) in 2022, countries adopted a resolution defining nature-based solutions (NBS) as actions to manage ecosystems, addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges while promoting human well-being and biodiversity. This definition expands on previous concepts, such as the European Commission’s 2015 definition, which highlights NBS as cost-effective interventions that enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services in various environments. The adoption of this definition aims to prevent misuse and controversies surrounding the NBS concept. Initiatives like the European Green Deal, the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and the European Bauhaus Initiative promote NBS to drive transformative change. NBS are particularly significant in urban areas, aiding societal and economic regeneration as part of a resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises. These solutions are labour-intensive, offering job and business opportunities, thereby addressing rising unemployment due to conflicts, climate change, the pandemic, or technological shifts. NBS require interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering integrated responses to climate change and biodiversity loss. Despite their benefits, investment in NBS has been limited, though there’s a growing recognition of their potential. Living Labs and projects like proGIreg demonstrate NBS benefits and help translate strategies into action.
