If natural solutions are more suitable in response to climate change impacts, how can communities be leveraged for results in nature-based solutions?

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are actions that utilize natural ecosystems to address environmental, social, and economic challenges. These solutions harness the power of nature to mitigate climate change, enhance biodiversity, and improve human well-being. From restoring wetlands to promoting urban green spaces, NBS provide cost-effective and sustainable ways to combat land degradation, water scarcity, and disaster risks.

The rate at which land degradation is spreading through previously arable lands has become alarming, with almost 100 million hectares of land being degraded annually at a global level. Through multilateral institutions, in collaboration with civil society and non-profit organizations, efforts have been directed toward seeking solutions, with nature-based solutions emerging as the most effective approach.

Nature-based solutions are strategic actions that leverage natural processes to address challenges such as climate change, food and water scarcity, and disaster risks. These processes are often less expensive to implement and play a proactive role, making them a cost-effective alternative to responding to climate shocks, which can be highly costly.

These solutions serve as Earth’s innovations, maintaining balance between people and the planet. They include urban green spaces, which involve developing urban parks such as Uhuru Park in Nairobi’s central business district and creating rooftop gardens. These ecosystems act as the lungs of cities, reducing pollution while providing recreational spaces and enhancing biodiversity.

Another nature-based solution is targeted wetland restoration, which ensures that wetlands like Ondiri Wetlands are revived, conserved, and protected. Wetlands play a crucial buffering role, safeguarding communities from flooding. Additionally, they purify water and provide habitats for diverse wildlife.

Mangrove protection, though sometimes underrated, is a significant nature-based solution widely recognized as a coastal defense mechanism. Mangroves protect shorelines from erosion and storm surges while supporting diverse marine life.

A more widely adopted solution is agroforestry, which integrates trees into farming systems. This approach has been embraced at the community level, offering benefits such as boosting crop yields, enhancing soil health, and sequestering carbon, a crucial step toward reducing emissions.

Coral reefs, often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea,” are underwater ecosystems formed by colonies of stony corals. Their beauty is intertwined with vulnerability, highlighting the need for their rehabilitation. Coral reefs not only support biodiversity but also sustain local economies through tourism and fishing industries.

Sustainable forest management remains a contentious issue, as it seeks to balance resource utilization and conservation. Forests, a vital resource, face threats due to the demand for timber and other products. The challenge lies in ensuring that these resources are used sustainably without compromising ecosystem services and wildlife habitats.

A report by the UN Biodiversity emphasized that humanity must collaborate with nature as the only path toward a thriving, sustainable future.

“It’s time we work hand-in-hand with nature, not against it. Investing in nature-based solutions is the path toward a thriving, sustainable future for people and the planet,” the statement read.

Case Study: Native Tree Species Focus by CIFOR-ICRAF

A native tree species occurs within its natural range (past or present) and dispersal potential. Many native tree species are considered ‘endemic’ as they exist only in specific regions globally.

In February 2025, the Director of CIFOR-ICRAF, Dr. Eliane Ubalijoro, carried a selection of tree seeds from their Tree Genebank to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. This move underscores the largely unknown extent of native trees’ ecological contributions.

The seed vault stores duplicates of over a million seed samples from around the world, serving as a genetic insurance policy against food and nutritional insecurity, climate change, deforestation, and ecological collapse.

Some of the samples she carried included the iconic baobab (Adansonia digitata), a tree that provides nutritious fruits and leaves for human consumption. Another species, Faidherbia albida, is widely valued for its ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, enhancing soil fertility. The Sudan teak (Cordia africana), a valuable timber species, faces increasing threats due to deforestation.

Native tree species play an essential role in biodiversity conservation and human livelihoods. For this reason, they remain a high priority, as they are uniquely adapted to their ecosystems and are often at greater risk of habitat loss.

Like nature-based solutions, native trees provide sustainable habitats for nurturing local biodiversity while offering valuable resources to communities. Their longevity enables natural regeneration, making them a key component in landscape restoration and environmental stability.

Beyond resources such as timber, medicine, fruits, nuts, leafy vegetables, fodder, and fuelwood, native trees also hold cultural and spiritual significance in many communities.

For example, the baobab tree plays a vital role in African traditions and culture, supporting entire ecosystems. Fruit bats pollinate baobab trees, ensuring their regeneration, while the flowers provide nutritional floral nectar. The trees also store water in their trunks, sustaining ecosystems through dry seasons.

The Role of Community and Policy in Scaling Up Nature-Based Solutions

While nature-based solutions present a sustainable approach to climate challenges, their success largely depends on the active involvement of local communities and strong policy frameworks. Engaging communities in conservation efforts fosters a sense of ownership and ensures long-term stewardship of natural resources.

Community-led tree-planting initiatives, wetland restoration projects, and sustainable farming practices are critical in making these solutions effective at the grassroots level.

In addition, policies that integrate nature-based solutions into national climate action plans, urban planning, and agricultural frameworks can significantly scale up their impact. Governments must invest in financial incentives, capacity building, and legal protections to encourage sustainable land use and ecosystem restoration.

By creating favorable policies and fostering partnerships between governments, private sectors, and local communities, nature-based solutions can be mainstreamed into climate action strategies.

The intersection of community participation and strong policy backing is key to ensuring that nature-based solutions are not only implemented but also sustained. As global efforts to combat climate change intensify, it is imperative that all stakeholders, policymakers, scientists, conservationists, and communities, work together to protect and restore our natural ecosystems for a resilient future.