Lessons on nature-based solutions to support climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific

How the research will be used

WWF is already using the evaluation findings and recommendations to shape how nature-based solutions are designed, monitored, adapted and evaluated in their programs. Evidence from the report can also be used by DFAT and other international donors to improve investments in nature-based solutions for climate resilience. 

Charlotte Sterrett, Senior Manager, Community Resilience and Adaptation, WWF Australia says, "“WWF‑Australia welcomes the ISF evaluation as a strong evidence base for improving future NbS programming. The organisation is committed to implementing all recommendations and to using CRxN learning to inform longer‑term, locally led, equitable, and high‑integrity NbS investments that deliver lasting benefits for people, nature, and climate.”

What we found

Lessons for the sector include: 

• Impact takes time: ecosystems grow and evolve slowly, as do social and governance systems. Long-term investment in nature-based solutions is essential to see lasting benefits.
• Local, Indigenous and traditional knowledge is essential for nature-based solutions that truly work.
• Inclusive decision-making on environmental stewardship and natural resource governance strengthens nature-based solutions.
  Some (but not all) nature-based solutions support market-based livelihoods, which depend on strong systems being in place, such as supportive policies and functioning markets.
• To understand what works, for whom, and in which circumstances, nature-based solutions aiming for climate resilience must be shaped by locally led planning, learning and adaptation, reflecting diverse community perspectives of what successful climate resilience looks like in their context, for their needs and aspirations.
• ‘Scaling’ nature-based solutions is not solely about replication. Scaling can mean deepening impact in one place, expanding to new and similar contexts, embedding nature-based solutions in policy, or focusing on shifting values and behaviours.

Join the webinar, or read the evaluation report and case studies, to see what these lessons mean for the future of climate action.