Nature-based Solutions

Context

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) took center stage as the TREESCAPES 2026 Congress concluded in Delhi (February 5–7, 2026). The event highlighted agroforestry’s critical role in climate resilience. Simultaneously, the UNEP State of Finance for Nature 2026 report warned of a massive global investment gap, revealing that for every $1 spent on nature protection, $30 are spent on nature-negative activities.

About Nature-based Solutions (NbS)

Definition:

NbS are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems to address societal challenges—such as climate change, food security, and water safety—effectively and adaptively. They provide simultaneous benefits for both human well-being and biodiversity.

Key Data & Stats (2025-26):

Mitigation Potential: NbS can provide up to 37% of the cost-effective $CO_2$ mitigation needed by 2030 to keep global warming below $2°C$.
Finance Gap: The 2026 UNEP report reveals a 30:1 ratio of nature-negative to nature-positive spending, with nature-negative flows reaching $7.3 trillion annually.
Investment Need: Global NbS investment must grow 2.5 times to $571 billion annually by 2030 to meet climate and land restoration targets.
India’s Green Cover: India ranks 9th globally in forest area; forest and tree cover account for approximately 25.17% of its geographical area.
Agroforestry Potential: Tree-based systems already account for 19.3% of India’s national carbon stocks.

Need for Nature-based Solutions

Climate Change Mitigation: NbS act as massive carbon sinks. India's Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign (2025) achieved the planting of 262.4 crore saplings by December 2025 to enhance national sinks.
Disaster Risk Reduction: Mangroves and wetlands act as natural buffers. The MISHTI initiative protects coastal communities in Odisha and West Bengal from cyclonic storm surges.
Water Security: Restoring watersheds and urban wetlands improves groundwater recharge. In Bengaluru, rejuvenating seasonal lakes like Jakkur Lake has improved water tables and reduced flood risks.
Sustainable Livelihoods: Ecosystem restoration creates jobs. The MGNREGS program increasingly focuses on Natural Resource Management (NRM), providing employment through pond desilting and afforestation.
Food Security: Agroforestry improves soil health. A 2025 ICAR study found that one-acre agroforestry farms sequestered 154.5 megagrams of $CO_2$ equivalent over nine years while maintaining food production.

Challenges to Nature-based Solutions

Lack of Standardization: Poor project design can lead to "greenwashing." Some afforestation drives in Central India were criticized for planting monoculture non-native species (e.g., Eucalyptus) that deplete groundwater.
Financing Constraints: Only 10% of total NbS investments currently come from the private sector due to high due diligence costs and liquidity risks.
Complex Governance: Overlapping jurisdictions between forest, water, and urban departments stall projects like the Aravalli Green Wall, which spans four states (Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat).
Urban Disconnect: NbS are often treated as secondary to "grey infrastructure." Despite historical floods, many cities still prioritize concrete drains over restoring natural blue-green floodplains.
Technical Gaps: Mangrove restoration in parts of Tamil Nadu has failed previously because upstream water flow changes were not factored into the design.

Initiatives Taken

IUCN Global Standard for NbS: A framework of 8 criteria to ensure projects are sustainable and benefit both people and the planet.
Aravalli Green Wall Project: Launched in June 2025 to restore 6.45 million hectares of degraded land across Northwest India to combat desertification.
Digital CAMPA Reforms: Rollout of the Digital APO Portal (2025) to ensure transparency and real-time monitoring of compensatory afforestation funds and works.
ENACT Initiative: A global partnership supported by India to accelerate NbS by integrating them into national climate and biodiversity plans.

Way Ahead

Infrastructure Integration: Incorporate "Blue-Green" infrastructure into the PM Gati Shakti framework and the Smart Cities Mission (e.g., rain gardens and bioswales).
Unlocking Green Finance: Develop Sovereign Forest Bonds and utilize the carbon credit market, projected to grow significantly in India by 2032.
Community-Led Governance: Empower Gram Sabhas and women-led water committees (from Jal Jeevan Mission) to manage local wetland and forest restoration.
Science-Based Monitoring: Use the Meri LiFE portal (2026) and satellite imagery to track the survival and health of planted saplings and restored ecosystems.
Scaling Agroforestry: Implement the roadmap from the South Asian Agroforestry Congress 2026 to reduce India's $7 billion wood import bill while supporting marginal farmers.

Conclusion

Nature-based Solutions represent a transition from fighting nature to partnering with it. While funding gaps and standardized implementation remain hurdles, Indian initiatives like the Aravalli restoration and the massive "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign show a strong political will. By bridging the finance gap and centering local communities, India can turn its natural capital into its strongest defense against climate change.

Nature-based Solutions