Nature-based solutions for climate resilience

 Nature-based solutions for climate resilience

NATURE-BASED solutions have gained significant attention recently to address environmental degradation, water and food insecurity, natural disasters, and climate crises. The concept of NbS stems from the ecosystem approach. In 2016, the European Commission defined NbS as ‘nature-inspired and nature-supported solutions.’ These solutions encompass actions aimed at tackling societal challenges through the protection, sustainable management, and restoration of ecosystems, ultimately benefiting both biodiversity and human well-being. In essence, when we harness nature to address social issues, we are actively implementing NbS.

The rapid growth of the world population has led to an increase in daily needs. To meet these demands, people are excessively consuming natural resources, which results in resource depletion, significant environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and disruption of the ecological balance. Consequently, our habitable planet is moving towards a potential catastrophe. It has become crucial to develop innovative methods and technologies that can restore the environment, conserve nature, and address social needs and challenges. NbS can contribute up to 37 per cent of the climate change mitigation needed in this area (Cohen-Shacham, 2009). This global framework pushed countries that signed the Paris Agreement in 2015 to adopt NbS as part of Nationally Determined Contributions. At COP26, NbS received significant attention, with over 137 countries pledging to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.

One example of NbS obligation is the protection of the Sundarbans. This unique ecosystem offers protection against cyclones and tidal waves, creates livelihood opportunities, provides an abundance of fish and honey, serves as an eco-tourism site, absorbs carbon from the atmosphere, and shelters a rich biodiversity. Bangladesh earns approximately USD 1.56 billion annually from the Sundarbans. Similarly, the 18,000-hectare Hakaluki Haor, a special wetland, is home to various endangered species of animals and plants. This area produces a significant amount of fish, serves as a vital habitat for migratory birds, and is also an attractive eco-tourism destination. It directly and indirectly supports the livelihoods of about 200,000 people. Migratory birds, and it is an ecotourism site. It directly and indirectly provides a livelihood to about 200,000 people.

NbS have been in practice in Bangladesh for a long time. According to the Bangladesh Forest Department, the country has been establishing green belts through coastal afforestation since 1960 to protect itself from cyclones and tidal waves. To date, approximately 209,140 hectares of land have been afforested, with more than 93 per cent of the trees being mangroves. Another example of NbS is floating agriculture, particularly in Pirojpur, Barisal, and Gopalganj, where farmers grow crops on floating beds made of water hyacinths. This method helps ensure food security even during flooding. In 2013, the government allocated USD 1.6 million under the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund.

Approximately 40,000 hectares of seven distinct wetlands in Bangladesh were designated as ecologically critical areas in 1999. Along with the Eighth Five-Year Plan (2020–2025), Bangladesh has already prepared Delta Plan 2100, which prioritises ecosystem-based approaches. Furthermore, the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy Action Plan and the National Adaptation Programme have been created, which served as the foundation for the roadmap created by the National Adaptation Plan. It is important to note that the combined budget of the 25 ministries about climate change for FY 2024–2025 is approximately USD 4181.61 billion, or 52.47 per cent of the national budget. From FY2020–21 to FY2024–25, there was a 75.31 per cent increase in climate allocation.

Besides the government, various donor agencies are playing a significant role in the implementation of NbS in Bangladesh, such as the International Centre for Climate Change and Development and the University of Oxford, who are working on capacity building and policy advocacy. DANIDA International, CARE Bangladesh, and RUPANTAR are working together to build a climate-resilient community in the Bagerhat district through the programme. This initiative focuses on community capacity building and implements climate-adaptive agricultural practices, mangrove afforestation, canal re-excavation, and the planting of salt-tolerant trees. Additionally, the programme aims to integrate NbS into the mainstream of development through networking and advocacy at both national and international levels. Moreover, IUCN has given Bangladesh a thorough framework for designing, implementing, and assessing NbS.

It is noteworthy that fish farming, agriculture, tree plantations, construction of fences, animal husbandry, and pond digging are not direct NbS but are important components of NbS. All initiatives and strategies that can directly benefit both people and biodiversity are NbS. For example, sustainable management of haor areas, hilly lands, or the Sundarbans by involving local communities. Restoration of extinct forests, mangrove afforestation on chars or islands that arise in rivers or seas, and creating green roofs, urban green spaces, and wetlands to combat urban heat. Extensive afforestation of hills with the participation of local communities to prevent landslides, river dredging, or restoration of river banks to protect against floods, etc. The main conditions for implementing NbS are 1) precisely identifying local problems; 2) using nature to solve problems; 3) involving community people in solving problems; and 4) providing long-term benefits to people and biodiversity. The use of NbS in the wider context has increased over the past two decades, which is similar to the conceptual development of other types of interventions, such as ecosystem restoration (SER, 2004), ecosystem-based adaptation (CBD, 2009), ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (FEDRR, 2010), and ecosystem engineering (ODUM, 2003). The UN declared 2021-2030 as the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.

In reality, NbS is not a traditional project for several years of implementation, but rather, if implemented, it is possible to get the benefits for many years, even from generation to generation. If mangrove forests alone are managed healthily and sustainably, up to 57 billion USD in flood losses can be avoided every year in China, India, Mexico, the USA, and Vietnam (Reguero et al., 2018). A study by the World Resources Institute found that many NbS can be more cost-effective than traditional social engineering solutions. The 2030 SDG timeframe makes it clear that the ecosystem-based adaptation mission is a milestone on the way to the 2050 vision of ‘living in harmony with nature.’

By the end of the 2000s, a major shift in nature conservation has been underway, where people would not just passively take advantage of nature but would actively protect, manage, and restore the ecosystems responsibly. So we can protect nature through an ‘equally give and take policy.’

Finally, NbS can be considered as an umbrella that addresses multiple social challenges (Cohen-Shacham et al., 2016). Despite being a developing country, Bangladesh faces population growth, employment constraints, and inadequate health and education. So our country strategy and development philosophy should be to address significant social problems by utilising NbS as much as possible.

Writer: Md Mustafizur Rahman is an environmental activist.