Despite their proven benefits, a new policy report by NetworkNature+ shows that Nature-based Solutions (Nbs) are only explicitly mentioned in about a third of key EU environmental and sustainability policies. Furthermore, NbS result underutilised and underfinanced while cooperation and understanding across policy levels is lacking, leading to gaps in implementation.

The policy screening reviewed 48 EU and global treaties, strategies, directives and dedicated funding instruments in relation to NbS across the six policy themes identified. The review of gaps associated with each policy revealed a lack of integration of NbS in policy texts, with the exception of the mostly non-legislative urban policies. Of the policies reviewed, only 18 (35%) explicitly mention NbS or related terms.

According to the authors, this is not surprising at all since 11 of the 38 reviewed EU policies pre-date the adoption by the EU of a definition of NbS (2015), and 31 pre-date the adoption of the UNEA definition (2022) – the term “Nature-based Solutions” was first coined by the World Bank in 2008.

In an op-ed published on Euractiv, Laure-Lou Tremblay (IEEP) and Kassia Ruddneed (ICLEI) underline the need of a local-level uptake of NbS across the EU. Moreover, the slow adoption reveals deeper issues such as policy incoherence across sectors (i.e. climate, agriculture, and biodiversity) and insufficient funding.

An added difficulty is the non-binding nature of many NbS related targets. In the absence of a clear legal framework, earmarked funds, and private sector involvement, cities and local authorities are left without the budget or guidelines necessary to implement green infrastructure effectively. Without a policy sea change, NbS implementation will remain fragmented, small-scale, and incapable of achieving the transformative impact Europe desperately needs.