Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) have emerged as a significant vehicle in support of sustainability. The benefits are multifaceted and hard for investors to capitalise on, however. National governments tend to be vaguely aware what is at stake. Multilateral bodies, such as UNEP and IUCN, provide impetus towards a more broad-based appreciation. The EU, meanwhile, has taken stern action, notably through research and innovation projects funded by Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, to catalyse a rich tableau of collaborative NBS projects, focusing at local and city level. Devised for the purpose of piloting and experimenting with novel approaches to harness value creation, the lessons learned have been structured and diffused in support of further expansion and realisation of benefits.

This Policy Brief pulls together insights aimed to gain ground in respect to the role of Nature-based Organisations (NBOs).