The Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Initiative (based at the University of Oxford) is hosting a series of Digital Dialogues on NbS that will serve as a primer to the NbS Solutions Conference, now set for July 2021.

The Digital Dialogues series will provide six 90-minute sessions spread out over three days. During these session, the four key guidelines for successful, sustainable NbS (see www.nbsguidelines.info) will be discussed, as well as the main challenges around the implementation, financing and governance of NbS. Furthermore, the fifth session will also look at how NbS are relevant for international green-economic-recovery from COVID-19.

Each session will consist of 3-5 short presentations by leading experts in the field of climate change, biodiversity and development, a panel discussion and a Q&A sessions with the audience. Outcomes from these sessions will be presented at UN meetings in late 2020 and early 2021 in the form of policy briefs, as well as made available through an outreach campaign.

The sessions cover the following topics:

• NbS for climate change mitigation (7 July)
  • Guiding principle 01: NbS are not a substitute for a rapid fossil fuel phase-out and must not delay urgent action to decarbonise our economies
• NbS in all ecosystems (7 July)
  • Guiding principle 02: Successful, sustainable NbS involve the protection and/or restoration of a wide range of naturally occurring ecosystems on land and in the sea, not only forests
• NbS with, by and for people (8 July)
  • Guiding principle 03: Successful, sustainable NbS are implemented with engagement and consent of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, apply robust social safeguards, and are designed to build human capacity to adapt to climate change
• NbS for biodiversity (8 July)
  • Guiding principle 04: Successful, sustainable NbS sustain, enhance or support biodiversity
• Financing NbS (9 July)
  • Overcoming obstacles and mobilizing investments for successful, sustainable NbS
• Governing NbS (9 July)
  • Overcoming the governance challenges of taking nature-based solutions to scale

The event will take place from 12:00-17:00 BST on 7 and 8 July and from 13:00-18:00 BST on 9 July 2020. A small contribution (£20) is asked for registration. Please register here.

“The Nature-based Solutions Initiative is an interdisciplinary programme of research, policy advice and education based at the University of Oxford.  It brings together natural, physical and social scientists with economists, governance and finance experts from across the University and beyond. Its mission is to enhance understanding of the potential of Nature-based Solutions to address global challenges and increase their sustainable implementation worldwide.“

https://www.naturebasedsolutionsinitiative.org/