Nature-based solutions (NbS) have been gaining more attention in climate change as integrated approaches that provide multiple benefits. With the country’s traditional value of coexistence of people and nature as well as the latest scientific innovations, Japan has been active in international cooperation in this field. Examples include JICA's bilateral support related to Eco-DRR and the Forest Research Institute's support in Southeast Asia.
This seminar will illustrate the diverse benefits of NbS when implemented as climate change countermeasures. Among Japan’s international cooperation efforts in this field, this seminar will highlight particularly good practices of climate change adaptation and their multiple benefits. In addition, other countries including beneficiary country of the international support and relevant organizations will share their views on the effectiveness of technical cooperation and the challenges they face in promoting NbS.

• • Dorothée Herr International Union for Conservation of Nature
  • Yasumasa Hirata, Forestryand Forest Products Research Institute
  • Peter Brotherton Natural England
  • Akane Matsuo, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
  
  ▼Online speakers
  • Yutaka Shoda, Ministry of the Environment Japan
  • Noriaki Sakaguchi, Japan International Cooperation Agency
  • Stevko Stefanoski, Republic of Northe Macedonia
  • Kazuhiko Takeuchi, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
  • Akiko Ishii, Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC

The seminar, organized by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, discussed the prospects and challenges of the multi-benefits of NbS implemented as climate change countermeasures, based on various examples provided by the seven speakers.
IUCN presented the latest trends in NbS, sharing information on global standards, funding, and new systems, as well as the contribution of NbS to building climate resilience. JICA and FRPPI introduced cases when Japan made use of NbS for international cooperation, such as conservation of coastal ecosystems including mangrove forests and coral reefs, and "Forest-based Disaster Risk Reduction (F-DRR)" that uses Japanese mountain reclamation technology, along with scientific evidence. IGES stated that NbS can be the key to integrating biodiversity, climate change, and disaster risk reduction while introducing Japan’s efforts such as the Satoyama Initiative, Eco-DRR, and the use of OECM to achieve 30x30 as well as new NbS e-learning on the AP-PLAT website. EY ShinNihon LLC introduced its efforts to contribute to climate change adaptation abroad through businesses using Japanese adaptation technology, and pointed out that adaptation practices in the private sector encouraged by METI can be used as NbS. Finally, the UK emphasized that NbS are integrated into UK’s adaptation policies, and noted that evidence-based planning and community engagement are key success factors for NbS implementation.
In the panel discussion, participants considered the requirements and challenges for achieving multi-benefits through NbS and pointed out some important issues such as adaptive management based on scientific data through M&E, collaboration among relevant ministries, and involvement of local communities . In addition, in order to promote NbS in the context of international cooperation, the importance of capacity development for different stakeholders, flexible use of technology and funds, and the need to inject public funds into the private sector were also discussed. Furthermore, many speakers shared the common understanding that we should aim for the best mix of gray and green infrastructures, rather than setting them up in oppostion. Finally, the representative from the UK government concluded the session by saying that while a number of binding agreements have been reached on climate change towards net-zero, similar commitments to 'nature' are needed and that next spring's CBD-COP15 will be a good opportunity to do so.

•Effective implementation of NbS requires adaptive management based on scientific evidence, and also needs to promote the participation and strengthen the capacity of communities as practitioners.
•Green and gray infrastructure should not be in conflict, but should aim for the best mix depending on the conditions.
•Scaling up NbS requires flexible use of technology and funds, including injection of public funds into the private sector.
•In order to promote NbS in international cooperation, it is important to strengthen the capacity of each stakeholder to meet their different needs.
•NbS not only need to be integrated into the climate change agenda, but other sectors, such as biodiversity and disaster risk reduction, should also take advantage of the multi-benefits of NbS.