Nature-based solutions are needed to solve the climate crisis

By Ulrika Modeer, Swedish Red Cross Secretary General, and Gustaf Lind, WWF-Sweden Secretary General

(This article was published first on the Altinget news site; with permission it has been translated and edited here by the Climate Centre. The IFRC goal has been for 100 National Societies to have nature-based solutions within their communities by the end of this year.)

(At 17:30 local time on Wednesday 19 November in the WWF Pavillion at COP 30, the IFRC will host a side-event entitled, Road map for accelerating nature-based solutions at scale to address climate and disaster risks: lessons learned and way forward.)

We stand at a crossroads. Will world leaders at COP 30 choose a course that secures the future of the planet, or continue on a path that threatens both our survival and our nature?

Ecological systems keep us alive – from the Amazon rainforest to the polar ice caps. They provide us with clean air, water and food, regulate our climate and protect us from disasters. But these vital systems are under severe threat. At the same time, we know that nature itself can contribute to the solution.

Nature-based solutions that protect, restore and strengthen nature through its own processes are not just a complement to climate policy, ​​they are crucial for our future.

One example is reforestation that binds carbon dioxide and wetlands that reduce the risk of flooding and purify water.

The research is clear. We are fast approaching the planet’s so-called tipping points – critical thresholds where nature’s resilience risks collapse. When rainforests dry up, glaciers melt or coral reefs die, the consequences can spread like dominoes throughout the planet’s systems. The result will be devastating for ecosystems, societies and people.

‘We stand at a crossroads’

Despite this, the discussion about climate solutions often gets stuck in short-term perspectives. Structural changes are needed in which nature plays a key role.

According to the IPCC, nature-based solutions can account for over a third of the reduction in emissions needed by 2030, while strengthening biodiversity, water supplies and the resilience of local communities. But that requires funding.

The UN Environment Programme recently warned that the huge shortfall in climate adaptation financing for low-income countries is already endangering lives, livelihoods and entire economies.

It highlights that for every krona invested in coastal protection 14 krona worth of damage can be avoided. At the same time, urban nature-based solutions can reduce temperatures by one degree during the summer heat – a crucial improvement for human health.

It is a reminder that investments in nature-based solutions are not only effective but also economically smart.

The current target of doubling finance for climate adaptation expires this year, and a new, higher target that meets the growing needs must urgently be set. The money must help build the resilience of local communities and drive investments in health, water, food, livelihoods and ecosystems.

‘Saving nature is not a sidetrack in climate policy; it is climate policy’

For the Red Cross and WWF, it is clear that the climate crisis is the greatest global challenge for humanity and the planet. We see daily how climate change is affecting people’s lives, especially in the most vulnerable communities.

In Mozambique, for example, the Red Cross and WWF are working together on nature-based solutions to support local communities to increase their resilience to climate change by strengthening local ecosystems.

There is no stable climate without living ecosystems. Saving nature is not a sidetrack in climate policy, it is climate policy.

During COP30, we want Sweden to work towards nature-based solutions as a priority in climate finance, investment in local ownership, and the protection and restoration of ecosystems like mangrove swamps, wetlands, forests and others.

Investing in nature-based solutions and locally led climate adaptation is not only an investment in the climate but also in our common future and survival. Sweden has an important role to play in the negotiations.

Ulrika Modeer and Gustaf Lind. (Photos: Swedish Red Cross/WWF)