Leaders in Nature-based solutions

We work with Governments, Non-Profit Organisations and partners in the private sector to deliver impactful and sustainable environmental programmes

© European Commission

Nature-based Solutions

Nature-based Solutions are sustainable actions that address environmental challenges while providing benefits to human well-being, ecosystem services, resilience, and biodiversity. These solutions protect, conserve, restore, and manage natural or modified ecosystems. Areas of expertise include Landscape Ecology, Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF), as well as Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU).

Image - © European Commission

Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA)

Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is a strategy that uses ecosystems and their services to help communities adapt to the impacts of Climate Change. Our range of services includes climate risk and ecosystem services assessments, EbA project development, ecosystem management planning, monitoring and written reporting, stakeholder engagement, climate finance advice, and policy and regulatory support. Through these services, we work to assess the potential impacts of Climate Change on ecosystems and communities, develop management plans for ecosystems, and engage with stakeholders to ensure the socio-economic and environmental acceptability of EbA projects. We also advise clients on accessing climate finance for EbA projects and navigating the regulatory and policy landscape for EbA. Our services aim to help enhance the resilience of communities by using the value of ecosystem services for Climate Change Adaptation.

Blue Carbon

Blue Carbon refers to carbon that is stored in coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes. Protecting and restoring these ecosystems is important for mitigating and adapting to climate change, as well as preserving coastal biodiversity. Our services in this area include developing Blue Carbon strategies to guide evidence-based projects and research, assessing carbon stocks in coastal and marine ecosystems and potential for carbon storage, assessing the health and extent of mangrove ecosystems and their role in carbon storage, advising on mangrove protection and restoration, developing Blue Carbon projects, engaging with local communities and stakeholders to ensure socio-economic and environmental acceptability, and providing policy and regulatory support to help navigate the complex landscape of international agreements and national regulations. These services help clients access climate finance and other resources to implement successful projects that protect and restore Blue Carbon ecosystems.

REDD+

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) is an international initiative to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and degradation. Services offered by Ecosystem Services include Forest Carbon Assessments, REDD+ Project Development, Forest Management Planning, Forest Carbon Mapping, and Stakeholder Engagement. The company has experience with REDD+ in Africa and the Government of Vanuatu, and uses a range of techniques such as UAV-based remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems to carry out its services. In addition to reducing emissions, Ecosystem Services also engages with local communities and stakeholders to ensure socio-economic and environmental acceptability of REDD+ projects.

Community Development

Separating people from the environment is not the solution, we believe that strong and resilient communities results in healthy ecosystems.

Environmentally Sustainable Livelihoods

Environmentally sustainable livelihoods aim to meet the needs of present and future generations while balancing economic prosperity, social well-being, and environmental protection. This approach involves using resources responsibly, reducing poverty, and increasing resilience while preserving the environment through sustainable practices such as SMART-Agriculture, clean energy, biodiversity conservation, water security, and waste reduction.

Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Cultural Practices

Traditional knowledge and values are the cultural practices, beliefs, and understandings passed down through generations. They offer valuable insights into the relationship between people and their environment. Incorporating such knowledge in environmental projects can provide a more holistic approach to conservation and sustainability efforts. Traditional practices and beliefs may offer unique and sustainable methods of using natural resources, insights into the history and patterns of environmental change, and can encourage community engagement in conservation efforts, promoting a sense of ownership and responsibility. Culturally sensitive projects are becoming more appropriate and effective, acknowledging the value of traditional knowledge in environmental protection and management.

Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Empowerment

Focusing on women, youth, and other vulnerable groups is crucial in environmental projects for equity, inclusivity, and increased effectiveness. Marginalised groups often bear disproportionate impacts of environmental degradation and exclusion from decision-making processes. The involvement of marginalised groups can provide unique perspectives, traditional knowledge, and skills that enhance project efficacy and sustainability. Participation in decision-making processes can reverse existing power imbalances, leading to empowerment, resilience, and community strengthening. Investing in the outcome increases the likelihood that the project’s benefits will be sustained in the long term, promoting sustainability. Therefore, it is essential to prioritise women, youth, and other vulnerable groups to promote fairness, equity, and inclusiveness to build stronger communities.

Biodiversity

“Actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2020.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of species and ecosystems present in an area, critical for maintaining ecosystem health and functioning. Ecosystem Services considers biodiversity in Nature-based Solution projects as it provides essential services such as pollination, pest control, and carbon sequestration. Failure to consider biodiversity can lead to unintended consequences and undermine the effectiveness of the approach, negatively impacting local communities and economies. Prioritising biodiversity in Nature-Based Solutions can help conserve and restore it, leading to more sustainable and resilient ecosystems.

Invasive Species

Invasive or introduced non-native species of fauna or flora may colonise and thrive in areas where they are not welcome and often cause significant harm to the natural environment, communities, and the national economy. Native species can also become destructive following environmental disturbances caused by human activities. Cases, where this happens, include deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture, or after a natural disaster, for example, after a cyclone. Island environments are unique and fragile which makes them vulnerable to invasive species which cause biodiversity loss, reduce the quality and quantity of habitat, degrade key ecosystem services and reduce biodiversity resulting in poor resilience to change. Their effect on communities reduces people’s livelihoods that are natural resource-based, reduces agricultural productivity and thus food security, and may even cause health issues (Live & Learn Vanuatu, 2014).

Urban Nature-based Solutions

Nature-based sustainable environmental programmes.

‘Ocean Cities’, where urban landscapes and seascapes meet, are at the forefront of climate change, urbanisation, and other developmental pressures. These urban spaces present particular challenges in not being disconnected from nature. Nature-based solutions (NbS) through a coastal-focused lens should be explored to meet the urban challenges and needs of coastal communities.

NbS can produce win-win situations across multiple connected social-ecological economic systems. Through employing an integrated and holistic approach, societal challenges can address complex ecological and socio-cultural issues while taking a long-term view to improve human resilience and well-being as well as support ecological biodiversity and benefits that promote ecosystem service provisioning and contribute to inclusive sustainable solutions in the long-term.


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