Nature-based solutions: from planning to successful governance and implementation

In this self-paced course, professionals working on environmental, climate or development issues will learn about key aspects of planning, implementation and governance of Nature-based solutions. It will take you about 6-10 hours to complete this course and you will earn a certificate once you complete all modules.

This course aims at introducing participants to the concept of nature-based solutions (NbS), its challenges and opportunities. Specifically, NbS will be discussed in the light of five main components: mainstreaming, governing, financing, monitoring and communicating NbS. It provides both theory and practice behind the concept, complemented with hands-on experiences and case studies around NbS in different contexts.

Who is this course for?
This course is designed for everyone working on environmental, climate and development issues. It is aimed at diverse target groups:

• Public sector representatives working on climate change or biodiversity or relevant sectors (e.g. water, agricultural, tourism or financial sector)
• Development cooperation professionals worldwide
• Representatives of civil society, private sector and international organizations
• Students and young professionals interested in the topic of NbS

Six different modules will answer key aspects around NbS, namely

• How and why this concept gained increasing popularity (Module 1 Introduction)
• How it can be successfully mainstreamed into policies and strategies at various levels (Module 2 Mainstreaming NbS)
• How NbS are best governed (Module 3 Governing NbS) 
• What financing opportunities exist (Module 4 Financing NbS)
• How NbS can be monitored and evaluated (Module 5 Monitoring and Evaluation)
• How they are effectively communicated to the wider public and relevant decision-makers (Module 6 Communicating NbS)

After completion, participants should

• Have deepened their understanding of the concept of NbS
• Be aware of key challenges and opportunities of NbS
• Have an overview of key aspects of successfully mainstreaming, governing, financing, monitoring and communicating NbS
• Have been introduced to real-world NbS examples and were able to reflect on strengths and shortcomings

Jim and Norah will be your guides during this course. Jim is a local community member and Norah a policy-maker - both come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives. Nevertheless, they're both interested in NbS and how they can potentially benefit from them. Together, they will navigate you through the six modules and make sure that you understand the concept.

After successfully completing all exercises, you will receive a certificate for your participation in the course.

Course developer: adelphi
Course contact person: kirr@adelphi.de
Content license: CC-BY-SA
Course publication date: May 11th 2023