The First Regional Consultation on Nature-based Solutions will focus on three areas: compiling examples of best practice in nature-based solutions (NbS), with particular emphasis on examples from the Western Europe and Other States (WEOG) region; proposals, criteria, standards, and guidelines for NbS; and options for supporting sustainable investment in NbS. The discussion on sustainable investment will identify options for NbS financing and consider whether the consultations should provide specific guidance on how to apply for donor funding or if a general assessment of funding options is more useful for countries. Participants will also discuss regional perspectives on the implementation of NbS.

In February 2022, the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a resolution on ‘Nature-based solutions for supporting sustainable development’. Through this resolution, UNEA requested the UNEP Executive Director to convene intergovernmental consultations on NbS. UNEA President Leila Benali appointed two Co-Chairs of the intergovernmental consultations on NbS – Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to UNEP and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Giovanna Valverde Stark, and Senior Forest Officer, Ministry of Environment of Nigeria, and Nigerian national focal point to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Sikeade Egbuwalo.

UNEP will host the First Regional Consultations on Nature-based Solutions, which will convene in five segments, one for each region, from 22 June to 26 July 2023 in a virtual format. The regional consultations follow the First Global Consultation, which convened from 16-17 May 2023.

To receive SDG event notices, news, and analysis in your inbox, subscribe.

To share information about your organization’s activities related to this event, subscribe to our peer-to-peer BIODIVERSITY and CLIMATE lists.

dates: 27-28 June 2023
location: virtual
www: https://www.unep.org/events/working-group/first-regional-consultations-nature-based-solutions