Strengthening nature-based climate action

Intact ecosystems make an important contribution to climate change mitigation. Forests, soils and peatlands, as well as bodies of water and oceans, absorb atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG) and can also mitigate climate impacts such as flooding and heat.

Nature-based climate action preserves and strengthens the effect of ecosystems on climate change mitigation, where they are in line with the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Nature-based climate action works at the interface between biodiversity conservation and climate action. Due to climate change, natural sinks are at risk of losing their potential to bind greenhouse gases and even of becoming a source of emissions. The restoration of ecosystems, their adaptation to the impacts of climate change and biodiversity conservation intensify the effect of ecosystems on climate change mitigation.

Nature-based solutions in an international context

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are integrated approaches that combine the conservation of biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation to the impacts of climate change, as well as the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The term has attracted increasing attention since the UN Climate Action Summit 2019. The NBS for Climate Manifesto adopted there revealed the potential that more than 70 governments and representatives from the private sector and civil society see in NbS as an alternative to technical solutions. This was also recognised by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in a resolution in 2022. NbS were then integrated as an important element into several international conventions and strategies, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).

The role of the IKI

The International Climate Initiative (IKI) strengthens nature-based climate action using projects for the protection, conservation, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystems. The key focus here is on an extremely wide variety of natural areas, such as forest landscapes and peatlands, but also terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. On the other hand, ecosystems are supported in their adaptation to the impacts of climate change, for instance through biodiversity conservation, among other things.

Synergies with other funding areas

Thus, nature-based climate action coincides with the IKI funding areas of adaptation to the impacts of climate change and biodiversity conservation. In view of the interactions within and between various ecosystems, it is often useful to consider both the GHG sink function as well as the resilience due to adaptation and biodiversity together, thus strengthening nature-based climate action.

Funding area: Preserving and restoring natural carbon sinks

The IKI wants to maximise its impact on climate action and biodiversity conservation. To this end, it concentrates its funding activities on prioritised fields of action within the four funding areas. Another key element is the close cooperation with selected partner countries, especially with the IKI’s priority countries.

Click here for the IKI Strategy