Equitable futures for Nature-based Solutions

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions that protect, manage, and restore ecosystems, while addressing societal challenges (like climate change, or food security), so there is a simultaneous benefit to nature and people. In Canada’s efforts to combat biodiversity loss and climate change, Nature-based Solutions are promising to achieve the targets in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and up to 35% of Canada’s 2030 carbon reduction commitment. However, their performance and long-term impacts are still poorly understood.

If you are conducting Nature-based Solutions in Canada we want to hear from you! Contact us at: camilo.alejo.monroy@futureearth.org.

Recent Work

One of our collaborative projects focuses on “Prioritizing Nature-based Solutions using Reinforcement Learning to align Canada’s 30×30 biodiversity targets with climate and water co-benefits.” Results below show both conservation and restoration scenarios across Canada.

•Conservation Scenarios. Prioritizing the protection of threatened species and irrecoverable carbon storage, mostly in forested lands, represents a holistic pathway to conserve 30% of land and improve biodiversity and co-benefits outcomes relative to existing protected areas.

•Restoration Scenarios. Restoring 30% of degraded land for effective biodiversity outcomes will require a combination of interventions: restoring carbon stocks in forest lands (R-Sc2) and mitigating the effects of reduced ecological intactness and water surface instability in agricultural lands.

•Local and economic implications: Indigenous Lands, including initiatives funded by the Federal Government, and Major Natural Resource projects, especially mining and energy, are in close proximity to Conservation and Restoration priority areas.

To learn more about this NbS research, see the detailed poster PDF >

A 2024 report by Microsoft, focusing on “Investing in Nature for Sustainability” included some of our recent work. This collaborative work highlights the use of AI to assess trade-offs of nature-based solutions and “identify synergies between biodiversity protection, ecological intactness, carbon storage, and water.”

Background Information

To the best of our knowledge, in Canada there is currently no detailed framework, protocol, or map guiding the implementation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). There is also no platform integrating carbon, biodiversity, and social information (including an analysis of data availability, data ownership, dataset interoperability, ecosystem coverage, community-led initiatives, social indicators, and more). There is excellent potential for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) methods to help integrate the vast datasets necessary to monitor and scale up NbS initiatives. Furthermore, as integration of these various knowledge systems occurs, an equitable and co-creative process for NbS that centralizes Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) is key to achieving Canada’s climate and biodiversity targets. 

Sustainability in the Digital Age is working on designing NbS equitably for Canada and beyond, exploring the opportunities and challenges of using AI and other digital technologies while engaging Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. 

We began with convenings that engaged over 100 participants from South, North, and Central America, Europe, and Africa, representing the private sector, science and research communities, industry, Indigenous communities, and nonprofits. We  explored the following themes and the following illustrations were produced from these discussions:

1. Exploring the connection between Indigenous worldviews and technology, including digital technologies:

2. Enabling equitable NbS for climate change mitigation and ecosystem resilience to climate change:

3. Leveraging digital technology for innovating, strengthening, and upscaling NbS:

Read more in our report (below) titled “A Landscape Analysis of Nature-based Solutions in Canada.” This report synthesizes the findings of our literature review and consultations. We present an assessment of publicly available data from current NbS projects in Canada to outline opportunities for improved reporting, funding, and geographic distribution of NbS.  Additionally, you will find a brief overview of Nature-based Solutions, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and machine learning applications to climate mitigation and adaptation, for implementing sustainable, equitable, systemic solutions.

A second report is in the final stages of being produced and will be publicly available soon. This report is the product of over six months of work led by the Conservation Through Reconciliation Partnership. With their guidance and the participation of various Indigenous leaders, experts, and NGOs, we focused this second report on Rooting Natural Climate Solutions in Indigenous Rights and Responsibility and Catalyzing Indigenous-led Conservation Economies. In this soon-to-be-released report, we explore the current barriers for Indigenous-led NbS, the political frameworks behind it and some case studies to build upon. With this work, we aim to provide an improved understanding of Nature-based Solutions to help decision-makers prioritize actions that support carbon storage, biodiversity, resilience, and reconciliation goals.

Key Insights

With support from

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