On 20 January 2021, IISD and the China Council for International Cooperation On Environment and Development (CCICED) hosted a high-level virtual event on "Nature-Based Solutions as a Catalyst for Achieving Mutual Benefits for People, Nature, and Climate".
Featured speakers shared their experience on the application of NbS to provide long-term social, ecological, and economic benefits. In particular, the event highlighted leading Chinese practices (e.g., Turning cities into sponges; the Loess Plateau; Ecological Conservation Red Line) as well as Europe’s NbS work under the Horizon 2020 Program and the new European Green Deal. In addition, the event featured an expert discussion on assessing the impact and results of NbS, their added value, and policy relevance. Panelists also shared research results and key lessons learned from the resulting evidence base and how NbS can support policy implementation. The outcome of the event was a practical understanding of the multiple advantages of NbS, including climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as ecological, social, and economic benefits.