Nature-based solutions for food insecurity thriving in Europe, study stresses the need for global action

02 Aug 2023 --- Europe holds 60% of nature-based solutions (NBS) to tackle food insecurity and climate change, limiting its applications in other regions, according to new research. The UK-based study is favorable about the European region’s developments while stressing that these practices must be taken globally.

“We believe that as much as 68% of the case studies we analyzed addressed UN sustainability goals for life on land, climate action and clean water. Imagine the impact these innovations could have if they were implemented in our most vulnerable communities,” says Prashant Kumar, co-author of the study and director of the Global Centre for Clean Air Research.

“This is why we believe that knowledge transfer must be near the top of the agenda so we can all benefit from the transformational benefit of nature-based solutions.”

The study, published in Science of The Total Environment, found that 33% of the NBS were green solutions – parks, green roofs, green walls and other urban green spaces that improve air quality, absorb rainfall and provide cooling and shade opportunities.

It further notes that the conceptualization and implementation of NBS in Europe has advanced from a policy and research perspective. According to the study, this could help achieve the European Green Deal’s vision of transforming the EU to be climate-neutral, climate-proof and sustainable by 2050.

NBS interventions are work inspired by nature for socio-ecological, engineering and environmental causes.What are the solutions?
NBS interventions are work inspired by nature to provide functions for socio-ecological, engineering and environmental causes that benefit biodiversity, climate regulation, quality of life, recreation or employment opportunities.

The solutions also impact human health as they address the scarcity of food, water and energy through climate change adaptation. The study highlights that NBS has a “significant amount of scientific literature,” and the researchers from the University of Surrey reviewed 547 case studies. 

The investigated database is open-access information on environmental regulations and legislations added to “desk-based” research. The researchers used different databases with policies on food, agriculture, environment, natural resources, country profiles, biodiversity systems, climate-adapt databases, country reports of environmental implementations and national and international environmental legislation. 

“The good news is that we found a wealth of evidence of more communities successfully adopting nature-based solutions to not only deal with climate change and hazards but societal issues such as water and food security,” Kumar adds.

“What is very concerning is that we found a lack of evidence of authorities or organizations investing in nature-based solutions for vulnerable communities outside of Europe.” 

Variety of approaches
When successful, they address climate change driven by ecosystem characteristics, scale and local climate conditions.

The approaches of NBS differ between protection (no or minimal intervention in ecosystems), restoration (helping the recovery of degraded or damaged systems), sustainability management and implementation (significant changes to existing ecosystems or creating new ones).The study found that 60% of the solutions are based in Europe, and in the rest of the world they are “poorly represented.” 

The researchers found that 60% of the solutions are based in Europe, and in the rest of the world they are “poorly represented.” 

“Of 547 case studies, 33 % were green solutions followed by hybrid (31%), mixed (27%), and blue (10%) approaches. Approximately half (48%) of these NBS interventions were implemented in urban (24%) and river and lake (24%) ecosystems,” details the study.

A recent US-based research team stresses that climate change challenges “all aspects of human existence” and increased temperatures put extra pressure on resilient food systems while simultaneously threatening the environment and human health. 

They developed a “Nutritional Ecology” framework that shows humans as complex biological systems and how nutrition, food systems, climate and the environment are all connected. 

Nutrition Insight recently spoke with Depmala Mahla, vice president of humanitarian affairs at CARE, about malnutrition and food insecurity, who stressed that there is no lack of resources. Still, external factors such as politics and lack of funding hinder food access and agricultural possibilities. 

By Beatrice Wihlander