The Nature for Life Hub’s first day was organized under the theme of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sessions held during the day explored ways in which protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing nature can support achieving the SDGs, in particular relating to climate change, health, security, water, jobs and livelihoods.

Nature for Climate

Images from the Event

Nature for Water

Panel on nature-based solutions for water (clockwise from top left): UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Audrey Azoulay; Henk Ovink, Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, the Netherlands; Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Agency; Eunice Heath, Dow; Elim Sritaba, Asia Pulp & Paper Sinar Mas; and moderator Kelly McEvers

The session on Nature for Water highlighted how nature-based solutions can build long-term water security. It included three panels that considered how, among other things: investing in nature supports resilience; nature-based solutions create co-benefits; working with multiple stakeholders and across jurisdictions adds value; nature can be integrated into water management; and how additional financing for nature-based solutions can be mobilized.

Key messages included:

• Water is finite, but our need for it is growing – this relationship needs balancing.
• Communities, cities, corporations, and other stakeholders are already engaging in activities that integrate nature-based solutions into water management while generating social and economic benefits.
• Trust is a crucial element for ensuring acceptance for nature-based solutions that require investments, and a lot more can be accomplished when various stakeholders work together.
• Further efforts are needed to: quantify the benefits of nature-based solutions to build an evidence base for support; nature-based solutions and “grey solutions” need to be assessed holistically; and enabling environments for nature-based solutions need to enhanced.

The session opened with an inspirational speech from ultra-marathoner Mina Guli, Thirst, who “runs for water,” calling on everyone to take action on water today.

On success stories from implementing nature-based solutions for water security, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Audrey Azoulay cited the organization’s hydroecological solutions, which aim to simultaneously ensure adequate water supplies, support food security, and minimize water-related disasters. Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Agency, explained that his state’s water resilience portfolio is built on lessons from other countries and regions that have dealt with drought and the recognition that there is no single silver bullet to ensure water reliability and natural safety. Xanthea Limburg, City of Cape Town, explained how the city’s water strategy builds on the experience of successfully avoiding “day zero” in 2018 (when the municipal water supply almost had to be cut off) and includes the principle of working with nature.

On ways to invest in nature, Elim Sritaba, Asia Pulp & Paper Sinar Mas, explained how her company’s peatlands management pilot project had employed nature-based solutions in restoration activities by taking a landscape perspective. Observing that investment in nature can also deliver financial returns, Eunice Heath, Dow, explained how the company had saved in USD 280 million in the form of flood protection through constructed tertiary treatment wetlands in Texas, US.

On the importance of engaging multiple stakeholders, Henk Ovink, Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, the Netherlands, noted that experience is as important as research and stressed the need to ensure a diversity of talent to deliver comprehensive solutions that add value across all SDGs. On community-based management, Srongpol Chantharueang, Boon Rueang Wetland Forest Conservation Group, discussed how his community conserves the wetland through contributions from water uses and practices community-led governance. He expressed hope that other communities around the world accept similar approaches, noting that “nature will return its benefits to us.”

On integrating nature into water management, Ulrike Sapiro, The Coca-Cola Company, said that, of her company’s 300 water replenishment projects that seek to replenish all water the company uses in production processes globally, 230 are dedicated to working with nature. Kate Brauman, Global Water Initiative, stressed the need for local approaches, which can sometimes be based on indigenous knowledge. Stuart Orr, WWF, noted that projects that have been able to identify their benefits for society have done the best.

On mainstreaming nature-based solutions, Orr observed a growing interest from investors who see water scarcity-related risks affecting their assets, and pointed out that the growing attention to climate change has also been “an opportunity” as it forces a focus beyond borders and water management silos, on basins and watersheds.

On mobilizing additional financing for nature-based solutions, moderator Sophie Trémolet, The Nature Conservancy, identified a dearth of projects that can attract funding despite an interest from investors. The conversation centered on water users’ preparedness to pay. Stephen Hart, European Investment Bank, suggested customers are willing to accept investments in nature, highlighting how utilities in some countries have been able to implement conservation projects due to the trust they have built with consumers.

As constraints to mobilizing financing, Gilles Kleitz, French Development Agency, identified a lack of: technical and performance standards for nature-based solutions; active dialogue with consultancies on performance; and rigorous financing models for NBS.

Closing the session, Andrea Erickson-Quiroz, The Nature Conservancy, called on everyone to “restore, regenerate and reconnect to nature.”