Earth Today | Nature-based Solutions a must-do

HUMANS HAVE long utilised examples from nature to develop technology for everyday use. VELCRO®, for example, was inspired by burrs that get stuck on clothing.

From a walk in the woods in 1941 to the first patent in 1954, the global hook-and-loop market grew to approximately US$2.3 billion in 2025. Nature is technology in action. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore ecosystems to address societal challenges.

The UNEP State of Finance for Nature 2026 report notes that every US$1 invested in restoring degraded land can provide between US$7 and US$30 in economic benefits. These benefits include reduced costs associated with disaster management, protection of real estate values, and increased agricultural yields. This same report states that a review of NbS for disaster risk reduction found that, in 65 per cent of projects, NbS were more effective in reducing hazards, compared to engineering-based solutions.

According to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, approximately 61 per cent of Jamaica’s population lives in urban areas. Our urban areas often experience extreme heat and flash flooding. NbS can offer more cost-effective options with a wider range of benefits for society, when compared to traditional (grey) infrastructure like concrete drains and sea walls.

OPTIONS

Investing in permeable pavements, rain gardens and urban wetlands which act as “natural sponges” will support flood mitigation by reducing the volumes of water, which would be channelled to these grey infrastructure.

A 2022 report, BiodiverCities by 2030: Transforming Cities’ Relationship with Nature, produced by the World Economic Forum, notes that NbS are, on average, 50 per cent cheaper than grey alternatives in urban settings. Green roofs and vertical gardens can reduce building energy consumption by 10-20 per cent, and therefore electricity bills, by mitigating the urban heat island effect.

Urban NbS can also have positive impacts on public health. Urban forests filter air pollutants and provide cooling, which can reduce the incidence of respiratory illnesses, heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses. Being in nature also has a positive impact on our mental health. The creation of more green spaces in urban environments, which are not just open spaces but true nature-based solutions, will provide ecosystem benefits, as well as support human well-being.

While NbS often have spill-over impacts for the economy, such as reduced healthcare costs and reduced maintenance costs for grey infrastructure, there are direct benefits as well. They often generate more jobs than traditional infrastructure. In many instances, urban green infrastructure is implemented using local labour versus grey infrastructure, which may demand imported skill sets.

The report Decent Work in Nature-based Solutions, co-developed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), states that it is projected that nature-based sectors could support over 32 million jobs by 2030.

Given the impact of climate change on the environment and society, investing in NbS is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a “must-do”.

Contributed by Joni Jackson, project manager, Jamaica Urban Solutions for the Environment Project, Environmental Foundation of Jamaica.