During the COP28, Shannon Estenoz, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, unveiled the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) strategy to combat climate change using nature-based solutions. The DOI also announced that the public would be granted access to a new online nature-based solutions roadmap later in the week.
"Climate change is driving rapid changes in both the natural and built environments, underscored by the growing number of extreme weather events at home and across the world. The Interior Department is committed to tackling the climate crisis through nature-based solutions that will preserve biodiversity, strengthen resilience against disasters, and support climate adaptation while benefitting both people and nature," stated Secretary Deb Haaland.
The Nature Based Solutions Roadmap encompasses seven different habitat types and proposes several solutions for each type. According to the roadmap document, it clarifies that nature-based solutions utilize natural features and processes to safeguard and manage ecosystems. This approach not only benefits humans who interact with nature but also ensures the health and sustainability of these ecosystems. The roadmap also outlines principles that should be incorporated into each Nature-Based Solution (NBS) project, alongside site-specific and strategy-specific plans. The Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability at Duke University contributed to developing this roadmap.
Estenoz asserted: "Investing in nature is investing in ourselves. By employing nature-based solutions, land managers and decision makers can restore and sustain healthy ecosystems that in turn support healthy communities and economies."
On December 11th, a new policy was announced focusing on nature-based solutions along with guidance on their implementation. The policy states: "[it] is the policy of the Department to implement NBS to the maximum extent practicable and as permitted by law. The goal of this policy is to address challenges facing the Nation while we protect, sustainably manage, restore, and enhance managed natural, cultural, and infrastructure resources and assets, thereby providing manageable co-benefits." The policy further emphasizes that nature-based solutions should be integrated with gray infrastructure as much as possible. It also underscores the need to highlight benefits to people and nature, including methods to measurably maximize these benefits. Equity and environmental justice are identified as key focus areas in the design and implementation of nature-based solutions.
