Nature-based solutions for climate

Ecosystems across Australia and our region reduce emissions by sequestering carbon and allow us to adapt to climate change by protecting communities from floods and storm surges.

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are actions that protect, manage, or restore these ecosystems in ways that provide benefits to communities and ecosystems at the same time. For example:

• Coastal ecosystems provide breeding grounds for commercial fish, thereby supporting fisheries, local communities and improving food security.
• Soil provides essential ecosystem services that support and contribute to Australia’s economic, environmental, and social wellbeing, including food and fibre production; water storage, filtration and nutrient cycling; and carbon storage.

Protection, restoration and management of vital and vulnerable ecosystems, such as coastal blue carbon ecosystems, forests and soils is recognised as key nature-based solutions to climate change. 

Investing in nature-based solutions for adaptation and mitigation to climate change provide multiple benefits including:

• protecting biodiversity and threatened species,
• contributing to climate mitigation through carbon sequestration,
• making communities more resilient to climate change,
• contributing to food security, and
• supporting businesses reliant on healthy ecosystems such as fishing, tourism and agriculture.

Read more

• National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy
• Climate adaptation
• Climate change science
• Our climate services and tools
• Our environment climate change initiatives
• Our agricultural climate change initiatives
• Our oceans climate change initiatives
• Emissions reduction
• International climate adaptation
• Our publications and resources