Define "nature-based solutions".

Nature-based solutions refer to strategies that utilize natural processes and ecosystems to address societal challenges, such as climate change, water management, and disaster risk reduction. This approach emphasizes the importance of leveraging the inherent functions of nature to provide mutual benefits for the environment and society.

For instance, nature-based solutions may include restoring wetlands to improve water quality and provide flood protection, planting trees to enhance urban air quality and sequester carbon, or creating green roofs to manage stormwater. By integrating these natural systems into urban planning and development, communities can achieve sustainability objectives and improve resilience.

This emphasis on harnessing natural systems distinguishes nature-based solutions from artificial or purely technological approaches, which may lack the ecological benefits and sustainability provided by natural processes. Thus, the focus is not just on addressing immediate challenges, but also on fostering long-term ecological health and societal resilience.