NbS contribute to the enhancement of the enabling conditions for their implementation, sustainability and mainstreaming
This Criterion requires that NbS are designed, managed and implemented with a view to their long-term sustainability and mainstreaming, including scaling up (policy or programmatic mainstreaming), scaling out (expansion at the geographical or sectoral level) or replication. This can happen only if certain enabling conditions are in place, such as secure land tenure or appropriate land use planning, inclusive institutional mechanisms and governance, economic and financial incentives, risk sharing, social justice and stakeholder involvement, and other systemic enablers. As further assessment is needed – mainly to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and social benefits of NbS in comparison to hard/grey infrastructure or other conventional interventions – NbS should inform, contribute to, and encourage the enhancement of the enabling conditions. This includes socio-economic conditions such as policy and market incentives, cross-sector collaboration, and inclusive governance, and should ensure alignment with national development priorities and global frameworks, to support their implementation, sustainability, replication and/or scaling.
8.1 Lessons learnt from NbS design and implementation, including barriers and enabling conditions, are captured and documented.
Lessons learnt from NbS design and implementation, including insights into barriers and enabling conditions, should be systematically captured and documented. This knowledge supports adaptive management, fosters collective learning and helps inform the replication and scaling of successful interventions (Indicator 8.2).
8.2 NbS inform and enhance the policy, finance and regulatory frameworks enabling their mainstreaming.
Beyond capturing internal learning, NbS interventions should also contribute to ensure continuous improvement of the multiple enabling conditions for their long-term success, scaling up, out and replication at local, national or sectoral levels (i.e. policy, finance, incentives, technology, geographical and climatic contexts). A knowledge management and communication strategy should be in place to inform and influence decision-makers, public policies and institutions, regulations, and corporate accountability mechanisms, to trigger deep structural shifts in governance, economy, and social behaviour and ensure the long-term viability of NbS.
8.3 NbS contribute to relevant jurisdictional environmental, economic, and social targets and frameworks.
NbS can make significant contributions to economic, social and environmental targets and frameworks and help achieve local, national, regional and/or global commitments, such as on climate change, human rights, human development and biodiversity. Making these linkages explicit, documenting and communicating them, helps reinforce the profile and role of NbS, secure broad-based and durable political commitment as well as societal and financial support, thereby enhancing the long-term sustainability of the intervention.
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