A vague and mitigation-focussed interpretation of NbS has dominated climate change discourse. Whilst the aim of NbS is to highlight the interdependencies between people and nature, the ambiguity of the term has enabled its appropriation by a wide range of actors to meet varied ends. Of these actors, corporate entities are engaging with NbS as a greenwashing strategy. This has strong implications for how NbS as a concept in environmental policy is contributing to perpetuated power imbalances. The paper urges us to engage critically with claims of ‘net-zero’ and carbon removal, and consider more holistically the impact and implications of NbS on communities and their livelihoods.
“Nature-based Solutions” and the Biodiversity and Climate Crises
Key words: Biodiversity loss, Net-zero, Carbon off-setting, Financialisation, Human rights, Corporate Greenwashing
