IUCN emphasised the importance of NbS on World Sustainable Development Summit

The 24th edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS), organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), took place in New Delhi, India from 5 - 7 March 2025.

Centered around the theme, 'Partnerships for Accelerating Sustainable Development and Climate Solutions', this year’s summit highlighted the importance of global collaboration in tackling today’s most pressing environmental and development challenges. By convening international leaders and stakeholders, WSDS 2025 aimed to strengthen commitments, shape impactful policies, and foster cooperative efforts toward building a sustainable and inclusive future.

"By 2030, restoring nature won’t be enough. The rate of destruction is too high. We need urgent, collective action to ensure that the net result is positive for nature," said Dr Dindo Campilan, IUCN’s Regional Director for Asia and Hub Director for Oceania, during a plenary discussion on ecosystem challenges.

Dr Campilan further emphasised the important role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) — an ecosystem-based framework designed to address societal challenges. He distinguished between nature-inspired, nature-derived, and true nature-based solutions, underlining that NbS actively gives back to nature.  

He further highlighted India as a "lighthouse and champion" in driving international cooperation. “India's co-chairing of the Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP) in 2021-23 fostered regional cooperation among 17 countries in achieving the global target for protected and conserved areas. As we continue to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), India’s potential to lead multilateral environmental action must be encouraged and supported,” he said.

IUCN has pioneered the concept of NbS for over 20 years, first formulating a definition then developing a rigorous plan to inform the design, implementation and evaluation of interventions. The role of NbS in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals was emphasised in 2022 when the United Nations Environment Assembly formally adopted resolution entitled "Nature-based solutions for supporting sustainable development”. This shift has supported the practical application of NbS in many countries, including India. IUCN continues working to advance this through climate mitigation and adaptation, centred on better conservation, management and restoration of the world’s ecosystems.