MoMo4C accelerates nature-based solutions in community-led initiatives

Communities that are hit hardest by the impacts of climate change often contribute the least to the causes behind it. In addition, they often lack resources to adapt to the impact of climate change. Mobilising More for Climate (MoMo4C) supports communities and civil society organisations working on nature-based solutions. Our role is strengthening capacity to develop NbS initiatives into investable business enterprises. A recently published paper examines the effectiveness, opportunities and risks of these initiatives.

Header photo: forest restoration in Uganda © Fanny Verkuijlen / IUCN NL

MoMo4C is a five-year programme of IUCN NL, WWF-NL, Tropenbos International, and six local partner organisations in Cameroon, Ghana, Indonesia, Uganda and Zambia. The programme is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has entered its final year.

Landscape approach to nature-based solutions

Nature-based solutions (NbS) leverage the power of nature and healthy ecosystems to protect people against the impacts of climate change. Examples include green infrastructure such as coastal mangroves and organic foods and other products produced in community-led, biodiversity-rich agro-forestry systems that help protect water, soils and livelihoods.

MoMo4C uses an integrated landscape approach to nature-based solutions. This means that communities in the landscapes work with local civil society organisations, government agencies and responsible companies, to jointly address the dual global crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Analysis of MoMo4C initiatives

In a recently published paper, seventeen NbS initiatives supported by MoMo4C were analysed. These business cases were conceptualised, developed, implemented and/or scaled up in Ghana, Zambia, Indonesia, Uganda and Cameroon. All aim to develop eventually into investable enterprises.

To understand the effectiveness, opportunities and risks of NbS under MoMo4C, these initiatives were assessed against the NbS definition of the United Nations Environment Assembly and the 2020 IUCN NbS standard. The paper concludes that in areas where biodiversity is still rich but increasingly under threat, nature-based solutions can help turning the dual biodiversity-climate crises around by engaging with and strengthening the capacity of communities.