Written by Bart Kapteijns, ICA

The Myth

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are anti-technology and anti-economy.

The Reality

NBS are sometimes portrayed as being “anti-technology” or a drag on economic growth, but this is a misconception. In fact, leading scientific and policy institutions — including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)¹ and the European Commission² — frame NBS as complementary to technological and economic innovation, not opposed to it. The IPCC recognises ecosystem-based adaptation as a proven component of climate-resilient development pathways, often most effective when combined with engineered measures such as upgraded drainage systems or coastal protection structures.

Similarly, the European Commission defines NBS in terms that emphasise not only environmental resilience and biodiversity but also cost-effectiveness, social well-being, and economic opportunity. By integrating natural processes with technical solutions, NBS represent a pragmatic, science-based approach to sustainable development rather than an alternative to economic or technological progress.

References

1. IPCC (2022). Sixth Assessment Report – Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.
2. European Commission (2021). Nature-Based Solutions for EU Research and Innovation Policy.
3. IUCN (2020). Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions