"NbS facts and figures" refers to evidence-based information about the benefits, features, and outcomes associated with nature-based solutions (NbS) to address environmental, societal, and financial challenges. They might include quantifiable data, statistics, and information related to the effectiveness and impact of specific NbS and how they contribute to overall environmental sustainability.
This page contains a first prototype of the NbS Facts web-tool. Further updates will include facility for users to contribute their own facts to the database.
| Definition | Theme | Priority Themes | Ecosystems | Target Sector | Societal challenges | Country | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal wetlands in the United states provide 23 billions in storm protection each year | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Coastal, shelf and open ocean | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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United States | unlocking nature's potential /CORDIS results pack on NBS/Sept 2020 |
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| The results from the effect of vegetation or more complex NBS in ameliorating thermal discomfort (from UHI) NBS resulting in thermal mitigation in different European case studies: 2-4 degrees temperature mitigation has been reflected by a project in Israel, using grass lawn and trees types of NBS. In Portugal, 2.5-6 and up to 9 degrees temperature mitigation has been achieved by Green areas NBS; In the Netherlands the temperature mitigation is 0.6 and up to 4 degrees, through Green areas and in Sweden by the application of parks (as NBS) temperature mitigation of 2-4 and up to 6 degrees was measured by projects. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Israel | VR/p8/NBS for Microclimate regulation and Air Pllution;LIFE project ASTI |
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| Similarly, in the BRIDGE project, a strong effort has been put in modelling the impact of vegetation on UHI and has been applied in a number of case studies such as in London, UK, with reductions of temperatures in the order of the 3°C and significant co-benefits including flood risk management outcomes. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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United Kingdom | VR/p9/NBS for Microclimate regulation and Air Pllution,BRIDGE project |
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| Evapotranspiration by urban trees can vary by up to 3 times depending on the species and the cooling effect, which is generally due to the incoming solar radiation being converted into latent heat flux. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | VR/p10/NBS for Microclimate regulation and Air Pllution,BASE project |
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| The RAMSES project found that in northern cities such as Antwerp, increasing green areas from the current 25% land coverage to 60% would allow an average cooling of around 0.6°C, although the effect is mainly limited to the surrounding areas of larger parks. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Belgium | VR/p10/NBS for Microclimate regulation and Air Pllution,RAMSES |
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| A review of studies of the performance of reflective and green roofs, concludes that at the city scale, green roofs can have overall effects of reducing city temperatures by between 0.3 and 3°C (Santamouris, 2014). | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/001a9517-d530-… |
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| Quantitative information derived from North American studies shows the impact of tree locations on heating- and cooling-energy use, resulting in savings between 2% and 7% (Akbari et al., 2002). | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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United States | VR/p11/NBS for Microclimate regulation and Air Pllution, |
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| In Cabo de Gata MPA, the abundance of key commercial species has ceased decreasing since the creation of this marine protected area. In Cabo de Palos, 6,000 kg of fish were captured before the protected area was put in place. In 2012, artisanal fisheries captured 40,000 kg in 2012. | Biodiversity enhancement and ecosystem restoration | Coastal, shelf and open ocean | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Spain | |||
| Mangroves can reduce annual flooding for more than 18 million people globally. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Marine inlets and transitional water | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://www.wavespartnership.org/en/knowledge-center/global-value-mangr… |
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| Salt marshes can reduce nonstorm wave heights by an average of 72 percent, and mangroves, by 31 percent. Median restoration costs for salt marshes are $1.11/square meter (m2 ) (ranging from $0.01 to $33.00), and $0.1/ m2 for mangroves (ranging from $0.05 to $6.50). It can be two to five times cheaper to restore coastal wetlands than to construct submerged breakwaters to deal with wave heights of up to half a meter. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Marine inlets and transitional water | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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Not found | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.01547… |
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| Coral and oyster reef systems can control coastal erosion by reducing wave velocity. By one estimate, coral reefs reduce nonstorm wave heights by 70 percent. Median restoration costs for coral reefs are $166/m2 (ranging from $2 to $7,500), while oyster reef restoration costs range from $107 to $316/m2 . | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Coastal, shelf and open ocean | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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Not found | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.01547… |
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| Sandy beaches and dunes prevent coastal erosion caused by strong winds, waves, and tides. They can also stop waves and storm surge from reaching inland areas. The natural services these NBS provide can be enhanced through artificial sand nourishment, which costs between $6,500 to $16,400/meter (m). Revegetating and restoring sand dunes can cost between $100 to $16,400/m. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Marine inlets and transitional water | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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Not found | https://www.edf.org/sites/default/files/summary_ni_literature_compilati… |
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| Seagrass helps stabilize sediment and regulates water currents that contribute to coastal erosion. Seagrass beds reduce non-storm wave height 36 percent on average. A cost of $11/m2 (ranging from $0.20 to $410) is estimated for seagrass restoration. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Coastal, shelf and open ocean | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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Not found | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.01547… |
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| At $110 to $270/m2, green roofs are more than two to five times more expensive to install than traditional roofs. However, they are of comparable cost over their life cycle, given that green roofs typically last twice as long as traditional roofs, and they also insulate buildings, which cuts heating and cooling bills. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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Not found | https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Green-Roofs%3A-Stormwater-Managem… |
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| Permeable pavements are pervious concrete, asphalt, or interlocking pavements that allow rainwater to infiltrate where it falls, thereby reducing stormwater runoff. At $5 to $100/m2, installation costs are roughly two to three times higher than for regular asphalt or concrete. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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Not found | https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/426/426-126/426… |
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| Constructed wetlands can capture and retain stormwater, allowing for greater water infiltration. The cost of constructed wetlands may range from $7 to $15/m2 and are usually less expensive than built (gray) options for the same function, though these costs are also highly variable according to land costs. An acre of wetland can store 3.8 to 5.7 million liters of floodwater, reducing the peak load on built stormwater and wastewater systems. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Inland wetland | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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Not found | https://pecpa.org/wp-content/uploads/Stormwater-BMP-Manual.pdf |
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| Nature-Based Solutions can provide over one-third of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed between now and 2030 to stabilize warming to below 2 °C, achieving nature’s mitigation potential of 10-12 gigatons of CO2 per year. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | All | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | |||
| Trees can lower surface temperatures by providing shade and through evapotranspiration, which can reduce peak local summer temperatures by 2-9°F. Shady areas can be between 20-45°F cooler than sunny areas, providing safe resting places outside. Additionally, a study found cities see benefits equivalent to $1.50-$3 for every $1 invested in tree planting. | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-05/documents/reducing_urba… |
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| The WHO states that making cities greener through urban planning can tackle air pollution. Covering at least 30% of total urban land area may prevent 400 premature deaths annually. | Zero pollution | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/06/cities-urban-trees-climate-chang… |
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| Several studies of bioretention basins in the city of Calgary, Canada, demonstrated up to 90% reduction of runoff volume, and peak flow reduction of up to 41.65% in Hai He Basin, China. |
Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Rivers, lakes and ponds | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Canada | |||
| A study conducted in India demonstrated the efficacy of terraces in reducing runoff and soil loss by more than 80% compared to unterraced slopes. |
Sustainable food systems (including soil and agriculture) | Cropland | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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India | https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36508 |
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| Several studies demonstrate that green roof temperatures can be 16–22°C lower than that of conventional roofs. Green roof temperatures can be 30–40°F lower than those of conventional roofs and can reduce city-wide ambient temperatures by up to 5°F. | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36508 |
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| The study found that the over 700,000 ft2 total coverage of green roofs in Kansas City installed between 1999-2020 would result in avoided emissions of 384 pounds of nitrogen oxide, 734 pounds of sulfur dioxide, and 269 tons of carbon dioxide in 2020. These emissions reductions equate to monetized health benefits of $35,500–$80,500. | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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United States | EPA: https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-green-roofs-reduce-heat-islands |
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| Compared to conventional roofs, the benefits of extensive green roofs are $14 more per square foot, while cool roofs provide benefits of $2 more per square foot relative to conventional roofs. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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United States | EPA: https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-green-roofs-reduce-heat-islands |
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| During the spring and summer, from May to September 2001, the energy demand needed to remove heat that flowed through a conventional roof was six to eight kilowatt hours (kWh) a day, while the green roof’s energy demand from heat flow was less than 1.5 kWh a day, a reduction of more than 75 percent. | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-05/documents/reducing_urba… |
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| Researchers estimate that a 1,000-square foot (93 m2) green roof can remove about 40 pounds of PM from the air in a year, while also producing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Forty pounds of PM is roughly how much 15 passenger cars will emit in a year of typical driving. | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-05/documents/reducing_urba… 22 Peck, S. and M. Kuhn. 2003. Design Guidelines for Green Roofs. Canada Mortgage and Housing |
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| A North Carolina study of actual green roof performance found that test green roofs reduced runoff from peak rainfall events by more than 75 percent and that the roofs temporarily stored and then released, through evapotranspiration, more than 60 percent of all rainfall. | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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United States | https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-05/documents/reducing_urba… |
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| The contribution of open green spaces and urban parks to carbon sequestration will vary significantly based on the habitat structure and growth rates of plants associated with the corridor. Where dominated by grassy areas, rates are likely to be in the region of 0.5 to 5 tons of CO per ha per year whereas this could increase to well above 5 tons of CO2 per ha per year for forest-dominated corridors. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | |||
| Depending on the design, the materials and the species used, bioretention areas sequester and store carbon. According to an estimate by the European Commission, the average carbon sequestration rate is 12.5 kg carbon/m2. | Biodiversity enhancement and ecosystem restoration | Rivers, lakes and ponds | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36508 |
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| A study conducted in Mexico City measured the effect of wetlands on temperature and recorded an incremental rise of about 2°C every 35 meters as the distance from the body of water increased. Heat reduction can be further increased in areas with large, dense canopy trees or if the airflow can pass unobstructed across the open water areas. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Inland wetland | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Mexico | https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36508 |
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| A study of a large industrial wetland in the Middle East demonstrated a reduction in temperature of 10°C between the center and the perimeter of the wetland in a one-kilometer distance. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Inland wetland | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Not found | https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36508 |
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| On average, salt marshes store 334 tons CO2 per ha, mostly through accumulation in the soil. As an indication of sequestration rates: in Australian salt marshes, the annual mean sequestration rate was estimated at 0.55 tons CO2 per ha per year. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Marine inlets and transitional water | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Australia | https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36508 |
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| Restoring just 350 million hectares of degraded land could, by 2030, remove greenhouse gases roughly equal to half the world’s annual emissions from the atmosphere. Restoring land can earn an extra $1.4 trillion in agricultural production every year. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | All | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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Not found | https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/01/how-businesses-can-help-restore-… |
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| A case study in Nanterre shows that the annual cost of managing 1m3 of rainwater through the alternative network installed in the Chenevreux park is between 6.33 and 11.06 euros/m3 while the cost of a grey infrastructure in the Rue Anatole-France in Levallois-Perret is estimated at at least 37.07 euros/m3 based on the same quantity of water to be managed. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | NBS investors and entrepreneurs |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| In Mayotte, it has been shown that a reduction in the width of the mangrove leads to a significant drop in its ability to attenuate wave energy. This attenuation reaches 90%, compared with 35% in areas without mangroves. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Coastal, shelf and open ocean | National and EU policy-makers |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| The size and energy of wind-generated waves can be reduced by 75% across 200 metres of mangrove. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Coastal, shelf and open ocean | National and EU policy-makers |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| Extensive greening of the roofs of individual and collective buildings and hangars in Paris has shown that these systems can reduce air conditioning demand by 4%, particularly if the buildings are poorly insulated. These energy savings are even greater, at around 12%, if the green roofs are watered in summer. | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| Urban cooling in Paris is all the more marked the higher the level of vegetation, ranging from 0.25 to 2°C depending on the level of vegetation and the location in the urban area. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| A 25% reduction in air-conditioning demand can be achieved when green roofs and mixed vegetation are installed simultaneously and on a massive scale. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| According to a numerical study simulating the redevelopment of a district of Marseille into an urban park, the creation of such a park would have a significant effect on cooling temperatures, between -2.5 and -4°C on average, an effect potentially amplified if combined with the presence of a stream, between -3 and -6°C. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| Simulation of a Descartes Group scenario, combining the creation of a peri-urban green belt made up of forests and market-garden areas 60 km from the centre of Paris and more reflective materials for residential buildings in the inner and outer suburbs, suggests a maximum cooling of night-time temperatures in the inner suburbs of around 2.5°C and in the heart of Paris of up to 1.3°C. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| Due to a watering of 25 L/m²/week, it should be able to provide 28% more water in addition to the volume of watering consumed before vegetation for irrigation of irrigated vegetated roofs against 11 to 33% for the vegetation of urban soils. Also, with equal watering volume, trees provide a more pronounced refreshment than low grass-type vegetation. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| The dock district of Saint-Ouen includes the realization of green roof terraces on each island, allowing the collection of 30 to 50% of rainwater. The project is expected to limit runoff in the event of rainfall occurrence 20 to 50 years. | Sustainable finance, investment and just transition | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| The ARBEL project studied between 2014 and 2018 the relevance of different agroforestry practices (hedgerows, intra-plot plantations, sylvopastoralism) in herbivorous livestock farming systems. The project showed that trees create a more favourable microclimate in times of high temperature or drought for animals, resulting in a decline of up to 6°C under trees in hot spells. | Sustainable food systems (including soil and agriculture) | Grassland | National and EU policy-makers |
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France | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/ONERC_Rapport_2019_SfN… |
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| The model simulates a generalised 1.5 °C to 3 °C indoor temperature reduction range induced by green roofs (based on inferences from green roof literature) in four different European cities: Szeged (Hungary), Alcalá de Henares (Spain), Metropolitan City of Milan (Italy) and Çankaya municipality (Turkey). | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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Hungary | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380020304178?via… |
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| "Green roofs can retain greater amounts of rainwater than conventional roofs and delay stormwater runoff. A heavy rain event of short duration (e.g. 30 min) could be completely retained by a dry green roof and in general reduce runoff volume by up to 70 % and peak flow volume by up to 96%" | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Infrastructure planners and developers |
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Not found | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772411522000301 |
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| Posidonia meadows capture and store 6.6 tons of CO2 per hectare per year, i.e. 5 times more than a forest. In Corsica, the area covered by Posidonia meadows is estimated at 20,425 ha, i.e. 64% of the seabed between 0 and -40 m. | Climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience | Coastal, shelf and open ocean | National and EU policy-makers |
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France | https://www.cerema.fr/system/files/documents/2021/06/analyse_des_effets… |
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| In less than 15 years, more than 15 million of hectares have been restored and at least 30 million people have benefited from it, thanks to the Ethiopian programme of sustainable land management. | Biodiversity enhancement and ecosystem restoration | Cropland | National and EU policy-makers |
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Ethiopa | EUZEN Agathe, LAVILLE Bettina, THIEBAULT Stéphanie (dir), L'adaptation au changement climatique, une question de sociétés, CNRS Editions, Paris, 2017, 410p. |
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| Sustainable land management techniques provide numerous benefits by protecting the land and increasing its productivity. For instance, from 1991 to 2004, Brazilian cereal production has more than doubled, from 58 to 125 million tonnes, thanks to the large-scale adoption of conservation agriculture. | Sustainable food systems (including soil and agriculture) | Cropland | National and EU policy-makers |
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Brazil | EUZEN Agathe, LAVILLE Bettina, THIEBAULT Stéphanie (dir), L'adaptation au changement climatique, une question de sociétés, CNRS Editions, Paris, 2017, 410p. |
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| The creation of parks and irrigated green spaces representing 10% of the city's land area; the insulation of buildings and the use of high-albedo cladding, with the exception of heritage buildings; an increase in air-conditioning set-point temperatures from 23°C to 26°C (offices) and 28°C (residential): when implemented together, these three measures can cool the outside air by up to 4.2°C at night and reduce energy consumption by 60%. | Sustainable urban and regional transformation | Urban ecosystems | Local and sub-national governments and their public authorities |
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France | https://librairie.ademe.fr/ged/5604/recueil-rafraichissement-urbain-011… |