Blogs and Features
Stories and Insights from the Field
Explore examples from across the World Bank’s portfolio showcasing how nature-based solutions (NBS) are being applied to address climate challenges, reduce disaster risk, and support sustainable development frameworks. The blogs and feature stories below draw upon a variety of field experiences, technical expertise, and policy engagements to highlight the practical integration of NBS on the ground.
Learn more about our work through real-world examples that demonstrate the value of embedding nature into development planning and implementation.
Spotlight
Nature-based Coastal Resilience: A Catalogue for Jobs and Local EconomiesCoastal zones are economic powerhouses, supporting millions of jobs in fisheries, tourism, ports, and manufacturing and hosting nearly 40% of the world’s population. Yet coastal communities and industries are increasingly vulnerable to rising sea levels, stronger storms, and rapid erosion. These risks are further exacerbated by the degradation of coastal ecosystems that once provided protection and services to people and economies.
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In Kinshasa, nature-based solutions are easing challenges from rapid urbanization and climate changeThe capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, is one of Africa's largest cities. Already home to over 15 million people, Kinshasa is growing rapidly, expanding by about 2,000 people and five hectares every day, according to World Bank estimates.
Building Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions in Central Asia and the CaucasusIn September 2024, experts and government representatives from CAC from Disaster Risk Management, Environment, and Transport sectors gathered in Innsbruck, Austria, to explore NBS through a TDD workshop. Organized by GFDRR and the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BfW), the event highlighted NBS strategies for some of the world's most vulnerable mountain regions.
Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: Where Do We Stand and What Is Needed?In three of the past five years, Chad's capital, N'Djamena, has experienced significant flooding displacing vast numbers of people. As rains fall further north than usual, it becomes clear each year that existing flood protections aren’t enough. Unplanned urban development and the spread of concrete roads, buildings, and other hard surfaces that stop water from soaking into the ground make flooding worse and intensify other hazards such as extreme heat.
Fostering community resilience: A lifeline for the Central African RepublicWhen devastating floods swept through the Central Africa Republic (CAR) in August 2024, thousands of families lost their homes overnight. For a country already grappling with conflict and poverty, disasters triggered by natural hazards are amplifying these challenges, leaving vulnerable communities at even greater risk.
How the World Bank is unlocking nature-based solutions in 100 citiesCities around the world are increasingly exposed to climate risks, including flooding and extreme heat, that threaten lives and livelihoods. In Indonesia’s city Manado, damages from flooding caused by rainfall surpassed $13 million in 2016, with projections that it will increase to nearly $20 million annually by 2055. In Mombasa, Kenya, the number of days per year with high heat stress is expected to triple by 2050.
