During the past few months, ARCADIA’s model regions have been reflecting on policy coherence for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) through local focus groups and exploratory dialogues, led by the CMCC team. Indeed, NbS and climate change adaptation are cross-cutting issues demanding multi-level and multi-sectoral coordination, which is often suboptimal. Insights from these reflections will be key to identifying best practices and strategies to navigate incoherence, supporting the implementation of NbS.
The Report on Policy Coherence for Nature-based Solutions highlights key findings from exploratory focus groups and dialogues across regions, including Emilia-Romagna, Lower Austria, Zagreb & Krapina-Zagorje, Skåne, and Funen, regarding the integration and implementation of NbS. The main themes addressed are policy coherence and incoherence factors, mechanisms to identify conflicts and synergies, challenges impacting NbS implementation, governance levels and sectoral regulations, and the role of private actors.
Key elements identified include recognition of NbS and climate adaptation as issues requiring multi-level, multi-sector coordination. However, horizontal policy coherence remains weak due to administrative silos, fragmented mandates, and low awareness in some regions, such as Zagreb. Regional differences highlight localized challenges: for example, Lower Austria benefits from local experience with natural hazards to prioritize NbS, while Funen faces rigid economic regulations favoring traditional technologies over NbS. Emilia-Romagna uniquely applies multi-level governance mechanisms, such as the Forestry Stakeholders’ Table, to proactively assess policy coherence.
Regarding mechanisms for identifying conflicts or synergies, no region has formal, dedicated assessment tools specifically for NbS coherence. Instead, they rely on existing processes such as environmental impact assessments, continuous dialogue among local actors, and project-based alignment strategies. Examples include Skåne’s General Master Plans for cross-departmental dialogue, Lower Austria’s KLAR! regional applications requiring alignment justification, and Croatia’s NECP Platform linking various stakeholders for better coordination and funding gap identification.
Challenges impacting NbS implementation commonly involve misalignment with spatial planning, restrictive sector-specific regulations, and difficulties in securing long-term funding and maintenance. Familiarity biases toward conventional “grey infrastructure” solutions limit NbS adoption. Specific regional challenges include protective legislation conflicts in Zagreb, urban development pressures on agricultural land in Skåne, and knowledge gaps in forest and river area management in Emilia-Romagna.
Governance frameworks are generally national-level in scope but rely extensively on local and municipal implementation and leadership. Lower Austria, Skåne, and Emilia-Romagna showcase multi-tiered governance involving national, regional, and local levels with varied mandates affecting NbS deployment. The private sector, NGOs, and civil society play critical but variably engaged roles, often acting as drivers or intermediaries. Public-private partnerships remain underutilized, for instance, in Croatia, while municipal initiatives in Lower Austria visually encourage private adoption of NbS.