Developing rewarding schemes for Nature-based Solutions

Ecosystem-based Adaptation measures (a Nature-based approach to climate adaptation) need to be taken on both public and private land. However, most land-owners will not implement them voluntarily (additional to what is required by law) without financial incentives.

Expert consultations on payment schemes targeted at, but not limited to, increased infiltration and retention

Success factors and pitfalls have not been clearly identified for private and public payment schemes for EbA targeted specifically at increased water infiltration and retention. From 2019 to 2021, a high-level PROWATER seminar, panel discussion and several (expert) workshops were organized on ‘How to incentivise Nature-based Solutions’ within the 2 Seas area, including regions in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France and Flanders. We welcomed international experts through keynote talks and workshops to reflect on practice & policy recommendations for the design and implementation of payment schemes for EbA targeted at increased water infiltration and retention capacity of our landscapes.

This report summarises these PROWATER events into practice recommendations when developing a payment scheme for EbA, specifically targeted at (but not limited to) increased water infiltration and retention. Many of the practice recommendations are relevant to local initiatives that wish to set-up a smaller scale payment schemes for EbA. Special attention is also given to policy recommendations that can facilitate the development and implementation of payment schemes for EbA in practice, on smaller and larger scales.