Welcome to the NbS International Congress!
At a time when urgent transformative change is needed to address the intertwined crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, the Nature-based Solutions International Congress will aim to shape a resilient future for people and nature through knowledge and action.
From November 2 to 6, 2026, in Paris, France, it will bring together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, local and regional representatives, national and transnational public authorities, businesses, investors, and civil society from around the world, and serve as a global meeting point for those working around nature and people.
Built as a dialogue across sectors and disciplines, and organised by the French National Research Program on Nature-based Solutions (SOLU-BIOD) and NetworkNature, in collaboration with UNP+, Biodiversa+, Sorbonne University, and the City of Paris, the Congress will seek to create a decisive moment for nature, strengthening synergies, bridging communities, and amplifying the international impact of NbS.
A Strategic Moment
Climate change and biodiversity loss are no longer future risks. Their combined impacts are shaping a new reality, directly threatening societies and ecosystems, putting at risk food and water security, public health, social justice, and economic stability. These crises are unfolding within a complex landscape of social inequality, shifting policy priorities, and geopolitical uncertainty.
Past decades have demonstrated that reliance on conventional solutions to current challenges is often insufficient. Evidence increasingly shows that such approaches can exacerbate long-term vulnerabilities and risks by failing to account for ecological and social dynamics.
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognised across science, policy, and practice as essential to strengthening economic, societal, and environmental resilience.
A Multidimensional Structure
The Congress is organised as two parallel and interconnected programmes. This design reflects a shared ambition: to build strong knowledge-to-action and action-to-knowledge pathways, enabling a two-way exchange between science, policy, and practice, and ensuring that each community informs and strengthens the others.
In this context, the Congress offers an important moment to bring together the communities shaping the future of NbS. It provides a space for exchange and alignment between the scientific, policy, and practitioner communities working to advance NbS worldwide.
1. Scientific Conference (3 to 6 November)
This dedicated forum, organised by the French National Research Program on Nature-based Solutions (SOLU-BIOD), Sorbonne University, and Biodiversa+, will fill a critical gap by providing a space to present and discuss fundamental, interdisciplinary, participatory, and action-oriented research on the design, implementation, and evaluation of NbS, while fostering dialogue across disciplines and sectors.
The conference will be structured around thematic sessions, co-designed with the international NbS community to reflect the diversity, innovation, and transformative potential of NbS research across continents. By bringing together perspectives from the natural, human, and social sciences, these sessions will foster genuine transdisciplinary dialogue.
Firmly grounded in science yet open beyond academia, the conference recognises that transformative change requires the convergence of knowledge, governance, and practice. Practitioners, businesses, policymakers, investors, and civil society actors are warmly invited to share their experience, contribute their perspectives, and join cross-sectoral dialogues.
A registration fee will apply to participants attending the Scientific Conference. Know more about the Scientific conference here!
2. The NetworkNature Week (2 to 5 November)
The week will bring together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, local and regional authorities, national and European representatives, businesses, investors, and civil society actors from around the world. They will explore how public authorities can shape and drive a resilient future for people and nature through knowledge and action. The week, organised by NetworkNature, will be structured around three key events:
- 2 November | The NN Science Policy Dialogue, organised by NetworkNature
- 3 November | The NetworkNature Annual Event 2026 “Futures with Nature”, organised by NetworkNature
- 4 November | The Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Cities Festival, organised by UNP+ in collaboration with NetworkNature and with the support of the City of Paris
Do you want to contribute? We are currently preparing the Futures with Nature Open call - More info available soon.
The NetworkNature Week is open access, while some events will require registration upon approval. Know more about the NetworkNature week here!
