NbS Scientific Conference

Climate change is profoundly transforming the habitats of human, animal and plant communities, triggering rapid changes that are increasingly difficult to adapt to. In response to these challenges, the search for solutions that consider social-ecological systems and address the major societal issues we face has become a priority. As a result, over the past decade, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have emerged as integrated ecological–social–economic approaches to address these impacts and support adaptation to a changing climate.

Although still a relatively recent concept, NbS have quickly gained prominence among both the scientific community and policymakers, who recognize not only the urgency of deploying these solutions but also the need to deepen their understanding. NbS have consequently evolved from a niche research topic to a central component of national climate adaptation strategies.

Globally, researchers working on NbS play a crucial role in advancing sustainable solutions for societies and ecosystems. They aim to understand the impacts of these solutions, evaluate their effectiveness and resilience, explore how local experiments can be scaled up and applied in broader regional and institutional contexts, and predict future developments under global change through prospective scenarios. Sharing this knowledge is vital for addressing research gaps, supporting evidence-based decisions, and encouraging international learning and collaboration.

This dedicated conference, organized by the French National Research Program on Nature-based Solutions (SOLU-BIOD), Sorbonne University, and Biodiversa+, fills 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, sectors, and regions.

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 recognizes 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. 

Target audience: 

- Knowledge: researchers, academics, and early-career scientists across all disciplines relevant to NbS

- Governance: policymakers, public authorities, international organizations, and urban and municipal leaders

- Practice: conservation practitioners, NGOs, indigenous and community representatives, investors, finance actors, and private sector professionals