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Context

• Six new countries and a United Nations agency are joining the ENACT Partnership.
• The new partners include France, the United States of America, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Pakistan, and the UN Environment Programme, including its World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

ENACT Partnership

About

• ENACT Partnership is a global initiative that seeks to coordinate global efforts to address climate change, land and ecosystem degradation, and biodiversity loss through Nature-based Solutions.

Founding Members

• Germany and Egypt, along with the International Union for Conservation of Nature launched ENACT (Enhancing Nature-based Solutions for an Accelerated Climate Transformation) at COP27, which took place at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in December 2022.
• Canada, the European Union, Spain, Malawi, Norway, South Korea, Japan and Slovenia were also founding members of the partnership.

Meaning of Nature-based Solutions

• Nature-based Solutions involve working with and for, rather than against nature, which is critical to deliver the climate, biodiversity, and land restoration action necessary to steward human well-being for all.

Nature-based solutions proposed at the recent COP28

• • ENACT partners are pushing at COP28 for the following concerning Nature-based Solutions:
  • Actions to limit warming to 1.5°C – by phasing out of all fossil fuels, including oil and gas and embracing just transition – to minimise climate-related losses and damage to people and nature. Meeting this goal is also essential to the continued provision of critical co-benefits for nature and people,
  • Increased funding and investment, particularly prioritizing local communities and accommodating an integrated approach to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and human well-being,
  • Stronger international collaboration and commitments to the rapid reduction of fossil fuel emissions and a commitment to implementation of Nature-based Solutions,
  • Robust data and monitoring systems which are essential for tracking progress and outcomes based on transparent reporting and accountability mechanisms.

Significance

• The role of Nature-based Solutions is increasingly being recognized as a complement to the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.
• ENACT provides cohesive and action-oriented leadership that enables us to tap into the massive potential of nature in addressing the climate emergency.

Looking Forward

• To further operationalize the ENACT partnership, efforts are needed for

(1) Resourcing the initiative,

(2) Building the partnership,

(3) Launching the State of NbS Report & ENACT Dashboard, and

(4) Leading global communications about high integrity NbS for climate that integrates biodiversity concerns.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. The role of Nature-based Solutions is increasingly being recognized as a complement to the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels. Elucidate.