Abstract
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly used to address interconnected urban socio-environmental challenges, yet their implementation remains largely project-based and fragmented. We introduce Nature-based Policy (NbP) as a cross-sectoral framework that incorporates nature into organisational decision-making, investment priorities and governance practices. By enabling Nature-based Solutions to contribute to lasting organisational change, NbP provides an institutional pathway towards urban sustainability transitions.
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Acknowledgements
Recognition is given to the CLEARING HOUSE project, which received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 821242, and the National Key R&D Programme of China under grant no. 2021YFE0193200. The authors wish to thank Yole DeBellis for her contribution in reviewing this work and Luca Riviello for the technical support in drawing the fi gure included in this paper. The content of this document refl ects only the authors’ views and does not represent the view of the European Commission (EC/EU) or the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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Davies, C., Sheikholeslami, D. & Lafortezza, R. Nature-based policy as a pathway to urban sustainability transitions.
npj Urban Sustain (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-026-00430-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-026-00430-0
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