Abstract
This report provides an overview of the potential role that nature-based solutions (NBS) can play in ports. It aims to illustrate how NBS can be effectively integrated into port planning, design, and operations to address various port challenges, while offering opportunities to leverage climate resilience benefits and other cobenefits. The report outlines the types of NBS that could be most applicable to ports, examines their alignment with global policy frameworks (such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement), and highlights both the opportunities and implementation challenges associated with their use. NBS are receiving attention globally and in various sectors, with several NBS approaches demonstrating technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness. However, many of the practices they encompass are not completely new to the port sector. Ports have long interacted with coastal landscapes and ecosystems. Recent innovations, such as ecological breakwaters and strategic sediment management, build on previous experiences and port management foundations, combining traditional practices with advances in nature-based engineering and access to emerging green financing mechanisms. This report can serve as a guideline for the initial stages in the NBS project development cycle. It helps assess how NBS align with port challenges and interests, by identifying NBS opportunities within ports and supporting the evaluation of their potential benefits. Subsequent steps in an NBS project cycle are to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility, secure financing, and develop designs and implementation plans. Ultimately, monitoring and evaluation of the NBS project is key to its sustained success. This guide can help provide critical information for these project phases.