A workshop on Nature-Based Solutions and potential applications for the water sector in Armenia took place on Tuesday 4th October, in the aftermath of the 20th meeting of the National Policy Dialogue on water. In the afternoon, participants visited the Khor Virap Ramsar site to see how wetlands strengthen ecosystem services and what could be the benefits for water users.
A workshop and field visit to show the benefits of wetlands
Nature Based Solutions align with the overall objectives of the The EU4Environment – Water Resources and Environmental Data programme, the different mandates and expertise of the implementing partners. They have a great potential to have a positive impact on water quality and quantity in Armenia, slowing down runoff and increasing infiltration, favouring natural retention and clean up and creating or improving habitats, supporting biodiversity. However, there remains several gaps in Armenia to fully recognising the potential and applicability of Nature Based Solutions, implementing and financing them and evaluating their effectiveness.
Nature Based Solutions
While recognising that there is a variety of definitions, the term Nature Based SOlutions can be used here as “solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions. (European Commission, 2021)”. In so doing, Nature Based Solutions will contribute to protecting, sustainably managing or restoring nature, with the goal of maintaining or enhancing ecosystem services to address a variety of social, environmental and economic challenges (OECD 2020). There is an increasing interest in Nature-based Solutions across the world, as an approach to contribute to multiple sustainability objectives, including water resource management, climate change adaptation and mitigation, food security and land use management.
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