Examples of nature-based solutions as systemic solutions for the triple planetary crisis
Infographic Series
- Publication
- Citation
Umweltbundesamt 2025: Examples of nature-based solutions as systemic solutions for the triple planetary crisis. Infographic.
Nature-based solutions (NbS) can address multiple dimensions of the triple planetary crisis at once: climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution, while delivering benefits for people and ecosystems. This infographic, visualises how NbS can function as systemic responses when designed and implemented under the right conditions. It illustrates how measures such as mangrove restoration, constructed wetlands, and urban green infrastructure can simultaneously contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation, strengthen biodiversity, and reduce pollution-related pressures. It also highlights the broader societal challenges that NbS can support, including water and food security, human health, risk reduction, and reversing environmental degradation.
NbS as Integrated Pathways for Action
Importantly, the infographic underlines that NbS only reach their full potential when enabling conditions are in place – such as inclusive governance, policy alignment, knowledge co-production, and equity and rights-based implementation. These factors help ensure that NbS are not only effective, but also fair, scalable, and sustainable over time.
Other infographics in this series:
Drivers and feedback loops of the triple planetary crisis
Impacts of the triple planetary crisis on human and ecosystem health
Current model of material use & key policy actions to address structural barriers
The infographics are part of the UBA publications on the triple planetary crisis. Published under a CC BY 4.0 license, they may be shared and adapted provided that the source is credited. We encourage their use and dissemination to support a better understanding of the systemic drivers, impacts and solution pathways of the triple planetary crisis in policy, research and practice.
Contact
- Language
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English
- Credits
Media format: coloured infographic for a report and fact sheet
Copyright: CC BY 4.0
Content: Doris Knoblauch, Aaron Best, Charlotte Felthöfer, Natalia Burgos Cuevas, Teresa Spantzel, Yannick Heni
Graphic design: Jennifer Rahn, Lena Aebli
- Funding
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German Environment Agency (UBA), Germany - Published in
- The Interconnected Challenges of Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Environmental Pollution: Drivers, Interdependencies and Impacts of the Triple Planetary Crisis
- Year
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- Project ID
- Keywords
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triple planetary crisis, systemic environmental solutions, climate change and biodiversity loss, resource efficiency, nature-based solutions, planetary boundaries, environmental justice, cross-sectoral transformation, sustainable resource use, integrated environmental policyGlobal, Germany, Europe, Global Southsystematic literature review, systems analysis of societal metabolism, cross-sectoral policy analysis, nature-based solutions assessment, justice- and MAPA-focused governance analysis
Umweltbundesamt 2025: Drivers and feedback loops of the triple planetary crisis. Infographic.
Iwaszuk, E.; Spantzel, T.; Kroos, F.; Knoblauch, D. (2025): Integrated Approaches to Addressing the Triple Planetary Crisis: Country Best Practices. Lessons learned from Brazil, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand, Panama, Rwanda and Sweden. Policy paper. Climate Change 81/2025, German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8106
Burgos Cuevas, N.; Heni, Y.; Spantzel, T.; Felthöfer, C.; Brunkhorst, H.; Knoblauch, D.; Riedel, A. (2025): Moving from interconnected crises to systemic solutions. Resource efficiency, nature-based solutions, and systemic transformation as responses to the complexity of the triple planetary crisis. Interim report, Climate Change 83/2025. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8108.
Burgos Cuevas, N.; Heni, Y.; Spantzel, T.; Felthöfer, C.; Brunkhorst, H.; Knoblauch, D.; Riedel, A. (2025): Moving from interconnected crises to systemic solutions. Resource efficiency, nature-based solutions, and systemic transformation as responses to the complexity of the triple planetary crisis. Fact sheet. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8102.
Knoblauch, D., Felthöfer, C., Heni, Y., Burgos Cuevas, N., & Best, A. (2025). The Interconnected Challenges of Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Environmental Pollution: Drivers, Interdependencies and Impacts of the Triple Planetary Crisis. Interim report, Climate Change 82/2025. German Federal Agency. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8107.
Felthöfer, C., Knoblauch, D., & Best, A. (2025). The interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution: Drivers, interdependencies and impacts of the triple planetary crisis (Fact sheet). German Federal Agency. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8070