NBSCLIMATE, as an external consultant to the NaTour4CChange project (Interreg Euro-Med on Sustainable Tourism), has carried out a first NbS training for the project partners in the Mediterranean city of Marseille, France, between the 2nd and 3 rd of April, 2025.
The NaTour4CChange project aims to test and capitalise existing solutions that can be applied in the Mediterranean region in order to increase the resilience of coastal destinations. Common methods to allow participating regions to assess their tourism-related climate adaptation and mitigation priorities will be set in place, and different plans and strategies will be built on in collaboration with stakeholders. These Tourism climate action plans will focus on climate adaptation through the use of Nature-based Solutions, which will be tested.
But, what are Nature-based Solutions? It is a term that has become widely used in recent years, but not everything that claims to be a NbS actually is; NbS have a huge potential to address the challenges society faces nowadays, such as climate change, but for that, they must meet certain criteria. For this reason, our colleagues Irene Morell and Claudia Sánchez travelled to Marseille to meet the entire NT4CC consortium and provide comprehensive training on Nature-based Solutions while enjoying this city’s vibrant culture.
The two-day training consisted of an overview of what NbS are, and what they are not, the use of the IUCN Global Standard for NbS and the presentation of different examples of existing solutions applicable to the Mediterranean area, especially in tourist destinations. In addition, the methodology developed by our team was presented. This methodology is part of our commitment to the project, as NBSCLIMATE will guide and accompany the pilot areas through the selection, design, and implementation of NbS. To choose the most appropriate one according to their specific challenges and conditions, we developed an easy-to-follow methodology that guides practitioners step-by-step through the process.
NBSCLIMATE will therefore be an active part of the project, which involves 6 countries, 6 pilot sites, and relevant institutions such as the Institute for Tourism as leading partner, Plan Bleu, the Conference of Peripheral maritime Regions (CPMR), the IUCN Med, the Regional Government of Andalusia for Tourism, culture and sports (AndTour), the Autonomous region of Sardinia, Natura-Jadera, the Region of Crete, the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (HSPN), or the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water management of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. The project will last until 2026, and we will contribute to the goal of a Greener Mediterranean while enhancing Sustainable Tourism.
