A major study led by the University of Oxford has found that nature-based solutions (NbS) can significantly boost local economies.

The research, published in PLOS Climate, suggests that these solutions can increase agricultural productivity and create jobs, thereby unlocking economic prosperity.

The study highlights the potential of NbS to create 'win-win' scenarios by raising income, creating jobs, enhancing biodiversity, and supporting climate adaptation.

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The authors argue that these attributes make NbS a crucial approach for countries transitioning to clean and efficient circular economies.

Specific examples from the research include the Working for Water programme in South Africa, which cleared invasive species from over one million hectares of land while supporting more than 20,000 jobs, and a coastal restoration project in the United States which created 17 jobs for every US$1 million spent.

Professor Nathalie Seddon, professor of biodiversity at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment and Department of Biology, University of Oxford, said: "Nature's value is often overlooked in accounting frameworks, yet our study highlights its tremendous economic benefits.

"At a time when global systems are under strain and the planet is warming, nature-based solutions offer a vital opportunity to boost the resilience of ecosystems—and the economies that depend on them."

The study also identifies several factors hindering the implementation of NbS, including siloed government decision-making, misconceptions that pro-environmental policies can harm business, and a lack of reporting on the broader impacts of NbS projects.

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Alex Chausson, lead author of the study, NbS specialist at WWF-UK, and research associate at Oxford’s Nature-Based Solutions Initiative (NbSI), said: "The evidence also shows NbS can be deployed with speed and flexibility in areas where they are needed the most, like rural communities that are often neglected by other investment approaches.

"They are important tools for stimulating local economies, especially during recovery from crises."

Dr Brian O’Callaghan, co-author and lead researcher and project manager at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, said: "It's clear that well-designed investments in nature can create jobs, deliver high economic productivity, and enhance resilience, offering a powerful response to economic shocks.

"But investors and policy makers must take a cautious approach to ensure key stakeholders are not left behind and unexpected negative externalities are avoided."

The study, titled 'Harnessing nature-based solutions for economic recovery: a systematic review,' was funded by the Oxford Martin School’s Biodiversity & Society Programme.

The authors analysed evidence from 66 carefully selected 'review' papers on nature-based solutions, each encompassing evidence from multiple studies.

To the authors' knowledge, their study is the first comprehensive review of the economic impacts of NbS.