Experiments in nature-based solutions: pursuing conservation, climate action, and land use planning in California

Nature-based solutions that include conservation are an increasingly important arena for advancing climate action. Conservation planning decisions can depend on what kinds of tradeoffs are made and which benefits need to be prioritized. What then does local implementation look like when governance of land use planning tradeoffs is confronted by potentially competing priorities in climate, nature, and development? In this paper, we analyze institutional instruments – namely, local and state plans from across California – to better understand how nature-based solutions include conservation strategies to deliver co-benefits. California is an important site of study because the state is an early adopter of progressive climate policies in the United States and serves as a climate leader in the U.S. and globally. Our analysis of local planning documents shows that subnational governments, such as California, are experimenting with different governance arrangements to decipher co-benefits and to manage trade-offs. Specifically, we find the presence of supportive citizen coalitions, funding and financing, and regional collaborations as notable enablers of nature-based solutions in California.

• Cannon, C.E.B., Chu, E.K. Experiments in nature-based solutions: pursuing conservation, climate action, and land use planning in California. npj Clim. Action 4, 58 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-025-00267-w