Nature-based solutions (NbS) play a dominant role in voluntary carbon markets. They are particularly interesting for private sector corporations seeking to address their carbon footprint and to support sustainable economic development. Despite increasing demand and potential for NbS, a number of different barriers to upscaling these projects remain. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is aiming to promote private sector involvement in this area with the Alliance for Development and Climate. Against this background, GIZ commissioned UNIQUE to provide a comprehensive analysis of the markets for various NbS, identify barriers to upscaling, and derive specific recommendations for target groups.

• Definition and classification of different NbS, incl. an analysis of mitigation potential
• Analysis and comparison of the main standards and markets (volumes, costs, price) for NbS projects
• Identification of the main barriers to upscaling NbS
• Recommendations for target groups, e.g. the BMZ initiative, investors and project developers