When we talk about climate change, we often recall global challenges – melting glaciers, droughts or floods. But the real struggle to adapt to these changes begins much closer to home – in our yards, on the streets, in parks and communities. It was precisely to make these steps clear and accessible that the Catalogue of Nature-Based Solutions appeared in Ukraine in 2021 – the country’s first guide that systematises 25 practical ways to combine urban development with the laws of nature.
An idea born in the community
«We saw that Ukraine in fact had no similar tool for spreading the idea of nature-based solutions. The term Nature-Based Solutions was only just coming into use back then, and we wanted to make it understandable for Ukrainians», — says Mykola Riabyka, coordinator of the Ukrainian Climate Network (UCN) and co-author of the catalogue.
It was the UCN that initiated the publication. The network, which brings together more than 40 civil society organisations and foundations, has been working on climate issues for over 25 years. After the annual meeting in December 2020, several organisations decided to create a joint product – a practical catalogue of nature-based solutions that would help communities and professionals organise their knowledge and help citizens understand that “being green” can be not just a slogan but a concrete action.
«We wanted to create not just a collection for professionals. The catalogue had to be understandable to everyone – from the architect to the ordinary resident who wants to make their yard greener», — adds Mykola.
How the guide was created
Work on the catalogue lasted almost a year. Experts from various organisations worked on the texts – the NGO “Plato”, the NGO “Centre for Environmental Initiatives ‘Ecoaction’”, the NGO “Ecoclub”, the “World Wide Fund for Nature Ukraine” (WWF-Ukraine) and others. Financial support was provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC).
The catalogue became a genuinely collective product: some people wrote sections, some edited, some shared their own experience.
«We combined the efforts of dozens of people. This is not the work of a single organisation – it is the result of shared thinking, professionalism and love for one’s work», — says the UCN coordinator.
The guide consists of more than 100 pages and describes 25 types of nature-based solutions – from rain gardens, vertical greening and biodiversity spaces to shelterbelts, composting of organic waste and restoring river meanders. Each section contains a brief description of the technology, benefits for the community, possibilities for application, as well as the ecological and social effect.
From idea to practice
The collected solutions cover a wide spectrum – from urban initiatives to natural ecosystems. The team tried to show that nature can be an ally even in a densely built-up environment.
«We wanted to cover different levels – cities, villages and natural areas. Because water, soil and air are shared resources, no matter where you live», — explains Mykola.
Global practices served as a reference point, promoting, for example, the concept of the “sponge city” and reducing the effect of “heat islands”. But the team adapted these solutions to Ukrainian realities: to our climate, landscapes and the capacities of local budgets.
An important emphasis was placed on accessibility – most solutions do not require large sums and can be implemented by the community itself. For example, a rain garden or a green zone for collecting precipitation can be arranged even next to a condominium, and composting of organic waste in a schoolyard or in courtyards.
A lasting effect
The catalogue is not just a guide – it became a point of departure for developing the topic of nature-based solutions in Ukraine. Four years have passed since its release, but it remains relevant. Many organisations have already created their own training materials based on it, and communities have created the first examples of practical implementation.
«We distributed the catalogue for free – both in electronic format and as printed copies. More than a hundred of them were handed over to communities and educational institutions. We see how this tool is starting to work – rain gardens, green walls and green roofs are appearing», — notes Mykola Riabyka.
According to him, in Ukraine many solutions still remain “on paper”, but this is not a minus – rather potential for growth. After all, demand for adaptation actions is only growing: abnormal heat, flooding after downpours, the destruction of shelterbelts as a result of military action – all of this is felt even by those who, until recently, considered climate change “someone else’s problem”.
Nature-based solutions and climate adaptation
All 25 solutions in the catalogue are aimed at reducing climate risks: retaining moisture during drought, lowering temperatures in hot periods, improving drainage during downpours. These are concrete tools that help communities become more resilient to extreme weather events.
«The core idea of nature-based solutions is to learn from nature. It already has balancing mechanisms: forests lower the temperature, wetlands purify water, wildflower meadows help increase biodiversity. We are simply trying to return these mechanisms to where people took them away», — explains the co-author.
The catalogue shows that adapting to climate change is not only about large-scale state programmes but also about local actions. Every community, every yard can be part of solving the problem. And that is precisely its strength.
What next?
The team of the Ukrainian Climate Network does not rule out updating the guide in the format of a “Catalogue 2.0”, which will be more technical and detailed. But for now the main goal is for as many people as possible to make use of what has already been created.
«We want this catalogue to be not just a document but a working tool. So that it inspires communities to act – to plant, clean, create and change the space around them. Because every square metre returned to nature is a contribution to our shared safety», — emphasises Mykola.
The Catalogue of Nature-Based Solutions is an attempt to change the approach to developing Ukrainian communities: from “building against nature” to “living together with it”. And that is precisely what real modernity is. Because in the era of the climate crisis, those who know how to adapt are the ones who survive. And this guide is one of the steps in that direction.