The DENR launched the first national policy on Environmentally Based Solutions

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DENR) launched the country’s first Nature-based Solutions (NbS) national policy on June 30, which calls for the integration of nature-based approaches to climate, biodiversity, and disaster reduction programs.

The DENR, with the support of the Forest Foundation Philippines, the Government of Canada, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the NbS Support Network, unveiled the policy during the 3-day USBONG: Transdisciplinary Forum on Nature-based Solutions.

This policy establishes a national framework for integrating environmentally-based methods into government programs and initiatives, while strengthening collaboration between government agencies, local governments, civil society organizations, communities and the private sector.

The Philippines remains one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, experiencing frequent floods, droughts, typhoons, and earthquakes. These risks are expected to intensify as the climate changes, according to a report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. ADB’s 2025 Asia-Pacific Climate Report also noted that nearly 75% of the region’s gross domestic product depends on the environment, making the economy more vulnerable as the environment deteriorates.

“Existing programs and programs already exist throughout the country, in government agencies, local governments, public organizations, and communities. The challenge is no longer creating new programs. The challenge is coordinating them,” said Philippine Red Cross Disaster Risk Reduction Technical Officer Steven Laranjo during the event.

“The challenge before us is not just to adopt NbS. It strengthens, connects, and integrates local and indigenous practices that already exist in all policy systems, governance, financing and implementation. That is the mission of USBONG,” said Director of the University of the Philippines Los Baños Forestry Development Center Dixon T. Gevaña.

The policy formalizes environmentally-based practices that communities have been using for a long time and requires DENR offices, regional offices, and local government partners to integrate NbS into their plans and programs. It also establishes a national framework for monitoring, financing, and capacity building.

“The NbS policy consolidates our efforts to connect and strengthen action in all sectors. It gives us a national standard to recognize, support, and measure nature-based methods in all our climate mitigation, biodiversity, and disaster mitigation programs,” said DENR Executive Secretary Juan Miguel T. Cuna.

This policy encourages investment by local governments, communities, and the private sector while encouraging a variety of funding sources, including payments for ecosystem services, to support long-term consumption. It complies with national legislation, including the Climate Change Act and the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, as well as international obligations such as the Paris Agreement and the National Adaptation Programme.

“For generations, Filipino communities and indigenous peoples have managed forests, restored coastlines, and managed the land long before it was called Nature-Based Solutions,” shared Forest Foundation Philippines Deputy Executive Director Alaya de Leon.

Mr. Laranjo stressed the need for long-term institutional support and inclusive governance.

“Policies must continue with political life. Institutions must help in building projects. And governance must involve everyone rather than just consultation,” said Mr. Laranjo.

“The number reminds us that although our ambitions are ambitious, our investments still have to be calculated. Far-reaching discussions deepen this idea. Meaningful participation is not only about representation. It is about shared power and shared responsibility. The introduction of the geological approach challenges us to think beyond political boundaries,” he said.

The forum also marked the launch of the NbS Support Network after its founding members signed a partnership agreement with the DENR, with the support of development partners, including the Government of Canada and the Embassy of the Netherlands.

The network will provide technical guidance, support the design and implementation of NbS projects at the national and local levels, convene stakeholders, encourage knowledge sharing, and demonstrate high integrity Environmentally based solutions on the ground.

Through the Philippines-Canada Partnership on Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation (PCP4NbS), the Forest Foundation Philippines provides grants to community-based organizations to demonstrate NbS for climate resilience while advancing conversations about the biodiversity-climate-gender nexus. – Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba