Case study
Unlocking finance for water and sanitation with nature-based solutions
Snapshot showing how nature-based solutions can be cost-effective alternatives to conventional infrastructure
This is snapshot shows how nature-based solutions can be cost-effective alternatives to conventional infrastructure.
This case explores how nature-based solutions (NbS) can provide cost-effective alternatives to conventional infrastructure while attracting diverse sources of funding for water and sanitation. Payments for environmental services (PES) and debt-for-nature swaps are mechanism through which one can invest in ecosystems that reduce future costs, extend infrastructure lifetimes, and mobilise new finance streams. Experiences from Freetown and El Salvador highlight the potential of NbS to reduce the water and sanitation finance gap.
This brief case study was written for the 2025 SWA Sector Ministers' Meeting held in Madrid, 22-23 October.
- Unlocking finance for water and sanitation with nature-based solutions | PDF
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