Nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation — wetland restoration, reforestation, rewilding — provide habitat and welfare benefits for wildlife alongside their climate functions.
Nature-based solutions deliver welfare benefits to wildlife through habitat provision, food resource restoration and reduced exposure to the chronic stressors of degraded landscapes. Animals in restored habitats show better body condition, lower stress hormone levels and higher reproductive success than those in adjacent degraded areas. The welfare case for nature-based solutions is therefore direct and significant: more habitat means more animals experiencing higher welfare. However, quality matters: monoculture tree planting for carbon credits provides little wildlife benefit compared to diverse native woodland restoration. Payment for ecosystem services schemes that incentivise genuine biodiversity restoration deliver the greatest welfare co-benefits alongside their climate function.