Laws and regulations

Laws and regulations are the primary policy instruments that establish the legal frameworks governing markets, behaviours, and activities. These are often enacted through decisions made by policymakers at the national or international level, shaping societal development and the implementation of political goals. For EU member states, laws passed by the European Union take precedence over national laws and must be adhered to, even if they conflict with national legislation.

These policy instruments play a significant role in promoting and regulating nature-based solutions, which are essential for addressing societal challenges such as climate change, water management, and biodiversity. This can include laws that protect and preserve ecosystems, green spaces, and water systems. Laws and regulations can also mandate the integration of NBS into infrastructure and urban development projects, which could lead to replacing traditional solutions with blue-green infrastructure. For instance, wetlands can be considered a solution to flooding issues, rather than relying solely on technical barriers or similar structures.

Laws and regulations can be highly impactful because they are binding and must be followed as they are ensuring legal certainty and governance. Additionally, laws and regulations are applied to protect societal interests, as well as the environment. However, sometimes they can be challenging to implement due to various reasons such as available resources or political direction. Effective policies must be aligned horizontally (across the departments) and vertically (across the political levels) to ensure synergies and complementary goals [1].