The International Nature Learning Journey was developed to support FCDO and other government departments’ understanding, capacity and influence related to nature, particularly in the run-up to COP26.
A series of on-line seminars took place between May and August 2021 which involved an expert speaker on each topic, followed by a case study to provide practical illustrations, and a facilitated Q&A with participants. Each session was chaired by an expert facilitator. Participants included advisors from across several government departments, including FCDO, Defra, BEIS and Treasury, with approximately 150 participants joining each session.
The objectives of the learning journey were:
- Participants to be sufficiently knowledgeable about international nature policy areas to be able to lobby for the UK’s international nature engagement objectives in-country to enable the UK to deliver its cross-HMG International Nature Strategy and land key deliverables ahead of COP26.
- Understanding the role of NbS and how to communicate the co-benefits for people, climate and nature and demonstrate their contribution to other objectives, for example, the green recovery to COVID-19; synergies with other policy outcomes, background provided by IPBES and IPCC;
- Overcoming the barriers to scaling up NbS: the evidence base and tackling issues around design, implementation and the enabling environment; and identifying relevant opportunities to promote NbS in line with UK objectives.