Water Funds to Institutionalize Nature-based Solutions in Ecuador - Guiding Principle 4: Avoiding Environmental Impacts and Investing in Nature

Adverse environmental impacts from infrastructure should be minimized, and natural capital enhanced to the greatest degree possible. Construction should be avoided in areas important for the persistence of biodiversity or having high ecosystem service value. The development of physical infrastructure should seek to complement or strengthen, rather than replace, nature’s ability to provide services such as water supply and purification, flood control, and carbon sequestration. Nature-based solutions should be prioritized.