Designing a Scorecard for Measuring the Integration of Nature-based Solutions into Small Island Climate Policies

Small island states and territories (SISTs) face disproportionate climate risks, including sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and saltwater intrusion, yet adaptation strategies are constrained by geography, resources, and governance challenges. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer cost-effective, low-tech approaches that enhance resilience while delivering co-benefits for biodiversity and livelihoods. Despite their potential, NbS integration into SIST climate policies remains poorly understood. This research developed a replicable scorecard to evaluate NbS integration across 57 SIST. Undergoing iterative refinement and validation, the scorecard was based upon six categories: Inclusion of NbS; budget/economic considerations; community engagement; gender and social inclusion; anticipated benefits, and policy linkages. Policies were independently scored, with high inter-rater reliability (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.82). Results reveal substantial variation: Dominica scored highest (13 points out of a possible 20), while six SISTs scored zero. Budget/economic considerations and anticipated benefits were the highest scoring categories, whereas gender and social was the lowest scoring. Although 89% of policies referenced NbS-related activities, explicit use of the term “NbS” appeared in only 19.6% of policies. No significant upward trend in integration of NbS over time was observed. Classification and regression tree analysis identified three policy groupings based on emphasis rather than geography, highlighting gaps in budgeting and cross-policy linkages. The scorecard provides the first comprehensive assessment of NbS integration across SIST climate policies, offering opportunities for further research, practical insights for strengthening policy frameworks and informing future investment priorities. It provides a model for assessing policies across different sectors and at different scales, including continental contexts.