NAS Canvas: Identifying Business Models to Support Implementation of Natural Assurance Schemes

Abstract The Natural Assurance Schemes (NAS) canvas framework and tool have been developed to analyse the process of value generation linked to NBS aimed at reducing risks from the assurance value of ecosystems and co-benefits, when providing climate adaptation services. The NAS canvas identifies the elements, agents and roles involved along the NASs’ services and values delivery process, as well as the associated economic streams. Therefore, it allows identifying and structuring, in a logical and visual way, the components of a business model to deliver a natural assurance service into concrete schemes, compiling the required information on actors, costs, impacts and possible funding models needed to attract investors. The process of business model identification using the NAS canvas has been applied in all NAS strategies in NAIAD case studies, providing useful individual and comparative insights. This process – often supported by a co-design stakeholder engagement approach (see Chap. 3 and 19 ) – can be applied to any NAS regardless of the context and the project stage, and replicated by adjusting the depth and detail of the information. Although a quantitative description is preferred to build the business case to attract investors, a qualitative description can also provide very valuable insights on information needs, specific elements or context difficulties (e.g. regulatory). Graphical Abstract