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Disclaimer: This version has been submitted to the European Commission/ its Executive Agency and is currently under review. Executive Summary Aim and methodology Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions that protect, restore, and sustainably manage natural or modified ecosystems to address societal challenges. This report investigates the integration of NbS into economic value chains and identifies barriers and enablers for upscaling and replication. The analysis combines a systematic literature review with an NbS Business Model Canvas mapping as well as a sectoral impact quantification using input–output modelling of eight Invest4Nature Living Lab cases. The literature review and input–output modelling were conducted by JR, while the Business Model Canvas mapping was carried out by JR and CMCC with input from the Invest4Nature Living Labs. Supply and demand dynamics Findings highlight the dominant role of the public sector on sides – supply and demand. It is mostly local governments that plan, contract, and supervise NbS interventions, while funding comes from multiple governance levels, including local, regional, national and EU sources. On the supply side, NGOs, academia, and technical service providers contribute with expertise, research, and monitoring. Local communities participate in co-design and, in some cases, maintenance, representing both contributors to and beneficiaries of NbS implementation. The literature review identified the public sector as the main bottleneck in the supply chain. It dominated most supply and demand linkages, appeared as a key actor in 29 of the 31 analysed case studies, and was closely linked to many of the identified barriers and enablers. These results are further corroborated by the NbS BMC mapping and input-output modelling. This shows that active coordination, cooperation and stakeholder engagement is vital to use the full potential of the NbS projects’ supply chain integration. Furthermore, low awareness and limited public interest remain key barriers. Strong communication, interdisciplinary knowledge exchange, and visible pilot results serve as enablers. Maintenance and integration into long-term practices The long-term success of NbS requires stable funding, institutional commitment, clearly defined maintenance responsibilities with legal certainty for actors. Supportive policy frameworks, municipal budgets, and strategic partnerships can facilitate replication and continuity, while targeted communication tools help maintain visibility and knowledge retention. Evidence from the Norway and Tirol Living Labs indicates that the initial momentum often declines in the absence of sustainedresources and robust monitoring frameworks and often it is a simple lack of awareness of maintenance needs by actors that hinders successful long-term implementation. Policy recommendations The public sector plays a crucial role in supporting the implementation and scaling of NbS by creating an enabling environment through appropriate regulations, providing direct concessional funding and technical support, and encouraging beneficiaries to engage with NbS. Policy action should include establishing long-term EU funding for maintenance, streamlining NbS into public procurement, and better leveraging EU sustainability legislation to attract private investment. Greater policy coherence across governance levels is needed to facilitate and accelerate implementation, alongside local supplyside capacity building through technical assistance. Standardised monitoring, ecological outcome reporting, and stronger stakeholder engagement and co-creation will further support the long-term effectiveness and scalability of NbS. This work has been funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe grant 101061083 (Invest4Nature). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission and its European Research Executive Agency (REA) – hereinafter referred to as the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.