As an emerging norm in global environmental governance, “Nature-based Solutions” (NbS) faces internalization challenges despite its rapid institutionalization. Research indicates that NbS is often narrowly framed as a functional technical tool in policy documents, lacks cross-sectoral coordination and a unified global monitoring and accountability mechanism, and has given rise to a paradoxical situation where the Global South acts as the “main practitioner” yet remains in a position of “normative subordination.” Compared to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have established a robust value consensus, the normative evolution of NbS is characterized by insufficient moral leadership, a lack of openness in institutional processes, and the marginalization of the Global South in norm construction. China now stands at a critical juncture to transition from a “norm internalizer” to a “norm shaper.” As a complementary analytical framework, the concept of “Civilization-based Solutions” (CbS) aims to infuse NbS with a civilizational dimension, elevating governance objectives from “utilizing nature” to “harmonious coexistence with nature.” The CbS framework and the global dialogue practices it fosters not only offer a novel perspective for analyzing the internalization dilemmas of existing norms but also provide an innovative research pathway for exploring more inclusive and effective global governance norms.