No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Challenges to realizing the potential of nature-based solutions
Abstract
Globally, rising seas, coastal erosion, extended dry periods, and flooding contribute to decreased water security and increased disaster incidence. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are increasingly advanced as innovative responses to promote adaptation and build resilience, and they are arguably more sustainable than traditional gray infrastructure. There is a growing body of information regarding the material, social, and technological advances that constitute NBS and the ways in which nature can complement traditional built infrastructure. However, critical gaps remain. Promoting a coupled systems approach, we explore fundamental challenges, including issues of participation and equity, economic valuation, scalar mismatches, the integration of natural and built infrastructure, and governance. NBS do not entail quick solutions, and to reach their full potential NBS require a fundamental rethinking of society's relationship with nature. Addresses
... An NbS approach therefore frames nature as a way to help address societal challenges and deliver multiple social benefits, in addition to biodiversity improvements [47] with a core focus on developing more sustainable socio-ecological systems [58]. NbS can be applied to help address challenges associated with a rapidly changing climate and other sustainability challenges (e.g. ...
... Across the NbS literature there has been a strong focus on identifying barriers to the uptake of NbS within different contexts and by different actors (e.g. [58]). Some barriers relate to the ability to delivery interventions (e.g. ...
... A NbS approach involves the potential to reconfigure human-nature interconnections and thus helping transform socio-ecological systems [36,58,61]. An important part of this involves creating institutional conditions to enable the delivery of NbS more widely, by working to change norms (shared expectations), values (underlying guiding principes) practices (i.e. the routine actions of actors) [31,41,78] and the allocation and distribution of resources to reinforce NbS as a credible and normal option across sectors. ...
As the integrity and extent of many natural ecosystems continues to decline, the concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is gaining traction as a means to reverse such trends. However, uptake of an NbS approach across society is often piecemeal or partial. This paper argues that a deeper connection with the literature on transformations will help realise the full potential of NbS for enabling sustainable futures. Whilst others have already noted the concept of transformations to be relevant to NbS, many insights from the sustainability transformations literature remain underutilised by those working with NbS. In this paper, we provide a conceptual framework to enable more ambitious and widespread uptake of NbS. We do this by identifying and drawing on key conceptual perspectives and frameworks from the sustainability transformations literature. This framework identifies key components (current system, future visions, process and an iterative approach) to consider when planning strategic actions. The framework strengthens the links between transformations and NbS concepts for a variety of stakeholders: as well as guiding NbS practitioners, it can also support action-orientated research to help steer NbS to achieve transformational change.
... Allocating a government-based core budget that funds and supports NbS adoption is recommended (Kuller et al., 2022;Lilli et al., 2020). According to Nelson et al. (2020), the benefits of NbS should exceed its' associated costs. The authors further elaborate that there is no ultimate win-win scenario where all benefits are achieved simultaneously for all people or places. ...
... In terms of governance, the literature suggests that a clear problem definition, enabling and democratic institutions that promote bottom-up approaches and participatory mechanisms based on stakeholder needs, are politically and publicly accepted, are inclusive, transparent, and legitimate, can act as possible drivers for participation in NbS (Calliari et al., 2022;Gobetti et al., 2021;Nelson et al., 2020;Tozer et al., 2020). In this regard, stakeholder networks that enable communication and conflict resolution mechanisms based on stakeholder perceptions, willingness, skills, and local and expert knowledge can motivate the network to take ownership and initiative for participation in NbS, enabling cross and inter-sectoral communication (Gómez Martín et al., 2020;Lilli et al., 2020;Pagano et al., 2019;Zingraff-Hamed et al., 2020). ...
... In this regard, stakeholder networks that enable communication and conflict resolution mechanisms based on stakeholder perceptions, willingness, skills, and local and expert knowledge can motivate the network to take ownership and initiative for participation in NbS, enabling cross and inter-sectoral communication (Gómez Martín et al., 2020;Lilli et al., 2020;Pagano et al., 2019;Zingraff-Hamed et al., 2020). However, the underlying context must provide opportunities for adopting and integrating local and Indigenous knowledge, demand, and cultural values (Gómez Martín et al., 2020;Nelson et al., 2020). Mentioned also as a barrier, digital and innovative platforms that capture the diversity of NbS solutions and facilitate mixed-method research and long-term systematic monitoring are desired drivers from a humantechnology perspective (Puskás et al., 2021;Schmidt et al., 2022). ...
CONTEXT: Highly water-dependent agri-food systems are impacted by external shocks, revealing their vulnerabilities and stressing the need to transform them towards increased sustainability and resilience. Various disciplines and scholars highlight the role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in addressing societal challenges while creating sustainable and resilient contexts. OBJECTIVE: In steering transformative processes, participation is vital as a governance variable. However, motivating stakeholders’ engagement with NbS uptake in decision-making requires evidence proving its potential to effectively address their direct and indirect environmental, societal, and economic concerns. This review systematically analyzed the potential of Citizen Science (CS) to overcome the barriers to NbS adoption and to drive stakeholders’ attitudes towards sustainability. METHODS: Focused on water as an essential for the agri-food system, 46 articles were systematically analyzed to examine water-related NbS, locate relevant drivers and barriers of NbS and ecosystem services, including associated advantages and disadvantages.
... Nature-based solutions are highly diverse, including approaches that protect, restore or sustainably manage natural and modified ecosystems, and commonly supporting multiple functions that bring benefits for society and biodiversity (Calliari et al., 2019;Chausson et al., 2020;Cohen-Shacham et al., 2016;Seddon et al., 2020). To apply naturebased solutions across diverse contexts globally requires that communities, policymakers and stakeholders are equipped with the necessary tools and data to make informed decisions based on locally relevant information (Nelson et al., 2020;Nesshöver et al., 2017). In turn, this requires effective communication of science through engagement and extension (Brugger & Crimmins, 2015). ...
... Stakeholders such as farmers, natural resource managers, and conservationists need detailed, context-specific information to implement nature-based solutions. This includes information on which types of nature-based solution are likely to be established and thrive on their land (Albert et al., 2021;Cohen-Shacham et al., 2016;Nelson et al., 2020). These stakeholders also need information on the benefits of different types of nature-based solutions to biodiversity and climate change adaptation, and how nature-based approaches compare with technological or engineered solutions (Albert et al., 2021;Cohen-Shacham et al., 2019;Nelson et al., 2020). ...
... This includes information on which types of nature-based solution are likely to be established and thrive on their land (Albert et al., 2021;Cohen-Shacham et al., 2016;Nelson et al., 2020). These stakeholders also need information on the benefits of different types of nature-based solutions to biodiversity and climate change adaptation, and how nature-based approaches compare with technological or engineered solutions (Albert et al., 2021;Cohen-Shacham et al., 2019;Nelson et al., 2020). Science communication and outreach initiatives play a crucial role in providing this information, through bridging the gap between research and practical application (Brugger & Crimmins, 2015). ...
The ongoing biodiversity and climate change crises require society to adopt nature‐based solutions that integrate and enhance ecosystems. To achieve successful implementation of nature‐based solutions, it is vital to communicate scientific information about their benefits and suitability.
This article explores the potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as a tool for automating and scaling up science communication, outreach, and extension for nature‐based solutions.
To illustrate the potential of GenAI, we present three case study examples; (1) reporting scientific information on ecosystem services, future land use options, and nature‐based solutions for farms (2) interactively providing guidance in response to homeowner questions about biodiversity‐friendly garden design and (3) visualising potential future scenarios of landscape change that incorporate diverse nature based and technological solutions. These examples demonstrate potential applications which may be relevant to other systems and types of nature‐based solutions.
While GenAI for nature‐based solutions offers significant opportunities, this new technology brings risks of bias, false information, data privacy, mistrust, and high energy usage. Alongside technological development, we require integrated social research into ethics, public acceptability, and user experience, to maximise the benefits of GenAI while limiting these risks.
GenAI offers an opportunity to accelerate the dissemination of nature‐based design strategies and reach a broader audience, by synthesising information and producing tailored content for specific users and locations. By harnessing the power of GenAI alongside human expertise, we can support nature‐based solutions to tackle the complex challenges of future sustainability.
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
... In fact, there has been some research into barriers and enabling factors for NBS implementation (including planning, design, financing, and upkeep) generally at the local and national level (Deely et al., 2020;Nelson et al., 2020;Ramírez-Agudelo et al., 2020;Sarabi et al., 2019Sarabi et al., , 2020. Yet, there is little research into the workings of supra-national policy frameworks (Sarabi et al., 2019), despite them having a paramount importance for the regulatory and ideational margins of operation for lower governance levels (Seddon et al., 2021;van der Jagt et al., 2023). ...
... We define 'barriers' as factors that hamper any stage of the implementation cycle of NBS, such as their design, planning, financing or upkeep of NBS (for more details on the NBS implementation cycle see Raymond, 2017), and 'enabling factors' as those that facilitate the aforementioned processes. Synthesising the insights of seminal publications on the matter (Deely et al., 2020;Gómez Martín et al., 2020;Nelson et al., 2020;Ramírez-Agudelo et al., 2020;Randrup et al., 2020;Sarabi et al., 2019Sarabi et al., , 2020 Also, not all barriers and enabling factors matter to the same degree in all contexts (Gómez Martín et al., 2020) and they are more interlinked than a list suggests (Sarabi et al., 2020). For example, financing can link to legal statutory designations or stakeholder awareness can depend on the state of knowledge. ...
... For example, short planning horizons can lead to unfavourable evaluations of NBS, which often need comparatively more time to develop their full benefits (Deely et al., 2020;Sarabi et al., 2020). Also, many agencies plan at small spatial scales, which can lead to disregarding 1) interactions of NBS with other infrastructure, 2) spatially distant benefits from and threats to NBS, or 3) NBS altogether, as they often cannot be 'squeezed into' the landscape a posteriori (Deely et al., 2020;Nelson et al., 2020;Ramírez-Agudelo et al., 2020;Sarabi et al., 2019Sarabi et al., , 2020. This is compounded by inadequate monitoring standards for NBS (Deely et al., 2020;Nelson et al., 2020;Sarabi et al., 2020) and a lack of data, possibly resulting in a vicious circle with a low confidence in NBS (Nelson et al., 2020;Ramírez-Agudelo et al., 2020;Sarabi et al., 2019). ...
... Many rely on case-studies (e.g. [2,16,19]), and so do not provide a comprehensive overview of the breadth of NbS for different ecosystems. The systematic reviews (e.g. ...
... The systematic reviews (e.g. [18][19][20][21][22]) are often limited by their choice of key-words -using the term 'Nature-based Solution' or some variation, and therefore missing out on studies that may qualify as NbS but that did not self-identify in this way. Finally, the majority of studies focus on urban environments, coastal environments, wetlands, or forests (e.g. ...
... One of the major issues is the emerging water challenges viz. water pollution (Liquete et al., 2016), water body depletion (Nelson et al., 2020), water scarcity (Boano et al., 2020), floods (Singh et al., 2020), etc. The use of natural processes for the preservation or restoration of natural ecosystems, the improvement of natural processes in altered or artificial ecosystems, or the invention of natural processes themselves are all examples of NbS for water (Albert et al., 2021). ...
... There are very few thorough and objective evaluations on the present NBS experience ( Nelson et al., 2020;Davies & Lafortezza, 2019). Evidence gaps include those related to the hydrological performance of present NbS experiences, site-specific information of field deployment of NbS, periods during which advantages are visible and experienced, and cost-benefit evaluations in comparison to or in conjunction with other alternatives: a. Comparing NbS with traditional water treatment technologies, which have a well-established data base of performance, is difficult because there is a lack of historical evidence that clearly shows the good effects of NbS (Cooper, 2021). ...
The basic design and philosophy of an Urban River Management Plan (URMP) ensures that it is simple, measurable, synergistic, sustainable, generic, and replicable. The environmental attributes of the URMP are keeping the river pollution free, ensuring effective regulation of activities in floodplains, rejuvenating water bodies and wetlands, enhancing riparian buffer of the river, adopting increased reuse of treated wastewater, and ensuring maximum good quality return flow from city in the river. Nature-based solutions (NbS) are an important intervention category to be applied, monitored, and evaluated for river management. This research highlights the possibility of including nature-based solutions in URMP and existing issues in implementing these solutions as a part of the management plan. The study also identifies the role played by NbS in trophic status and water quality assessment of urban rivers. Based on the review and analysis of the aspects, this study adopts a system thinking approach to provide evidence-based suggestions to re-include NbS in European URMP. From the review, absolute study characteristics have been identified and a defined quantitative quality assessment has been done to assess the existing critical gaps. This research ascertains that inclusion of NbS in URMP requires a critical, evaluative, and analytical approach with a great emphasis on the ecosystem services and its relevance to these solutions in maintaining the trophic status and water quality in rivers and downstream waterbodies such as transitional and coastal waters.
... Similar to most approaches, implementing NbS also comes with accompanying challenges. A study by Nelson et al. [12] examined the emergent challenges that hinder the potential of NbS, which include (1) the socio-political context, which comprises factors such as participation and equity, governance, and valuation-all influencing the behaviors, decisions, and actions being made; (2) the infrastructures within landscapes domain, affecting infrastructure integration or material changes and consequently the adaptation decisions and scenarios; and (3) the sociohydrological risk and benefits, which largely alter the scale and feedbacks within the system. GIZ [13] also examined the common challenges faced in implementing NbS, whether completely green or hybrid. ...
... This knowledge gap may also consequently affect the NbS initiatives once implemented. This supports previous claims that NbS confronts challenges including limited awareness, knowledge of its applications and effectiveness, insufficient understanding of costs and benefits, diverse stakeholder values and perceptions, and limited policy and economic instruments [12]. According to Grace et al. [28], the top-ranked knowledge needs for NbS implementation include i) a more precise definition of NbS, ii) specific NbS initiatives that are adapted to a certain location, iii) increase the adoption and use of NbS in urban plans, iv) integration of NbS in built environment to accommodate green infrastructure and v) cost-benefit analysis of urban green spaces. ...
Nature-based solutions (NbS) are strategies that utilize nature to address various environmental and societal challenges while simultaneously benefiting human-ecological systems. They are cost-effective and scalable approaches that have the potential to address climate change, support biodiversity, and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite these benefits, several factors challenge their widespread implementation, particularly in developing countries. This study aims to determine the essential elements needed to implement the NbS initiatives successfully in rural communities. Taking the case of Victoria, Laguna, this research conducted Key Informant Interviews with local stakeholders and policymakers and applied thematic and multicriteria analyses to evaluate their readiness, factors to be considered, and strategies for the successful implementation of NbS initiatives in the municipality. Results revealed that the locals have limited knowledge of NbS and utilizing NbS initiatives stood as a secondary priority, compared to more preferred gray infrastructure/hard engineering projects. The financing, enforcement, and knowledge components determined the readiness of Victoria for its NbS initiatives. In terms of the factors for the successful implementation of NbS initiatives, the most prevalent themes were the criteria for an inclusive, transparent, and empowering governance process, net gain to biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, and design informed by scale. Furthermore, the NbS initiatives in Victoria were observed to adhere to the IUCN Global Standard, with biodiversity net gain and economic feasibility as their strongest areas. In terms of strategies, local stakeholders placed substantial importance on its sustainability and mainstreaming in appropriate contexts, as well as on evidence-based adaptive management. Findings provided recommendations focusing on creating an NbS assessment mechanism, strengthening the existing NbS governance structure, information and education campaigns, and formulating proposals that utilize NbS to address other issues faced in the municipality, such as flooding and climate change.
... Lehtovaara et al. emphasizes "technological solutions exist for solving many of the problems and sustainable solutions can most certainly be invented for the rest." 4 NbS are an emerging global approach that uses natural features and processes to address societal challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, and water management, and has increasingly been used to tackle both climate mitigation and adaptation in recent years. 5,6 NbS can also be interpreted as a convergence of discussions on resilience, sustainability, healing, and other related notions. Resilience is described as the capacity to create a virtuous cycle, encompassing anticipation of risks, absorption of shocks, and transformation into a sustainable state. ...
... However, when compared to traditional approaches, the implementation of NbS as climate technology is often not considered as a first choice by relevant stakeholders for climate mitigation and adaptation. 5,24 There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the transition from the concept of NbS to its actual operationalization is still hindered by the significant lack of NbS data and evidence-based knowledge to inform policy and decision-makers. ...
Recently, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have increasingly been regarded as a new opportunity to maximize the synergies between nature, society, and the economy. In addition, especially for policymakers and practitioners engaged in climate technology transfer activities from developed to developing countries, this concept is promoted as a cost-effective, agile, and innovative way of tackling various climate challenges to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). Thus, in the present work, to enhance NbS as an innovative implement during the climate technology transfer, we first analyze previous NbS cases during the technical assistance activities for some SDGs accomplished by the United Nations Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), such as coastal risk protection (to maximize ecosystems, Type 1), agroforestry (to restore ecosystems, Type 2) and green urban design (to create ecosystems, Type 3). Then, through in-depth interviews with NbS stakeholders, we identify dominant barriers to implementing each NbS Type in terms of innovation element: technology, market, and regulation. Finally, based on our staged innovation model considering the two-sided networks, we propose novel strategy for enhancing NbS by overcoming each barrier during the three stages of the climate technology transfer process: NbS technology assessment in the first eco-maximizing stage, blended finances for market creation in the second eco-restoring stage, and regulation incentivization in the third eco-creating stage.
... NBS are multifunctional solutions that mimic complex systems and processes of nature (European Commission, 2015;Nelson et al., 2020). Therefore, NBS implementation is challenging for green urban planners, with different barriers limiting the broader and successful adoption. ...
... According to Frantzeskaki et al. (2020), three gaps are differentiated for implementing NBS in cities: skills gaps, governance gaps, and knowledge gaps. Nelson et al. (2020) also state many barriers, including knowledge gaps of effectiveness, lack of awareness, low costs and benefits expertise, poor stakeholder engagement and inequity, lack of policy and economic instruments, and insufficient financing. ...
... In the context of this vision, we frame activities like monitoring, maintaining, and restoring ecosystems and the biodiversity that sustains them as a form of asset management (61,62). These assets should be managed as systems of conventional and natural infrastructure features that work in concert, rather than in isolation, requiring coordination at the landscape scale (63). This thinking leads to the third key aspect of our vision, which centers around harnessing ecosystem services to enhance infrastructure functions and their resilient delivery under global change. ...
... Social sciences research, particularly identifying barriers to implementation and catalysts of societal change at disciplinary, political, and cultural levels will be particularly important. Also essential will be research on translating scientific knowledge into meaningful actions and identifying barriers and sources of inertia that constrain the development and implementation of nature-positive infrastructure at the project scale (63). Frameworks applying the practices of knowledge coproduction (118) to NbS would also be of great value in ensuring that development and management decisions are equitable and socially sustainable across locales of different historical, cultural, political, and ecological contexts. ...
Civil infrastructure will be essential to face the interlinked existential threats of climate change and rising resource demands while ensuring a livable Anthropocene for all. However, conventional infrastructure planning largely neglects the contributions and maintenance of Earth’s ecological life support systems, which provide irreplaceable services supporting human well-being. The stability and performance of these services depend on biodiversity, but conventional infrastructure practices, narrowly focused on controlling natural capital, have inadvertently degraded biodiversity while perpetuating social inequities. Here, we envision a new infrastructure paradigm wherein biodiversity and ecosystem services are a central objective of civil engineering. In particular, we reimagine infrastructure practice such that 1) ecosystem integrity and species conservation are explicit objectives from the outset of project planning; 2) infrastructure practices integrate biodiversity into diverse project portfolios along a spectrum from conventional to nature-based solutions and natural habitats; 3) ecosystem functions reinforce and enhance the performance and lifespan of infrastructure assets; and 4) civil engineering promotes environmental justice by counteracting legacies of social inequity in infrastructure development and nature conservation. This vision calls for a fundamental rethinking of the standards, practices, and mission of infrastructure development agencies and a broadening of scope for conservation science. We critically examine the legal and professional precedents for this paradigm shift, as well as the moral and economic imperatives for manifesting equitable infrastructure planning that mainstreams biodiversity and nature’s benefits to people. Finally, we set an applied research agenda for supporting this vision and highlight financial, professional, and policy pathways for achieving it.
... Green deal NbS gradually change their practices to maintain the ability to shift from one method to another one, despite the limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of this option [4,118,119]. Multi-scale co-production NbS aim to build a robust social network through new governance models to foster collective support, thereby increasing resilience to future conditions [37, 83,120,121]. ...
... However, transformative practices remain limited in NbS implementation [12,14], and most of the local stakeholders we interviewed preferred incremental actions [98,147]. This reluctance can be attributed to the complexity of aspects to consider in transformative NbS, such as climate change impacts, ecosystem functioning, NCP co-benefits, long-term economic and social benefits, along with associated trade-offs [112,121,148]. ...
Transformative adaptation is essential to face the unprecedented biodiversity and climate change crises and the resulting loss in Nature’s Contribution to People (NCP). Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can accelerate this transformation of social-ecological systems. Understanding the drivers of the decision-making context that support NbS implementation is crucial to address potential bottlenecks and barriers for such a transformative adaptation. Here, semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers of twenty NbS implemented in the Alps. Their decision-making contexts were investigated using the values-rules-knowledge framework and their transformative characteristics. A clustering analysis revealed three types of NbS characterized by specific groups of levers and barriers. Firstly, Local transformation NbS are self-sufficient initiatives motivated by relational values to nature. They are supported by informal governance and share experiential knowledge to support the adaptive capacity of nature. Secondly, Green deal NbS employ a gradual change in practices and are supported by funding opportunities or regulations to experiment with new approaches fostering instrumental values of nature. Thirdly, Multi-scale co-production NbS benefit larger areas and communities. Their social acceptance rest on extensive participatory processes involving local practitioners and diverse values of nature. This last group is designed to persist even when challenged by the instability of funding opportunities. These findings suggest that in order to accelerate the implementation of transformative NbS, future policies need to: i) foster NbS implementation by local communities facing economic constraints when implementing new NbS-related practices; ii) support transdisciplinary programmes to create an inclusive network around NbS practices; and iii) adapt incentives to enable transformative adaptation through NbS. A macro-regional strategy may have the potential to address these challenges.
... To date, NBS research has primarily focused on technical aspects, such as their effectiveness for adapting to environmental change (e.g., Calliari et al., 2019;Chausson et al., 2020;Seddon et al., 2020), enablers and challenges to implementation (e.g., Ershad Sarabi et al., 2019;Nelson et al., 2020), core principles linked to upscaling (e.g., Frantzeskaki et al., 2019;Cohen-Shacham et al., 2019) and potential for disaster risk reduction (Tyllianakis et al., 2022). The literature recognises that mainstreaming NBS will require a re-thinking of human-natural relations and multi-stakeholder collaboration (Nelson et al., 2020;Frantzeskaki et al., 2019) . ...
... To date, NBS research has primarily focused on technical aspects, such as their effectiveness for adapting to environmental change (e.g., Calliari et al., 2019;Chausson et al., 2020;Seddon et al., 2020), enablers and challenges to implementation (e.g., Ershad Sarabi et al., 2019;Nelson et al., 2020), core principles linked to upscaling (e.g., Frantzeskaki et al., 2019;Cohen-Shacham et al., 2019) and potential for disaster risk reduction (Tyllianakis et al., 2022). The literature recognises that mainstreaming NBS will require a re-thinking of human-natural relations and multi-stakeholder collaboration (Nelson et al., 2020;Frantzeskaki et al., 2019) . For example, Moreau et al. (2022) conclude that social learning is required between risk managers and NBS practitioners to support an adaptive management approach where NBS are implemented at scale. ...
... Albert et al. (2019) defined NBS as actions that (i) alleviate a well-defined social challenge, (ii) utilise ecosystem processes, and (iii) are embedded within viable governance or business models. Arguably, they are more sustainable than traditional grey infrastructure (Nelson et al. 2020). Dorst et al. (2019) found several similarities between NBS, Ecosystem-based Adaption (EbA), and Green Infrastructure; however, the three varied on what qualified as 'nature'. ...
... Dorst et al. (2019) found several similarities between NBS, Ecosystem-based Adaption (EbA), and Green Infrastructure; however, the three varied on what qualified as 'nature'. Nevertheless, as Nelson et al. (2020) stated the term 'solutions' should not be oversold, and that in fact though NBS provides a solution, this 'solution' is ultimately a long-term process that requires dedicated efforts from all those involved. ...
Despite the growth in research and applications of nature-based solutions (NBS) within the literature, there are limited applications in South East Asia, moreover studies which quantitatively assess the impacts of NBS could have on hazard reduction are scarce. This paper addresses this gap by developing and validating MCDA-GIS analysis to map how potential nature strategies could mitigate flood hazard if applied within the Mun River Basin, Thailand. Through a literature review, the top three solutions for flood and drought hazards were found: wetlands, re/afforestation, and changing crop types. These strategies were reviewed and validated with a MCDA-GIS methodology, through land use change (LUC) maps to depict different future scenarios. The results found that flood hazard did decrease when NBS were implemented in the catchment, especially for A/Reforestation, and to a greater extent when a combination of NBS were applied. This article provides specific insights into the current gaps of NBS publications, specifically considering the case of the Mun River Basin, Thailand.
HIGHLIGHTS
Applying nature-based solutions (NBS) to South East Asia Thailand.;
Using a MCDA-GIS and land use change modelling to assess the impact of NBS.;
Wetlands, re/afforestation, and changing crop types provide optimum solutions in mitigating flood hazard.;
... Aquatic nature-based solutions (aquaNBS) in particular are applied to increase water security and reduce other water-related risks, making them a key tool for urban climate mitigation and adaptation (Pinho et al., 2023). As the need for urban climate resilience continues to rise, so do concerns about the effectiveness and sustainability of NBS approaches to tackle challenges at a low cost, while delivering benefits for nature and 50 society (Nelson et al., 2020;van Rees et al., 2023;dos Reis Oliveira et al., 2020;Seddon et al., 2020). The lack of conclusive evidence and understanding of the role of NBS in improving climate resilience and local biodiversity, and their interaction with biological and hydrological conditions within water bodies, hampers a sustainable implementation of NBS that seek to maximize the synergies while limiting trade-offs between multiple ecosystem services (Pauleit et al., 2017;Raymond et al., 2017). ...
Rapid urbanization and climate change affects ecohydrology, biodiversity and water quality in urban freshwaters. Aquatic nature-based solutions (aquaNBS) are being widely implemented to address some of the ecological and hydrological challenges that threaten urban biodiversity and water security. However, there is still a lack of process-based evidence of ecohydrological interactions in urban aquaNBS, and their relationship to water quality and quantity issues at the ecosystem 20 level. Through a novel, integrative multi-tracer approach using stable water isotopes, hydrochemistry and environmental DNA we sought to disentangle the effects of urbanization and hydroclimate on ecohydrological dynamics in urban aquaNBS and understand ecohydrological functioning and future resilience of urban freshwaters. Stable isotopes and microbial data reflected a strong influence of urban water sources (i.e. treated effluent, urban surface runoff) across stream NBS. The results show potential limitations of aquaNBS impacts on water quality and biodiversity in effluent-impacted streams, as microbial 25 signatures are biased towards potentially pathogenic bacteria. Urban ponds appear more sensitive to hydroclimate perturbations, resulting in increased microbial turnover and lower microbial diversity than expected. Furthermore, assessment of macrophytes revealed low diversity and richness of aquatic plants in both urban streams and ponds, challenging the effectiveness of NBS in contributing to aquatic diversity. This also demonstrates the need to adequately consider aquatic organisms in planned restoration projects, particularly those implemented in urban ecosystems in terms of habitat requirements. 30 Our findings emphasize the utility of integrating tracer approaches to explore the interface between ecology and hydrology, and provide insights into the ecohydrologic functioning of aquaNBS and their potential limitations. We illustrate the benefit of coupling ecological and hydrological perspectives to support future NBS design and applications, that consider the interactions between water and the ecosystem more effectively.
... Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5012721 These conditions underscore the need for NBS that can adapt to and mitigate the harsh environmental constraints inherent to the region, thereby promoting sustainability and resilience [12][13] . This research will explore how the integration of NBS within GCC architecture can leverage geographical and geological characteristics to enhance building performance and environmental sustainability. ...
The Gulf Region, characterized by its arid climate, rapid urbanization, and unique socioeconomic dynamics, presents significant hurdles to attaining sustainable development. This paper rigorously assesses how nature-based solutions enhance resilience, sustainability, and health & safety in the architecture of the Gulf Cooperation Council region. It evaluates how NBS strengthens resilience, improves sustainability, and ensure the H&S of workers and occupants in the region's harsh climate, based on practitioner insights. The study also examines the success of implementing these solutions in actual GCC architectural projects. The adoption of nature-based solutions in design is a viable method to solve the Gulf Region's distinct environmental and building concerns. By enhancing resilience, sustainability, and health & safety, these solutions can contribute to the creation of more livable and sustainable urban spaces. This analysis from the Gulf Region demonstrates how nature-based solutions may revolutionize design practices and encourage sustainable development in dry regions. Future research and practical applications of nature-based solutions in the region will be critical to improving this diverse discipline and attaining long-term sustainability objectives. The Gulf Region may serve as a paradigm for incorporating nature-based solutions into architecture [1] , demonstrating their efficacy in improving resilience, sustainability, health and safety.
... Importantly, understanding trait-cultural ES linkages is particularly relevant for generating political will for NbS, which is crucial for successful initiation and implementation of NbS (Nelson et al., 2020). Projects that more accurately consider stakeholder valuation of traits may be more likely to garner funding for maintenance and up-scaling. ...
Nature‐based solutions (NbS) involve interventions that modify ecosystems to enhance multiple ecosystem services (ES). Yet, despite our increasing knowledge of the key role that functional traits play in determining ES, certain types of NbS often do not consider a functional trait perspective.
A reason for this lack of translation may be the range of NbS approaches and levels of knowledge of trait–ES relationships. Functional traits may be most useful as targets for NbS design when knowledge on trait–ES mapping is established and the NbS involves a medium or high level of management intervention.
A richer understanding of causality in trait–ES and trait–resilience linkages, and context dependency in those linkages, is needed to broaden the application of functional traits in NbS. An improved understanding of trait linkages with cultural ES and how traits interact with stakeholder values to shape NbS uptake would also improve application.
Synthesis: A greater consideration of functional traits will increase the efficacy of NbS projects, and could be accelerated by tackling gaps in knowledge about functional traits. Here, we envision a research agenda that both advances NbS design and leverages the varied objectives of NbS to robustly test our knowledge about functional traits.
... A study by Nelson et al (2020) argues that the key challenges relating to the implementation of NbS-ET approaches include lack of clear understanding, limited stakeholder involvement, unclear relations amongst actors, incomplete frameworks, lack of importance of sociocultural co-benefits, lacking long-term objectives, lacking political will, and complex knowledge gaps. The TCL can help address some of these challenges through their LL infrastructure, and thus ensure greater success of NbS-ET initiatives. ...
This report provides an evidence base on how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Empowerment Tools (ET) can support resilience in coastal communities. Using a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA), this report synthesises the current state of the evidence concerning the role of NbS and community ET in addressing coastal challenges such as climate change across Europe. The outcomes and impacts of such approaches, and catalysts in fostering empowerment and resilience within these communities are presented, including methods and indicators to report and measure empowerment. This report is targeted for policy- and decision-makers, researchers and practitioners, exploring the nexus between coastal resilience, NbS and empowerment.
Concrete examples and a classification of Empowerment Tools are proposed to foster engagement and ownership among coastal communities - a relevant source for planning future NbS projects and coastal Living Labs in Europe and across the world.
... Healthy lifestyles can be impacted by the built environment in two ways: directly, through immediate effects such as the quality of the indoor and outdoor environment, and indirectly, by altering behaviours that can influence health, for example, by promoting walking to increase physical activity [58,59]. Direct impact of built environment on health is considered in terms of health promoting buildings [60,61], salutogenic design [62,63], biophilic design [64][65][66], evidence-based design [14,[67][68][69], and nature-based solutions [70,71]. Indirect impact on behaviours is considered in terms of active design [72][73][74][75][76], age-friendly environment and healthy ageing [77,78], and design for behaviour change [79][80][81]. ...
By 2050, an estimated 69% of the global population will reside in urban areas, underscoring the pivotal role of city neighbourhoods in enhancing quality of life by respecting and accommodating diverse identities and needs. The physical environment of neighbourhoods significantly influences community health and well-being, alongside social factors and access to health services. In Italy, prioritising health-promoting and accessible designs in neighbourhoods can form a solid foundation for urban health strategies. This study introduces a theoretical framework developed for the Healthy Neighbourhoods Hub (HNH) project in Florence, Italy, aiming to enhance health and accessibility across different scales. The HNH framework categorises healthy and inclusive neighbourhoods into 7 themes, 25 general characteristics, and 67 specific attributes, supported by verifiable variables derived from comprehensive research and design tools. This innovative framework addresses the need for multilevel, multidisciplinary approaches, and spatialization efforts to ensure equitable benefits for all community members.
... [5] At the same time, there is a substantial body of evidence, scienti ic literature and practitioner experience that there are challenges when it comes to implementing NBS. These include issues such as participation and equity, economic valuation, scale and time effects, integration with existing infrastructure plus governance and policy issues (Nelson, Bledsoe, Ferreira, & Nibbelink, 2020). ...
... Natural-based techniques are proven to reduce flood risk and absorb the challenges of drainage system design and urban environmental issues. The effectiveness of naturalbased techniques is affected by public awareness, design standards, and system placement (Nelson et al., 2020). The design and implementation of local-specific techniques require additional consideration of local-specific environmental and socio-economic issues. ...
Hawassa is a rapidly developing city in Lake Hawassa watershed of Ethiopia. Analyzing the effect of land cover dynamics on surface runoff remains imperative to adaptive urban stormwater management. This study quantified spatial variation of land cover and sensitivity of stormwater management response. Historical 30 years of daily annual rainfall, three satellite imageries, DEM, and hydrological soil group data were analyzed. A statistical‐based combined approach of geospatial techniques and Soil Conservation Service‐Curve Number (SCS‐CN) model was employed. CN and surface runoff depth for the delineated urban watersheds were determined. The result revealed that the built‐up area increased by 30.9 km², where the rate varies spatially. The variation of impervious land cover explains 58.6% of change in CN with coefficient of 0.352. While CN is inversely correlated with agricultural and vegetation land cover variations. The finding suggests CN explains 96.78% of the change in surface runoff with a significant correlation coefficient of 3.91. The proposed integrated model approach justifies the potential to reorganize the relationship between the spatial effect of land cover variation on surface runoff at the urban watersheds. Thus, suitable local‐specific solutions can be devised for effective management of flood risk and optimize the drainage system of urban areas.
... It is important to emphasise that many of the identified challenges for NBS implementation are not unique to the context of Amman. In a literature review of the fundamental barriers to realising the potential of NBS, Nelson et al. (2020) include such issues as the lack of political will and sufficient commitment to NBS implementation, knowledge gaps concerning NBS effectiveness, implementation and design, the disconnection between short-term actions and long-term goals and path dependence. Similarly, Dorst et al. (2022) identify urban NBS barriers based on a comparative study of multiple countries, showing that these tend to fall in issues related to urban planning, policy development and governance, competition for space, knowledge and awareness, citizen engagement and lack of resources. ...
Abstract
Carbon emission reduction (CER) in the construction industry can aid in achieving the international community’s carbon neutrality target. However, the low motivation of construction enterprises to reduce carbon emissions and the unsatisfactory effect of CER are still unresolved issues. This study aims to address these issues by constructing a building supply chain (BSC) consisting of a developer and a contractor using government subsidies and cost-sharing contracts. The optimal government subsidy and feedback equilibrium strategies of the BSC are examined using a combination of differential game theory and numerical simulations. The findings demonstrate that (1) cost-sharing contracts may enhance developer and contractor profits and building CER, goodwill, and demand without relying on government subsidies; (2) when subsidized by the government, each equilibrium strategy meets or exceeds the performance of the centralized model, with the cost-sharing contract having a negligible effect on the enhancement of each equilibrium strategy; and (3) both the game structure and the positioning of construction enterprises in the BSC are connected to the number of government subsidies. The city of Shenzhen, one of China’s first low-carbon pilot cities, provides a realistic environment for the simulation analysis, with the Block K residential building in Nanshan District serving as a case study. Furthermore, this work contributes to the body of knowledge by proposing a novel CER model for the BSC using differential game theory. The research provides new insights into the role of government subsidies in shaping profit distribution, game structure, and enterprise positioning. Findings demonstrate the value of cost-sharing contracts in improving CER, goodwill, demand, and profits when implemented collaboratively. This advances the theoretical understanding of incentives and strategies for promoting CER in construction.
Practical Applications
This research highlights the importance of collaborative efforts between the government and the building supply chain (BSC) to promote sustainable construction and carbon emission reduction (CER). The study found that government subsidies can be an effective tool to encourage developers and contractors to adopt CER practices. However, relying solely on subsidies is insufficient—collaboration through mechanisms such as cost-sharing contracts can further enhance sustainability outcomes when enterprises work together. To facilitate low-carbon construction, the government could provide subsidies for developers’ promotional and marketing activities as well as funding for contractors’ research and development of sustainable materials and technologies. Financial incentives such as tax breaks and preferential lending for potential homebuyers can also accelerate consumer demand. Ultimately, creating a supportive environment where enterprises proactively pursue CER creates a win–win situation where the BSC becomes more sustainable while firms improve their branding and profitability. The insights from this research highlight the need for a multipronged approach. Governments play a key role through policy and financial support. Realizing the full potential of sustainable construction also requires active participation from developers, contractors, and consumers. By outlining optimal strategies and incentives, this study provides valuable guidance to construction industry stakeholders seeking to implement CER collaboratively.
... Nature-based solutions (NbSs) have emerged as a sustainable approach to mitigate coastal risks [13]. These solutions, also called green infrastructure, include the restoration of Atmosphere 2024, 15, 372 3 of 18 mangroves, wetlands, and oyster reefs, and provide the dual benefits of enhancing coastal resilience and offering ecological and societal benefits [14]. ...
Urban communities in environmentally sensitive areas face escalating challenges due to climate change and inadequate infrastructural support, particularly in underserved regions like southside Norfolk, Virginia. This area, characterized by its vulnerability to flooding and a predominantly low-income population, lacks equitable inclusion in broader urban flood protection plans. This research focuses on the development of community-centered resilience strategies through active engagement and collaboration with local residents. The methodology centered around building trust and understanding within the community through a series of interactions and events. This approach facilitated a two-way exchange of information, enabling the research team to gather crucial insights on community-valued assets, prevalent flooding issues, and preferred flood mitigation solutions. The engagement revealed a significant increase in community knowledge regarding climate change, sea level rise, and stormwater management. Residents expressed a strong preference for green infrastructure solutions, including rain gardens, permeable pavements, and living shorelines, alongside concerns about pollution and the need for infrastructure redesign. The outcomes of this community engagement have initiated plans to develop tailored, nature-based flooding solutions. These results are set to inform future urban planning and policy, offering insights to the City of Norfolk and the United States Army Corps of Engineers for potential redesigns of flood intervention strategies that are more inclusive and effective. A template for participatory research to inform coastal hazard management includes cross-sector collaboration, a long-term engagement commitment, and education and surveying opportunities to align solutions to lived, local experiences. This template allows for community trust building, which is especially important in environmental justice communities. The study highlights the importance of community involvement in urban resilience planning, demonstrating that local engagement is essential in shaping community-centric solutions and equitable environmental policies.
... Green spaces within cities are not uniform either and neglecting reflections on their quality-not quantity-can negatively impact communities (Gałecka-Drozda et al., 2021;Heynen et al., 2006;Vieira et al., 2018;Wolch et al., 2014). This requires iterative processes within ongoing planning, implementation, and maintenance of just NbS for climate resilient urban development (Dilling & Lemos, 2011;Nelson et al., 2020). ...
Just nature-based solutions link to visions of abolition ecology to address root causes of inequality. • Epistemic violence is a cause of inequality in urban development and planning that just NbS seek to resolve. • A 3P framework-Problems, Process, and Progress-offers a method to support and study just nature-based solutions. A R T I C L E I N F O Keywords: Climate resilient development Nature-based solutions Climate justice Urban resilience Co-production Transformation A B S T R A C T Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer pathways towards climate resilient development. For cities, these pathways translate to a host of benefits to address the climate crisis, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity protection and enhancement, and human well-being. In urban spaces, NbS are also about the design and redesign of the urban built and natural environment. This presents a need to create the institutions and governance mechanisms that allow for the co-production and co-design of NbS alongside local communities in ways that serve to address justice and legacies of inequality. In this perspective, I examine three areas of focus to deliver just nature-based solutions: problem, process, and progress. Problem focuses on the types of relationships nature-based solutions seek to transform-the race and class-based inequalities embedded in urban form. Process addresses how nature-based solutions can deliver justice through design and co-production. Finally, progress is about developing indicators and measuring progress towards achieving just nature-based solutions and how they reflect diverse and pluralistic value systems. Collectively these should move just NbS towards the repair of social and ecological exploitation in and beyond the city.
... Thus, nature-based solutions have both benefits and associated costs [10] . However, nature-based solutions have proved to be a more sustainable approach against natural hazards than the establishment of built infrastructure (or hard-engineering approach), since they promote preparedness capacity and emergency resilience. ...
Despite prevailing interests, no rigorous research has been conducted to examine the role of nature in natural-hazard preparedness. This systematic review aimed to describe how nature can reduce the impacts of natural hazards during the preparedness stage. The study focuses on the land, water, and air systems and on three types of stakeholders: international organizations, developed countries, and developing countries. Further, it provides supplementary strategies, such as immediate actions, local engagement, and research and development, that the stakeholders should apply to enhance their nature-based natural-hazard preparedness. We suggest integrating costs and benefits analysis, local culture, societal challenges, and environmental justice into the implementation of nature-based solutions. Finally, this review outlines the framework of nature-based natural-hazard preparedness by discussing the relationship between nature and society.
... It is important to emphasise that many of the identified challenges for NBS implementation are not unique to the context of Amman. In a literature review of the fundamental barriers to realising the potential of NBS, Nelson et al. (2020) include such issues as the lack of political will and sufficient commitment to NBS implementation, knowledge gaps concerning NBS effectiveness, implementation and design, the disconnection between short-term actions and long-term goals and path dependence. Similarly, Dorst et al. (2022) identify urban NBS barriers based on a comparative study of multiple countries, showing that these tend to fall in issues related to urban planning, policy development and governance, competition for space, knowledge and awareness, citizen engagement and lack of resources. ...
... In contrast, there is much less consideration of the application of NBS to rock coasts and none at all to the rapidly changing environments of deltas or arctic coasts. The major advantages of NBS along coastlines are that (1) it is cheaper, more cost-effective and less risky a management strategy and with lower uncertainty; (2) it is easier to implement and requires less technology; (3) it results in more positive and fewer negative outcomes, including for ecosystems; and (4) it can involve local stakeholders and communities more easily in decision making, management and monitoring [77][78][79][80]. Most previous deployment of NBS along coasts has taken place in the USA and with an emphasis on the monitoring strategies used to evaluate coastline dynamics before, during and after any NBS intervention [81]. ...
Natural coastal landforms such as sand dunes and sandy beaches have been proposed as green infrastructure that can reduce climate change risks along coastlines. As such, they can offer a nature-based solution to rising sea levels, increased storminess and wave erosion associated with climate change. However, these proposed advantages are not always based on a sound understanding of coastal sediment system dynamics or tested against field evidence of coastal morphodynamic behavior. This study critically examines the basis of the claim for coastal landforms as green infrastructure, by considering how and in what ways these landforms provide resilience against ongoing climate change along sandy coasts, and proposes a theoretical framework for understanding this relationship. The analysis highlights that natural coastal landforms do not always have properties that provide resilience against future climate change. They can only be considered as offering nature-based solutions against climate change when their pre-existing morphodynamic behavior is fully understood. Thus, not all coastal landforms can be considered as ‘green infrastructure’ and the resilience offered by them against climate change forcing may vary from one place or context to another. This should be considered when using landforms such as sandy beaches and sand dunes as nature-based solutions for coastal management purposes. A 10-step framework is proposed, guiding coastal managers on how such green infrastructure can be used to mitigate climate change risks along coasts.
... The problems of NBS interaction and effectiveness on landscape scale is one of the major knowledge gaps in the NBS studies (NetworkNature report 2022). It presents a challenge for research and innovation into NBS to understanding how multiple often individually small NBS can combine to deliver jointly significant strategies on landscape scale (EC 2020;Nelson et al. 2020). To answer this question it is vital to define how landscape values (quality) affect the effectiveness of NBS actions and the types and magnitude of economic, social and environmental benefits and costs provided by NBS implementation. ...
As the effects of Nature-based solutions (NBS) application are usually much broader than only the area under the project implementation, it is necessary to capture the impact on these actions of landscape as well as the influence of landscape type on the NBS effectiveness. The main aim of this study was to detect linkages between the operational of NBS and the landscape dimention, based on a systematic literature review. The results showed the existence of seven linkages: (1, 2) ‘input’ and ‘output’ resulting from the consideration of landscape as a scale of NBS implementation; (3, 4) ‘stimulator’ and ‘inspiration’ based on the contribution of landscape-based management to the implementation of NBS; (5) ‘co-beneficiary’ since the implementation of NBS affects aesthetic dimensions of landscape; (6) ‘tool’ as landscape-based indicators are used to assess the impacts of NBS; and (7) ‘foundation’ as health-supporting landscapes may be considered as a type of NBS action.
... Initially, I employed CiteSpace for visual analytics of critical terms and major participating countries in nature-based solutions research. While domestic scholars have previously delineated NBS trends [15], related concepts, implementation instances and proposed developmental recommendations for NBS [16,17], there remains a lacuna in systematic analyses of the current NBS. Consequently, further in-depth categorization and studies were conducted to discern the conceptual essence, practical applications and current status of NBS. ...
Climate change and the rapid development of cities have brought considerable challenges to the sustainable development of urban and rural areas, and using nature-based solutions to strengthen ecosystems' resilience and response capacity has become a consensus strategy. Natural solutions are the collective name for all solutions that increase the city's resilience while benefiting the environment and humanity. To deepen the theoretical research and practical development of NBS, I reviewed 87 papers on NBS through the Web of Science database. The study found that NBS-related research mostly focuses on five aspects: Concept of ideas, applied technology, implementation guidelines, performance evaluation and platform building. Currently, the emphasis is predominantly on ideas and platform development in developed countries. While the other three domains were also explored, they primarily adhere to conventional methodologies and content within the NBS context. While NBS research covered many areas and boasts an integrative, collaborative approach, it remained fragmented and lacked a cohesive system. On this basis, I proposed a systematic framework to strengthen the systematicity of the NBS system, give full play to the unique advantages of NBS as a comprehensive concept and promote the specific implementation and development of NBS. I examined NBS's progression and benefits, providing a thorough insight into its significance in sustainable urban development. The research introduced a cohesive framework by elucidating NBS's foundational concepts guiding subsequent inquiries. Such findings are pivotal for facilitating informed strategies and enhancing resilience to climate adversities, underscoring a comprehensive approach to sustainability.
... The four principal enabling conditions presented herein were identified through a case study on Canada but may be transferable to other jurisdictions. Indeed, recent literature shows how categorizing enabling conditions for different desired outcomes can generally help understand how to scale nature-based solutions and NCS in and across jurisdictions and sectors (see [11,44,78,94]). A key component in scaling NCS that may be transferable to other contexts and land-based activities (e.g., forests) is the importance of inclusivity in decision-making processes, especially regarding land stewards. Inclusivity is discussed across scales under the principal enabling condition, coherent and coordinate governance approaches, and in other studies (e.g., [7]). ...
Natural climate solutions can contribute to climate change mitigation and other environmental and social goals. An emerging body of academic and gray literature seeks to identify how governance ecosystems, inclusive of diverse actors, the mechanisms they employ, and the conditions they create, can actualize the potential of natural climate solutions. Enabling conditions are a critical component of these governance ecosystems as they describe the conditions needed to achieve a desired outcome. However, limited empirical research explores what conditions and combinations of conditions might promote the implementation of natural climate solutions across agricultural landscapes. This paper aims to identify and categorize enabling conditions for scaling natural climate solutions adoption in agriculture to address this gap. This objective is achieved through 51 semi-structured key informant interviews with diverse experts engaged in climate action in Canada's agriculture sector, which are corroborated with relevant literature. The expertise of key informants includes: agricultural production; agricultural technology; climate and environmental policy and markets; sustainable investment; sustainable sourcing and agri-food supply chains; measuring, reporting, and verification of ecosystem services; technical assistance; and ecosystem modeling. Findings from the interviews suggest that the potential for natural climate solutions adoption is currently limited by several critical barriers, including regulatory uncertainty, insufficient investment in measuring and monitoring infrastructure, and a lack of accessible and relevant resources to inform and guide actors. Aggregated findings point to four principal enabling conditions that together form the foundational conditions for an enabling governance ecosystem for natural climate solutions adoption in agriculture: (1) coordinated and coherent governance approaches; (2) favourable market conditions; (3) streamlined and robust measuring, reporting and verification; and (4) capacity among actors. This paper's contribution includes identifying and organizing enabling conditions for scaling the adoption of agriculture-based natural climate solutions, which can help better position actors to build an effective governance ecosystem in Canada's agriculture sector and elsewhere.
... Alongside multiple obvious benefits of NbS, the literature states also a number of challenges associated with their understanding, implementation, effectiveness, stakeholder participation (Nelson, Bledsoe, Ferreira, & Nibbelink, 2020), lack of standards for their evaluation , (Fernandes & Guiomar, 2018). However, it is crucial to mention that the success of NbS and the long-term effectiveness of their socio-economic benefits highly depend on the environmental awareness (Gómez Martín, Máñez Costa, Egerer, & Schneider, 2021), and thus perception and understanding of NbS and their potential benefits. ...
NbS have gained substantial attention in the academic literature recently as a potential approach for simultaneously tackling environmental issues and addressing societal challenges. Drylands, which are among the world’s most vulnerable areas to the impacts of climate change and cover a little less than the half of the global terrestrial surface, were the focus of this study. We conducted a systematic literature review to explore the potential opportunities for the application of NbS in rural drylands across the globe. We go on to specifically consider the possibility of applying selected NbS approaches in the Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan, as a case study of a dryland ecosystem illustrating major environmental and social challenges. We highlight which NbS show the most promise in the Aral Sea region and conclude with a discussion of existing gaps in the literature on NbS in drylands, and opportunities for further research.
... "Nature-Based Solution" (NBS) is a recent expression characterizing a worldwide practice that uses natural features and processes for increasing resilience to climatological and environmental challenges, while providing environmental, social and economic benefits (Nelson et al., 2020). Still emerging, the NBS term regroups diverse existing terminologies that promote the conservation and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems, namely: Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA), Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI), and others (e.g., Castellanos et al., 2020). ...
The primary objective of this research endeavor is to conduct an in-depth literature review on the paramount significance of Nature-Based Solutions (NbSs) in mitigating carbon footprint and enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructures, with a specific emphasis on road transportation infrastructure. Additionally, the aim is to map available NbS to enhance road infrastructure resilience in the face of climate change impacts and identify key challenges and potential solutions. The findings indicate that, despite limited research dedicated to the transportation sector, NbS exhibits significant promise in advancing environmental sustainability and fostering climate change adaptation. These solutions encompass a spectrum of approaches, such as integrating natural elements into road infrastructure and restoring adjacent ecosystems. Furthermore, knowledge gaps and challenges related to the implementation of NbS in the transportation sector are identified. These findings guide future research and encourage the adoption of policies and strategies that promote the effective integration of NbS into transportation policies and existing/future infrastructure projects.
The significance of Nature‐Based Solutions (NBSs) in addressing environmental and socioeconomic challenges is widely acknowledged, yet research on NBSs continues due to a limited understanding of their full benefits. This study addresses the existing gap by focusing on NBS co‐benefit valuation through digital platforms. These platforms support NBSs by assessing their effectiveness, contributing to SDGs, enabling data collection, analysis, and stakeholder engagement. The paper identifies platforms for co‐benefit quantification, encompassing public health, climate change, water management, air quality, biodiversity, soil management, and socioeconomic values. Some of these platforms, like InVEST, ARIES, and i‐Tree‐Eco offer multiple models to quantify various benefits of NBS. FreeStation is a platform to capture environmental data in a near real‐time‐basis, and Co$tingNature is a platform providing global data to estimate the contribution of nature to sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, most platforms focus on limited areas, so combining data from multiple platforms is necessary for holistic NBS co‐benefit quantification.
This article reviews the literature on the economic impacts of disasters caused by extreme weather and climate events to draw lessons on how societies can better manage these risks. While evidence that richer, better-governed societies suffer less and recover faster from climate extremes suggests adaptation, knowledge gaps remain, and little is known about the efficiency of specific adaptation actions. I review various “no or low” regrets adaptation options that are recommended when uncertainties over climate change impacts are high. I discuss how governments can play an important role in adaptation by directly providing public goods to manage disaster risks or by facilitating private agents’ adaptation responses but also highlight the political economy of policy and coordination failures.
This paper explores the consequences of a shift in Dutch coastal management. The management approach transitioned from aiming to keep the sea at bay toward the stimulation of dynamic sea-land relations. This shift toward “dynamic management” can be seen as part of wider trends in both ecological and science, technology, and society thinking on coasts as amphibious more-than-human entanglements. We draw on a case study of the Wadden Sea barrier island Ameland to develop the notion of amphibious response-ability. We show that while dynamic management enabled amphibiousness in the land–sea interface, it limited other types of amphibiousness, with consequences for the possibilities to respond to coastal changes. These consequences for amphibious response-abilities became critical when rapid coastal erosion threatened and partially destroyed a gas platform. Our case shows that even when coastal management regimes are amphibious because they unleash and build on natural processes, they can still have harmful consequences, and they can in fact limit the possibilities for integrated responses to coastal change. We conclude by suggesting that heterogeneous knowledge alliances are needed to expose and work with the politics of (amphibious) coastal management regimes.
Despite rapidly expanding interest in the use of natural coastal habitats for their ability to protect against erosion and flooding, implementation of coastal natural infrastructure (NI) projects has been limited to date. Uncertainty over how the benefits of NI will change over time as they mature and adapt to changing environmental drivers, and a lack of well-documented demonstrations of NI, are often cited as roadblocks to their widespread acceptance. Here, we begin to fill that knowledge gap by describing implementation and early (3 years post-implementation) monitoring results of an NI project at Swan Island, MD. Swan is an uninhabited marsh island in mid-Chesapeake Bay, United States whose position renders it a natural wave break for the downwind town of Ewell, MD. Prior to project implementation, Swan had experienced significant losses in areal extent due to subsidence and erosion. To reverse this trend, the island was amended with dredged sediments in the winter of 2018–2019. The overarching goal was to preserve the Island’s ability to serve as a wave break and make it more resilient to future sea level rise by increasing the elevation of the vegetated platform, while also increasing the diversity of habitats present. A monitoring program was implemented immediately after sediment placement to document changes in the island footprint and topography over time and to evaluate the extent to which project goals are met. Data from the initial three years of this effort (2019 through 2022) indicate an island that is still actively evolving, and point to the need for rapid establishment of vegetative communities to ensure success of coastal NI.
Floodplains are regularly inundated areas of land that provide ecosystem benefits for the entire catchment area, along with numerous benefits for communities making them ideal for human settlement. The management of floodplains involves an ongoing dilemma; how best to balance the need to protect urban settlements from significant flood events with the benefits that inundation brings to the environmental and cultural values of the floodplain. These flood events have been traditionally addressed using technical flood protection measures. However, nature‐based solutions (NbS), provide a potential alternative approach. In this research, we analyze 29 global case studies centered on river floodplain management to investigate the barriers and enablers that affect the implementation of NbS, including floodplain restoration, mangroves, riparian forest restoration, wetland green infrastructure, among other strategies. The aim of this paper is to gain insights into improving floodplain management through the assessment of barriers and enablers evident in these case studies. The barriers and enablers were divided into six categories: social, technical, financial, political, institutional and economic and further into several sub‐divided categories. Social and technical categories were the most commonly described barriers and enablers closely followed by the institutional category. The discussion is centered around four topics: understanding community and decision‐maker risk perceptions, increased focus on stakeholders, managing multiple conflicting objectives, and consideration of multiple spatial scales. Further research on the uptake of NbS needs to focus on addressing risk communication and modeling, managing trade‐offs, and demonstration of delayed benefits.
This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness
Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are integral to efforts to keep global warming below 2°C in accordance with the United Nations’ 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Yet the transboundary governance dimensions of NbS remain unclear and largely undocumented. In Southeast Asia, NbS have emphasised the conservation and/ or sustainable commodification of carbon sinks found in terrestrial and mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, peatlands and agricultural soils. Mostly project-driven and fixed-term, these “solutions” have often failed to meet their social and ecological objectives. Increasingly, they have added to cross-border problems of: (1) displaced carbon emissions; and (2) economic migration and societal dispossession. This perspective paper delineates a transboundary governance research agenda to mitigate these trade-offs and enhance the co-benefits of NbS in carbon sinks. Building on NbS literature, it identifies cross-sector, multi-scalar and interdisciplinary pathways to improve transboundary cooperation, inclusion and equity in carbon sink governance in varying Southeast Asian contexts.
How did human societies evolve to become a major force of global change? What dynamics can lead societies on a trajectory of global sustainability? The astonishing growth in human population, economic activity and environmental impact has brought these questions to the fore. This theme issue pulls together a variety of traditions that seek to address these questions using different theories and methods. In this Introduction, we review and organize the major strands of work on how the Anthropocene evolved, how evolutionary dynamics are influencing sustainability efforts today, and what principles, strategies and capacities will be important to guide us towards global sustainability in the future. We present a set of synthetic insights and highlight frontiers for future research efforts which could contribute to a consolidated synthesis.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Evolution and sustainability: gathering the strands for an Anthropocene synthesis’.
Transitional systems like coastal lagoons are essential in mitigating the consequences of coastal flooding, a hazard evermore present under a climate change context. Hard grey infrastructure has been used to prevent coastal flooding and erosion, replacing natural coastal habitats. Hence, concerns regarding sustainability and resilience favoured a transition towards Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). Despite the various examples of NBS for coastal flood mitigation existing worldwide, technical, political, and socio-economic challenges still hinder their applicability. We argue that most NBS, spatially restrictive and focusing on single species and habitats, overlook the complex nature of coastal lagoons, impairing the effectiveness of actions. We claim that identifying coastal lagoons as ecologically significant areas in conservation plans and enforcing low human intervention NBS (e.g., protected areas) must be the first step to preserving their coastal protection capacity and ensuring the conditions needed for the successful implementation of local and more specific actions (e.g., habitat restoration).
There is growing awareness that ‘nature-based solutions' (NbS) can help to protect us from climate change impacts while slowing further warming, supporting biodiversity and securing ecosystem services. However, the potential of NbS to provide the intended benefits has not been rigorously assessed. There are concerns over their reliability and cost-effectiveness compared to engineered alternatives, and their resilience to climate change. Trade-offs can arise if climate mitigation policy encourages NbS with low biodiversity value, such as afforestation with non-native monocultures. This can result in maladaptation, especially in a rapidly changing world where biodiversity-based resilience and multi-functional landscapes are key. Here, we highlight the rise of NbS in climate policy—focusing on their potential for climate change adaptation as well as mitigation—and discuss barriers to their evidence-based implementation. We outline the major financial and governance challenges to implementing NbS at scale, highlighting avenues for further research. As climate policy turns increasingly towards greenhouse gas removal approaches such as afforestation, we stress the urgent need for natural and social scientists to engage with policy makers. They must ensure that NbS can achieve their potential to tackle both the climate and biodiversity crisis while also contributing to sustainable development. This will require systemic change in the way we conduct research and run our institutions.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Climate change and ecosystems: threats, opportunities and solutions’.
The U.S. highway system is an iconic example of civil infrastructure. Yet it also exemplifies the challenges of infrastructure sustainability. The American Society for Civil Engineers gave the American road infrastructure a grade of “D” since the roads “are often crowded, frequently in poor condition, chronically underfunded, and are becoming more dangerous.” In this paper, we seek to understand the intertwined social and technical processes that lead to this unsustainability by examining the U.S. highway system from the perspective of coupled infrastructure systems (CIS), a transdisciplinary framework that aims to analyze governance challenges of shared resources from a dynamic systems perspective. We use highways as a special example of the broader challenge of providing and maintaining the shared infrastructure of all types. Our analysis of historical data concludes that the unsustainability of highways as coupled infrastructure systems can be explained from dysfunctional information feedbacks.
Around the world today, the magnitude and rates of environmental, social, and economic change are undermining the sustainability of many rural societies that rely directly on natural resources for their livelihoods. Sustainable development efforts seek to promote livelihood adaptations that enhance food security and reduce social-ecological vulnerability, but these efforts are hampered by the difficulty of understanding the complexity and dynamism of rural livelihood systems. Disparate research avenues are strengthening our ability to grapple with complexity. But we are only just beginning to find ways to simultaneously account for problematic complexities, including multiscalar feedbacks in the ecosystems that that support livelihoods, the heterogeneous benefits garnered by different segments of society, and the complex contingencies that constrain people’s decisions and capacities to adapt. To provide a more nuanced analysis of the dynamics of transformation in rural livelihood systems, we identified key complementarities between four different research approaches, enabling us to integrate them in a novel research framework that can guide empirical and modeling research on livelihood adaptation. The framework capitalizes upon parallel concepts of sequentiality in (1) ecosystem services and (2) livelihood adaptation scholarship, then incorporates principles from (3) adaptation in social-ecological systems research to account for the dynamism inherent in these often rapidly-transforming systems. Lastly, we include advances in (4) agent-based modeling, which couples human decisions and land use change and provides tools to incorporate complex social-ecological feedbacks in simulation studies of livelihood adaptation. Here we describe the new Ecosystem Services—Livelihood Adaptation (ESLA) framework, explain how it links the contributing approaches, and illustrate its application with two case studies. We offer guidance for its implementation in empirical and modeling research, and conclude with a discussion of current challenges in sustainability science and the contributions that could be gained through research guided by the ESLA framework.
Urbanization deletes and degrades natural ecosystems, threatens biodiversity, and alienates people from the experience of nature. Nature-based solutions (NbS) that are inspired and supported by nature have the potential to deliver multifunctional environmental and social benefits to address these challenges in urban areas under context-specific conditions. NbS implementation often relies on a one-size-fits-all approach, although interventions that maximize one benefit (e.g., biodiversity conservation) may have no influence on, or even negatively affect, others (e.g., social justice). Furthermore, the current pathways from NbS to various benefits do not rely on a deep understanding of the underlying processes, prohibiting the identification of optimal solutions that maximize synergies across pathways. We present a comprehensive socio-ecological framework that addresses these issues by recognizing that cities are human-dominated environments that are foremost built and maintained to support humans. Our framework demonstrates how we can use experiments and niche species models to understand and predict where species will be and where people will be healthy and happy in a comparable manner. This knowledge can then be integrated into decision support tools that use optimization algorithms to understand trade-offs, identify synergies, and provide planners with the tools needed to tailor context-specific NbS to yield greener, more resilient cities with happier people and reduced inequality.
A growing body of research shows that healthy watersheds are a vital component of a wellfunctioning water supply infrastructure system. When green infrastructure is used to complement, substitute, or safeguard traditional gray infrastructure, it can achieve optimal service delivery and save water suppliers (and water customers) money. Main costributions of natural infrastructure are (1) better moderate sediment and nutrient fluxes and improve downstream water quality, (2) lower costs for water suppliers, (3) help mitigate the impacts of climate change and natural hazards, and (5) generate numerous co-benefits for local communities and society.
Despite substantial increases in the scope and magnitude of biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration, there remains ongoing degradation of natural resources that adversely affects both biodiversity and human well-being. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can be an effective framework for reversing this trend, by increasing the alignment between conservation and sustainable development objectives. However, unless there is clarity on its evolution, definition and principles, and relationship with related approaches, it will not be possible to develop evidence-based standards and guidelines, or to implement, assess, improve and upscale NbS interventions globally. In order to address this gap, we present the definition and principles underpinning the NbS framework, recently adopted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and compare it to (1) the Ecosystem Approach that was the foundation for developing the NbS definitional framework, and (2) four specific ecosystem based approaches (Forest Landscape Restoration, Ecosystem-based Adaptation, Ecological Restoration and Protected Areas) that can be considered as falling under the NbS framework. Although we found substantial alignment between NbS principles and the principles of the other frameworks, three of the eight NbS principles stand out from other approaches: NbS can be implemented alone or in an integrated manner with other solutions ; NbS should be applied at a landscape scale; and, NbS are integral to the overall design of policies, measures and actions, to address societal challenges. Reversely, concepts such as adaptive management/governance, effectiveness , uncertainty, multi-stakeholder participation, and temporal scale are present in other frameworks but not captured at all or detailed enough in the NbS principles. This critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the NbS principles can inform the review and revision of principles supporting specific types of NbS (such as the approaches reviewed here), as well as serve as the foundation for the development of standards for the successful implementation of NbS.
Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to climate change is an approach claimed to deliver social benefits relevant to marginalized groups. Based on a structured literature review, we interrogate such claims, asking whether such approaches may (or may not) contribute to social change and, more specifically, empowerment. We present a review of the predominant meaning and interlinkages of the EbA and empowerment concepts, which shows that EbA pays insufficient attention to issues of empowerment and agency. On this basis, we discuss how an empowerment lens could be (better) integrated into the conceptualization of EbA, suggesting key dimensions through which this could be supported. We show that the emphasis on empowerment theory and the merits that it brings to the EbA literature are helpful, leading to a number of important questions to adaptation projects on the ground. Incorporating an empowerment lens leads to an increased consideration of issues of power more broadly, especially the way marginalized groups’ agency, access, and aspirations are conditioned by social structures that may prevent strategic adaptation choices. We conclude that EbA will facilitate empowerment better by explicitly considering how social benefits can emerge from the interplay between particular types of actions, marginalized people’s adaptive strategies, and their relational context.
Investment decisions about capital-intensive, long-lived infrastructure are challenging due to uncertainty about their future performance, particularly if the performance is sensitive to climate change. Such investments, like those made for water infrastructure, are rarely evaluated over their total operational lifetime, during which socio-economic and environmental changes can cause potential lock-ins and reduced options for future choices that lead to high costs to transfer to other options. We propose an economic evaluation framework to explore adaptation pathways, or sequences of strategic investments options, that can be implemented if needed due to changing conditions. A novel feature is the inclusion of “transfer costs” associated with a switch to alternative pathways to allow adaptive decision-making and to minimize the cost of adjustment over time. Implementing a pathway-driven approach represents a break with most institutional decision-making processes and can significantly improve decision-making under uncertainty compared to the conventional single-investment perspective. We present a case study on flood risk management in the Netherlands to show the long-term socio-economic consequences of short-term decisions by going beyond the project cycle horizon.
Evidences from flood risk management demonstrated that a deep understanding of the main physical phenomena to be addressed is often not enough but should be also integrated with stakeholders' knowledge and risk perception. Particularly, the effectiveness of flood risk management strategies is highly dependent on stakeholders' perception and attitudes, which play a critical role on how individuals and institutions act to mitigate risks. Furthermore , practitioners and policy-makers realized that grey infrastructures may not be the most suitable solution to reduce flood risk, and that a shift from grey solutions to Nature Based Solutions is required. Within this framework, the present work describes a methodology to enhance the Nature Based Solutions implementation by facilitating the generation, acquisition and diffusion of different stakeholders' risk perceptions. It is based on the combination of Problem Structuring Methods for the elicitation of stakeholders' risk perceptions through individual Fuzzy Cognitive Maps, and Ambiguity Analysis for the investigation of differences in risk perceptions and problem framing. The outputs of the Ambiguity Analysis, used during a participatory workshop, facilitated a dialogue aligning the divergences and promoting the social acceptance of Nature Based Solutions. These results of the implementation of this multi-step methodology in the Glinščica river basin (Slovenia) are discussed.
Non-technical summary
It is no longer possible nor desirable to address the dual challenges of equity and sustainability separately. Instead, they require new thinking and approaches which recognize their interlinkages, as well as the multiple perspectives and dimensions involved. We illustrate how equity and sustainability are intertwined, and how a complex social–ecological systems lens brings together advances from across the social and natural sciences to show how (in)equity and (un)sustainability are produced by the interactions and dynamics of coupled social–ecological systems. This should help understand which possible pathways could lead to sustainable and fair futures.
An integrated understanding of both social and ecological aspects of environmental issues is essential to address pressing sustainability challenges. An integrated social-ecological systems perspective is purported to provide a better understanding of the complex relationships between humans and nature. Despite a threefold increase in the amount of social-ecological research published between 2010 and 2015, it is unclear whether these approaches have been truly integrative. We conducted a systematic literature review to investigate the conceptual, methodological, disciplinary, and functional aspects of social-ecological integration. In general, we found that overall integration is still lacking in social-ecological research. Some social variables deemed important for addressing sustainability challenges are underrepresented in social-ecological studies, e.g., culture, politics, and power. Disciplines such as ecology, urban studies, and geography are better integrated than others, e.g., sociology, biology, and public administration. In addition to ecology and urban studies, biodiversity conservation plays a key brokerage role in integrating other disciplines into social-ecological research. Studies founded on systems theory have the highest rates of integration. Highly integrative studies combine different types of tools, involve stakeholders at appropriate stages, and tend to deliver practical recommendations. Better social-ecological integration must underpin sustainability science. To achieve this potential, future social-ecological research will require greater attention to the following: the interdisciplinary composition of project teams, strategic stakeholder involvement, application of multiple tools, incorporation of both social and ecological variables, consideration of bidirectional relationships between variables, and identification of implications and articulation of clear policy recommendations.
An effective and efficient stewardship of natural resources requires consistency across all decision-informing approaches and components involved, i.e., managerial, governmental, political, and legal. To achieve this consistency, these elements must be aligned under an overarching management goal that is consistent with
current and well-accepted knowledge. In this article, we investigate the adoption by the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management of an environmental resilience-centered system that manages for resilience of marine ecological resources and its associated social elements. Although the framework is generally tailored for this Bureau, it could also be adapted to other federal or non-federal organizations. This paper presents a dynamic framework that regards change as an inherent element of the socio-ecological system in which management structures, e.g., federal agencies, are embedded. The overall functioning of the management framework being
considered seeks to mimic and anticipate environmental change in line with well-accepted elements of resilience- thinking. We also investigate the goal of using management for resilience as a platform to enhance socio-ecological sustainability by setting specific performance metrics embedded in pre-defined and desired social
and/or ecological scenarios. Dynamic management frameworks that couple social and ecological systems as described in this paper can facilitate the efficient and effective utilization of resources, reduce uncertainty for decision and policy makers, and lead to more defensible decisions on resources.
Essential services such as electricity are critical to human well-being and the functioning of modern society. These services are produced by complex adaptive socio-technical systems and emerge from the interplay of technical infrastructure with people and governing institutions. Ongoing global changes such as urbanization and increasing prevalence of extreme weather events are generating much interest in strategies for building the resilience of essential services. However, much of the emphasis has been on reliable and resilient technical infrastructure. This focus is insufficient; resilience also needs to be built into the human and institutional processes within which these technical systems are embedded. Here, we propose a conceptual framework, based on a complex adaptive systems perspective, that identifies four key domains that require investment to build the resilience of essential services. This framework addresses both the technical and social components of the socio-technical systems that underlie essential services and incorporates specified and general resilience considerations. The framework can be used to guide resilience assessments and to identify strategies for building resilience across different organizational levels.
This paper analyses the concept of nature‐based solutions as instruments to turn anthromes more nature‐compatible, efficient, causing less degradation and developing new biodiversity hotspots. It is mainly focused in solutions using living organisms (in particular plants and microorganisms) to perform functions such as those of soil‐ and water‐bioengineering interventions in order to ensure the safety of human infrastructures and constructions in contexts of conflict between natural processes and human needs. Further it handles the problematic of reintroducing natural processes and functions in the built environment (urban, industrial, infrastructures etc.) in order to recover, recreate or reinvent nature in humanized landscapes and developing a more creative relation between humans and natural elements, processes and functions. It presents, furthermore, the contribution of natural solutions to a wide variety of decontamination processes and prevention and recovery of degraded land and natural resources. Finally, it discusses the way these solutions can be implemented and the cultural, organizational, administrative and governance paradigmatic and practice changes it implies. Examples are given on the different issues presented as well on the possible implementation solutions.
Payments for Environmental Services (PES) constitute an innovative economic intervention to counteract the global loss of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. In theory, some appealing features should enable PES to perform well in achieving conservation and welfare goals. In practice, outcomes depend on the interplay between context, design and implementation. Inspecting a new global dataset, we find that some PES design principles pre-identified in the social-science literature as desirable, such as spatial targeting and payment differentiation, are only partially being applied in practice. More importantly, the PES-defining principle of conditionality—monitoring compliance and sanctioning detected non-compliance—is seldom being implemented. Administrative ease, multiple non-environmental side objectives and social equity concerns may jointly help explain the reluctance to adopt more sophisticated, theoretically informed practices. However, by taking simplifying shortcuts in design and implementation, PES programmes may become less environmentally effective and efficient as economic incentives, thus underperforming their conservation potential. A curated global dataset of Payments for Environmental Services (PES) reveals that theoretical principles are only partially applied in practice, particularly conditionality, which makes payments underperform.
Infrastructure development is central to the processes that abate and produce vulnerabilities in cities. Urban actors, especially those with power and authority, perceive and interpret vulnerability and decide when and how to adapt. When city managers use infrastructure to reduce urban risk in the complex, interconnected city system, new fragilities are introduced because of inherent system feedbacks. We trace the interactions between system dynamics and decision-making processes over 700 years of Mexico City’s adaptations to water risks, focusing on the decision cycles of public infrastructure providers (in this case, government authorities). We bring together two lenses in examining this history: robustness-vulnerability trade-offs to explain the evolution of systemic risk dynamics mediated by feedback control, and adaptation pathways to focus on the evolution of decision cycles that motivate significant infrastructure investments. Drawing from historical accounts, archeological evidence, and original research on water, engineering, and cultural history, we examine adaptation pathways of humans settlement, water supply, and flood risk. Mexico City’s history reveals insights that expand the theory of coupled infrastructure and lessons salient to contemporary urban risk management: (1) adapting by spatially externalizing risks can backfire: as cities expand, such risks become endogenous; (2) over time, adaptation pathways initiated to address specific risks may begin to intersect, creating complex trade-offs in risk management; and (3) city authorities are agents of risk production: even in the face of new exogenous risks (climate change), acknowledging and managing risks produced endogenously may prove more adaptive. History demonstrates that the very best solutions today may present critical challenges for tomorrow, and that collectively people have far more agency in and influence over the complex systems we live in than is often acknowledged.
To address challenges associated with climate resilience, health and well-being in urban areas, current policy platforms are shifting their focus from ecosystem-based to nature-based solutions (NBS), broadly defined as solutions to societal challenges that are inspired and supported by nature. NBS result in the provision of co-benefits, such as the improvement of place attractiveness, of health and quality of life, and creation of green jobs. Few frameworks exist for acknowledging and assessing the value of such co-benefits of NBS and to guide cross-sectoral project and policy design and implementation. In this paper, we firstly developed a holistic framework for assessing co-benefits (and costs) of NBS across elements of socio-cultural and socioeconomic systems, biodiversity , ecosystems and climate. The framework was guided by a review of over 1700 documents from science and practice within and across 10 societal challenges relevant to cities globally. We found that NBS can have environmental, social and economic co-benefits and/or costs both within and across these 10 societal challenges. On that base, we develop and propose a seven-stage process for situating co-benefit assessment within policy and project implementation. The seven stages include: 1) identify problem or opportunity; 2) select and assess NBS and related actions; 3) design NBS implementation processes; 4) implement NBS; 5) frequently engage stake-holders and communicate co-benefits; 6) transfer and upscale NBS; and 7) monitor and evaluate co-benefits across all stages. We conclude that the developed framework together with the seven-stage co-benefit assessment process represent a valuable tool for guiding thinking and identifying the multiple values of NBS implementation .
Wetlands are often considered as nature-based solutions that can provide a multitude of services of great social, economic and environmental value to humankind. Changes in land-use, water-use and climate can all impact wetland functions and services. These changes occur at scales extending well beyond the local scale of an individual wetland. However, in practical applications, engineering and management decisions usually focus on individual wetland projects and local site conditions. Here, we systematically investigate if and to what extent research has addressed the large-scale dynamics of landscape systems with multiple wetlands, hereafter referred to as wetlandscapes, which are likely to be relevant for understanding impacts of regional to global change. Although knowledge in many cases is still limited, evidence suggests that the aggregated effects of multiple wetlands in the landscape can differ considerably from the functions observed at individual wetland scales. This applies to provisioning of ecosystem services such as coastal protection, biodiversity support, groundwater level and soil moisture regulation, flood regulation and contaminant retention. We show that parallel and circular flow-paths, through which wetlands are interconnected in the landscape, may largely control such scale-function differences. We suggest ways forward for addressing the mismatch between the scales at which changes take place and the scale at which observations and implementation are currently made. These suggestions can help bridge gaps between researchers and engineers, which is critical for improving wetland function-effect predictability and management.
Cities are high emitters of greenhouse gases and are drivers of environmental modification, often leading to degradation and fragmentation of ecosystems at local and regional scales. Linked to these trends is a growing threat experienced by urban areas: the risk from hydro-meteorological and climatological hazards, further accentuated by climate change. Ecosystems and their services, though often overlooked or degraded, can provide multiple hazard regulating functions such as coastal and surface flood regulation, temperature regulation and erosion control. Engineering or grey approaches often do not tackle the root causes of risk and can increase the vulnerability of populations over the long-term. However, evidence of alternative approaches such as the role of healthy, functioning ecosystems in disaster risk reduction are still scarce, contentious, and with limited applicability in the urban context. This chapter explores the role of grey, green, and blue infrastructure and in particular hybrid approaches for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation to shed light on available sustainable adaptation opportunities in cities and urban areas. We highlight the dependence of cities on ecosystems as a key component of climate resilience building through case studies and literature review. At the same time, we highlight the limitation and drawbacks in the adoption of merely grey or merely green infrastructures. We suggest that an intermediate ‘hybrid’ approach, which combines both blue, green and grey approaches, may be the most effective strategy for reducing risk to hazards in the urban context.
Freshwater is a key resource and medium for various economic sectors and domestic purposes but its use is often at the expense of natural ecosystems. Water management must change to deal with urgent issues and protect aquatic ecosystems and their services, while addressing the demand for water from the competing claims for cities, agriculture, industry, energy and transport. In this paper key water challenges (shortage, pollution, aquatic ecosystems threatened) have been identified via global modelling. By the IMAGE-GLOBIO model chain a Trend scenario up to 2050 was modelled, as well as the potential of three ‘pathways’ aimed at halving average global biodiversity loss while also meeting the sustainable development goals. Biodiversity is then used as a guiding principle to address these challenges because water services depend on healthy and biodiverse ecosystems. Subsequently the potential of nature-based solutions is reviewed for four sub-sectors: cities, food production, hydropower, and flood protection, grouped under the three alternative pathways to meet key water challenges. Mainstreaming biodiversity into water policy requires integrated planning. Integrated Water Resource Management could provide an opportune starting point as a well recognised integrating framework for planning, to guide the actual implementation of nature-based solutions in sub-sectors.
Nature has provided humankind with food, fuel, and shelter throughout evolutionary history. However, in contemporary cities, many natural landscapes have become degraded and replaced with impermeable hard surfaces (e.g., roads, paving, car parks and buildings). The reversal of this trend is dynamic, complex and still in its infancy. There are many facets of urban greening initiatives involving multiple benefits, sensitivities and limitations. The aim of this paper is to develop a characterisation method of nature based solutions for designing and retrofitting in the built environment, and to facilitate knowledge transfer between disciplines and for design optimisation. Based on a review of the literature across disciplines, key characteristics could be organised into four groups: policy and community initiatives, multiple benefits assessment, topology, and design options. Challenges and opportunities for developing a characterisation framework to improve the use of nature based solutions in the built environment are discussed
Improving urban resilience could help cities better cope with natural disasters, such as neighborhood flood events in Mexico City pictured here. Data source: Unidad Tormenta, Sistema de Aguas de la Ciudad de Mexico.
In this paper, we reflect on the implications for science, policy and practice of the recently introduced concept of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), with a focus on the European context. First, we analyse NBS in relation to similar concepts, and reflect on its relationship to sustainability as an overarching framework. From this, we derive a set of questions to be addressed and propose a general framework for how these might be addressed in NBS projects by funders, researchers, policy-makers and practitioners. We conclude that:
Transformative governance is an approach to environmental governance that has the capacity to respond to, manage, and trigger regime shifts in coupled social-ecological systems (SESs) at multiple scales. The goal of transformative governance is to actively shift degraded SESs to alternative, more desirable, or more functional regimes by altering the structures and processes that define the system. Transformative governance is rooted in ecological theories to explain cross-scale dynamics in complex systems, as well as social theories of change, innovation, and technological transformation. Similar to adaptive governance, transformative governance involves a broad set of governance components, but requires additional capacity to foster new social-ecological regimes including increased risk tolerance, significant systemic investment, and restructured economies and power relations. Transformative governance has the potential to actively respond to regime shifts triggered by climate change, and thus future research should focus on identifying system drivers and leading indicators associated with social-ecological thresholds.
ABSTRACT. Nature-based solutions promoting green and blue urban areas have significant potential to decrease the vulnerability and enhance the resilience of cities in light of climatic change. They can thereby help to mitigate climate change-induced impacts and serve as proactive adaptation options for municipalities. We explore the various contexts in which nature-based solutions are relevant for climate mitigation and adaptation in urban areas, identify indicators for assessing the effectiveness of nature-based solutions and related knowledge gaps. In addition, we explore existing barriers and potential opportunities for increasing the scale and effectiveness of nature-based solution implementation. The results were derived from an inter-and transdisciplinary workshop with experts from research, municipalities, policy, and society. As an outcome of the workshop discussions and building on existing evidence, we highlight three main needs for future science and policy agendas when dealing with nature-based solutions: (i) produce stronger evidence on nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation and raise awareness by increasing implementation; (ii) adapt for governance challenges in implementing nature-based solutions by using reflexive approaches, which implies bringing together new networks of society, nature-based solution ambassadors, and practitioners; (iii) consider socio-environmental justice and social cohesion when implementing nature-based solutions by using integrated governance approaches that take into account an integrative and transdisciplinary participation of diverse actors. Taking these needs into account, nature-based solutions can serve as climate mitigation and adaptation tools that produce additional cobenefits for societal well-being, thereby serving as strong investment options for sustainable urban planning.
The characteristics of hydroclimatic risk in the 21st Century are rapidly changing. Increases in extreme weather events and population densities alter exposure to floods and droughts. Water infrastructure is unable to keep pace and deterministic models can mislead. Yet, predominant strategies for managing risk continue to follow historical precedent, striving to tame nature's outbursts and mitigate disasters through conventional engineering structures. In this Viewpoint article, scholars from three disciplines address underlying limitations in contemporary risk management, each of which is rooted in the concept of hubris. They argue that effective risk management must extend beyond hubris-thinking to an approach based on humility. Extending from the three types of limitations—described as Disconnect from Nature, Engineers of a Fixed Nature. and Modelers of Nature— a collective and synthetic consideration provides insights into potential pathways forward for both science and practice. More satisfactory strategies for managing hydroclimatic risk will require a shift from a hubris-based paradigm to a more humility-based approach.
Nature Based Solutions (NBS) are currently gaining importance in the EU policy agenda as a promising approach to mitigate and adapt to environmental and climate change. The main advantage of NBS over other adaptation strategies is their capability to deliver multiple benefits. They support the resilience of natural processes and help in reducing adaptation costs. In this paper, we address the current gaps in the literature by providing a comprehensive, easy-to-use classification scheme focussing on hydrological extreme events. The classification scheme is presented as a matrix and contains a portfolio of known NBS as well as the important criteria for their selection. Specifically, we have included disservices/ barriers, and the potential impacts of climate change on NBS. The matrix provides decision-makers with a tool that will guide them through the first phase of the complex process when choosing the most appropriative NBS for a specific challenge. In that way, we aim to support the spread of NBS in the scientific literature as well as their practical application.
Significance
International and national law have not stemmed the tide of rapidly accelerating environmental change. In response to this challenge, we highlight examples from the United States and the European Union of the untapped capacity of existing laws to enhance social-ecological resilience to these continual changes. The recommendations we advance regarding how to mine existing legal instruments to enhance resilience are agenda-setting, and they represent a far more feasible approach to addressing emerging environmental challenges than proposing politically untenable new laws or major amendments to existing laws. We show that governance can make substantial advances in addressing environmental change in the short term by exploiting those existing untapped capacities, and we offer principles and strategies to guide such initiatives.