Abstract
Nature-based solutions (NBS) for mitigating climate change are gaining popularity. The number of NBS is increasing, but research gaps still exist at the governance level. The objectives of this paper are (i) to give an overview of the implemented NBS for flood risk management and mitigation in Germany, (ii) to identify governance models that are applied, and (iii) to explore the differences between these models. The results of a hierarchical clustering procedure and a qualitative analysis show that while no one-size-fits-all governance model exists, polycentricism is an important commonality between the projects. The study concludes by highlighting the need for further research on traditional governance model reconversion and paradigm changes. We expect the findings to identify what has worked in the past, as well as what is important for the implementation of NBS for flood risk management in future projects.
Highlights
Change in climate patterns cause the increase of extreme hydro-meteorological events which results in more floods and droughts (Beniston 2007; De Paola et al 2018; EC 2020)
Our research question is as follows: Which governance models led to nature-based solutions (NBS) implementation for flood risk management and mitigation? our objectives are (i) to give an overview of the implemented NBS for mitigating flood risk in Germany, focusing on their governance models, (ii) to identify governance models that are applied in implemented cases, and (iii) to explore the differences between the models that are applied, in order to discuss future water governance challenges and to formulate recommendations for further implementation of NBS
The 17 cases (Fig. 2 and Table 1) showed a broad spectrum of NBS ranging from river restoration to green roofs
Summary
Change in climate patterns cause the increase of extreme hydro-meteorological events which results in more floods and droughts (Beniston 2007; De Paola et al 2018; EC 2020). Hydro-meteorological experts estimate that climate change may induce more flood risk due to an increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events (EEA 2016). In the past two decades, the implementation of ecosystem-based management has become more popular worldwide, and the need for consistent terminology has resulted in the use of the term NBS. Examples of NBS include providing more space for rivers, e.g., Nesttunvassdraget in Norway (CoB 2007), revitalizing floodplains, e.g., Grand Park Garonne in France (Van de Kreek and Etienne 2012) establishing green infrastructure in cities, e.g., The Green Ring, Antwerpen in Belgium (Haine 2014), and implementing decentralized rainwater management, e.g., Rewitalizacja rzeki Białej in Poland (Sadowska-Dubicka 2015). NBS are defined as ‘‘actions which are inspired by, supported by or copied from nature’’
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