Local insights into industrial nature-based solutions: A comparative study between Northwest China and New Zealand

Abstract

In the global pursuit of sustainable urban development, this study explored public support for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in urban industrial development, comparing Northwest China and New Zealand. Lanzhou residents exhibited a willingness to pay (WTP) USD 2.36 million for industrial NbS (INbS) and USD 3.18 million for Neighborhood NbS (NNbS), whereas Aucklanders' WTP was at USD 3.9 million and USD 9.8 million, respectively. The annual nonmarket values for Lanzhou's NNbS and INbS were 30.15 million and 6.65 million USD, and for Auckland, they were 80.14 million and 53.17 million USD, respectively. Aucklanders preferred housing near NbS areas, whereas Lanzhou residents chose locations close to workplaces, with age, gender, education, residency duration, and visit length significantly influencing NbS engagement. Middle-income and homeowner groups, especially middle-aged Lanzhou residents and Auckland bachelor graduates and employees, exhibited higher WTP for INbS and NNbS, with Lanzhou residents preferring WTP for stormwater wetlands of NNbS and Aucklanders favoring WTP for grass swales and permeable surfaces of INbS. Challenges in promoting INbS encompass costs and maintenance. Promoting INbS involves customized strategies for different demographics, legislative collaboration, pilot projects in disadvantaged areas, and aesthetic, demographic-specific designs. The public WTP for INbS underscores a preference for urban designs that are aesthetically pleasing, stress-reducing, and inclusive, reflecting wider societal goals.