Transcending disciplinary boundaries: Nature based solutions (NbSs) for Caribbean coastal resilience

Abstract

Caribbean Small Island Developing States are experiencing multiple interconnected crises including susceptibility to natural hazards, increased vulnerability to climate change, biodiversity loss and reduced accessibility to development funding. Nature-based Solutions can provide an integrated approach to boost Caribbean coastal resilience as they are economic and practical solutions that capably balance competing interests. This study used a participatory method, Group Model Building, to engage stakeholders across varying disciplines and levels of decision-making to collaboratively identify the underlying causes of low Nature-based Solutions uptake regionally and potential intervention mechanisms. Six overarching factors contributed to low adoption, including data and knowledge limitations, a propensity towards hard engineering, low collaborative engagement, and limited implementation capacity. Some areas identified for intervention were comprehensive data collection, reducing uncertainty surrounding the implementation of Nature-based Solutions, effective collaboration, using case studies and best practices, and knowledge translation and dissemination. The outputs demonstrated a critical role for the engineer in mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions through adopting a systematic and holistic design approach. Concomitant to this is the need for engineers to operate successfully within transdisciplinary teams to enhance transformative communication skills and ensure that solutions not only minimize environmental impact but also support the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.