Use Of Nature-based Solutions Research Articles

Modelled effectiveness of NbS in reducing disaster risk: Evidence from the OPERANDUM project

The use of nature-based solutions (NbS) to address the risks posed by hydro-meteorological hazards have not yet become part of the mainstream policy response, and one of the main reasons cited for this, is the lack of evidence that they can effectively reduce disaster risk. This paper addresses this issue, by providing model-based evidence from five European case studies which demonstrate the effectiveness of five different NbS in reducing the magnitude of the hazard and thus risk, in present-day and possible future climates. In OAL-Austria, the hazard is a deep-seated landslide, and the NbS analysed is afforestation. Modelling results show that in today's climate and a landcover scenario of mature forest, a reduction in landslide velocity of 27.6 % could be achieved. In OAL-Germany, the hazard is river flooding and the NbS analysed is managed grazing with removal of woody vegetation. Modelling results show that the NbS could potentially reduce maximum flood water depth in the near-future (2031–2060) and far-future (2070–2099), by 0.036 m and 0.155 m, respectively. In OAL-Greece, the hazard is river flooding, and the NbS is upscaled natural storage reservoirs. Modelling results show that in a possible future climate the upscaled NbS show most potential in reducing the total flooded area by up to 1.26 km2. In OAL-Ireland, the hazard is surface and river flooding, and the NbS is green roofs. Results from a modelled upscaling analysis under two different climate scenarios show that both maximum flood water depth, and total flooded area were able to be reduced. In OAL-UK, the hazard is shallow landslides, and the NbS is high-density planting of two different tree species. Modelling results under two different climate scenarios show that both tree species were able to improve slope stability, and that this increased over time as the NbS matured. The significance of these results is discussed within the context of the performance of the NbS over time, to different magnitude events, impact with stakeholders in engendering wider support for the adoption of the NbS in the OALs, and the uncertainty in the modelling analyses.

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for increasing urban greening and reducing runoff flows in narrow streets

When we explore Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and their implementation in small cities with narrow streets and sidewalks as a feature of their historical cores, we can discover several challenges in terms of sustainability and microclimate regulation. The small cities in the Global South differs significantly from that in the Northern Hemisphere, because their financial reality; it is critical for the community, public authorities, and academia to collaborate to find accessible and novel approaches. Fighting floods and enhancing the environment in these tiny cities can begin with the reintroduction of vegetated spaces and their integration with Blue and Green Infrastructures, thereby assisting grey infrastructures in urban landscape planning. This article is an exercise result of the insertion of NbS in Cachoeira do Sul (RS) - Brazil, city located in the Guarani aquifer zone. The use of NbS was intended to increase drainage area, reduce runoff flows, and provide others ecosystem services in an urban street with nearly no vegetation, or spaces for this. The efficacy of the concept was investigated through the LID-TTT program, allowing to suggest its application in others streets and avenues in the same city. We were also able to use it to model other scenarios in the studied section, seeking an increase in permeability, modifying street coverings and walkways. This surge could also occur by building eco-corridors to enhance connectedness among isolated remnant patches in the city (green areas in backyards, squares, and urban edges), resulting in an increase in biodiversity. This paper intends to propose tiny solutions to dealing with recent flooding caused by current extreme weather conditions.

The value of marsh restoration for flood risk reduction in an urban estuary

The use of nature-based solutions (NBS) for coastal climate adaptation has broad and growing interest, but NBS are rarely assessed with the same rigor as traditional engineering solutions or with respect to future climate change scenarios. These gaps pose challenges for the use of NBS for climate adaptation. Here, we value the flood protection benefits of stakeholder-identified marsh restoration under current and future climate change within San Francisco Bay, a densely urbanized estuary, and specifically on the shores of San Mateo County, the county most vulnerable to future flooding in California. Marsh restoration provides a present value of $21 million which increases to over $100 million with 0.5 m of sea level rise (SLR), and to about $500 million with 1 m of SLR. There are hotspots within the county where marsh restoration delivers very high benefits for adaptation, which reach $9 million/hectare with likely future sea level and storm conditions. Today’s investments in nature and community resilience can result in increasing payoffs as climate change progresses and risk increases.

Aligning nature-based solutions with ecosystem services in the urban century

In an increasingly urbanized world, the concepts of ecosystem services and nature-based solutions can help tackle grand challenges. However, ambiguity in their definitions and in the relationship between the two concepts complicates comprehensive research efforts as well as their effective application in policy and planning in urban systems. This paper presents a framework to clarify and explicitly relate the two concepts, enhancing their applicability in the management of urban challenges. Within the framework, addressing urban challenges serves as the starting point for the development and implementation of nature-based solutions. Nature-based solutions alter the flows of ecosystem services that are produced by an ecosystem by altering the performance of the ecosystem or by changing how people engage with the ecosystem. This results both in changes in the target ecosystem services, as well as non-targeted ecosystem services, leading to benefits. Using two illustrative case studies, we show how the framework can be applied to two urban challenges that are expected to increase in intensity in cities across the world: stormwater management and urban heat stress. Moreover, we highlight key research topics that will benefit from more integrated use of nature-based solutions and ecosystem services. The framework helps emphasize co-benefits, and can be used to help make co-benefits and multifunctionality explicit in urban decision-making and planning processes.

Urban ecohydrology under socioeconomic scenarios: The protagonism of nature-based solutions in a changing future

Urban ecohydrology research has assessed how several drivers interfere with the basin's response. These interactions can be utilized in urban basins to enhance flood risk management. This paper aims to show how socioeconomic narratives influence rainfall-runoff transformation under changing conditions. For this, the study used the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) scenarios to measure the influence of different storylines on the land cover and, consequently, the basin's response, measured as the Percentage of Peak Flow Variations (PPFV) of the starting scenario. MA scenarios consider postures reactive and proactive to solve problems and different levels of the protagonist of nature. We used 13 urban ecohydrological variables that are sensitive to the socioeconomic narrative and include the use of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Then, we set up the qualitative scenarios to apply in two Brazilian urban basins (78.00 and 15.42 km2) to create quantitative scenarios. Finally, we used rainfall-monitored events in these basins and registered their responses as PPFV. The results indicated that socioeconomic narratives significantly impacted the urban basins. PPFV medians ranged, in the reactive scenarios, between 259 % and 70.5 %, and in the proactive scenario, between 54.5 % and -47.5 %. The scenario with NbS in their narrative shows significant decreases in the two basins. We concluded that socioeconomic narratives influence urban flood risk management. Societies with international cooperation focused on environmental solutions, such as using NbS, achieve better adaptation to challenging futures in the face of hydrological threats than reactive societies that do not prioritize the environment.

Assessing the efficacy and mechanisms of glycol-contaminated water treatment through floating treatment wetlands

Abstract The growing concerns surrounding water pollution and the degradation of ecosystems worldwide have led to an increased use of nature-based solutions (NbSs). This study assessed the feasibility of using floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) as an NbS to treat propylene glycol-contaminated water and quantitatively investigated different removal pathways. With an environmentally relevant concentration of propylene glycol (1,250 mg/L), FTWs containing Acorus calamus and mixed species demonstrated the highest average glycol mass removal efficacy (99%), followed by Carex acutiformis (98%), Juncus effusus (93%), and the control group without plants (10%) after 1 week. Additional mesocosm-scale experiments with varying FTW configurations, including surface coverage to reduce evaporation and photodegradation processes, and the addition of antibiotics to inhibit microbial activity, were conducted to quantify glycol removal pathways. Mass balance analysis results revealed that microbial biodegradation (33.3–39.7%) and plant uptake (37.9–45.2%) were the primary pathways for glycol removal. Only 15.5–19.5% of the glycol removal via evaporation and photodegradation was accounted in this study, which may be attributed to the mesocosm experimental setup (static water and no wind). Aligned with the broader discussion regarding biodiversity improvements and carbon storage capacity, this study demonstrated that FTWs are an environmentally friendly and effective NbS for addressing glycol-contaminated water.

Rail industry knowledge, experience and perceptions on the use of nature-based solutions as climate change adaptation measures in Australia and the United Kingdom

Nature-based solutions (NbS) have been identified as sustainable adaptation measures which could be applied to rail infrastructure in response to the impacts of climate change whilst also providing highly valued co-benefits. To date, however, only a limited number of examples of their use have been found in rail, and there has been little investigation into barriers to their uptake. We use an online questionnaire to examine rail industry professionals’ knowledge, experience and thoughts in relation to perceived and/or actual obstacles to the use of NbS as climate change adaptation (CCA) measures for railways, and establish what could aid their wider implementation. This research confirms multiple examples of NbS being used in rail which are not included in the literature, and identifies a lack of awareness of NbS as the largest perceived barrier to their uptake. Education on and promotion of NbS in the industry will therefore be key to its successful widespread deployment. Policy, standards, and client specification were viewed as the best vehicles to enable greater NbS uptake; rail NbS case studies are therefore recommended as means of gathering robust evidence and examples to inform the development of these instruments. Demonstration sites could be used to inform rail stakeholders and communities to garner wider support for the concept. These may also be valuable to the work of researchers and practitioners investigating the wider development and deployment of NbS as sustainable CCA measures across wider (non-rail) sectors and scenarios.

Context matters: Co-creating nature-based solutions in rural living labs

The use of Nature-based Solutions (NBS), designed and implemented with participatory approaches, is rapidly increasing. Much use is being made of the Living Lab (LL) concept to co-create innovative NBS with stakeholders in a certain societal and environmental, real-life context. Most of the current research revolves around urban LLs, thus overlooking specificities of rural areas. Furthermore, the influence of the context itself on co-creation processes is insufficiently recognised, leaving challenges associated with co-creation such as stakeholder engagement unresolved. By exploring the co-creation processes in the LLs of the OPERANDUM project, this study identifies eighteen contextual factors shaping the co-creation processes of NBS within rural territories and provides associated recommendations. In addition, based on lessons learnt in the OPERANDUM project, we discuss the value of a relational place-based approach in LLs, suggesting that the co-creation process should be approached as a dynamic confluence of many interconnected contextual factors. We conclude that acknowledging the interconnections in co-creation in the real-life context of rural territories may increase the success and impact of the LL approach, and ultimately, the benefits of NBS.

The Use of Nature-Based Solutions in the Adaptation of Large Polish Cities to Climate Change and Energy Transformation: A Comparative Analysis

Cities have always been places that generate problems, but also places where solutions are born. In recent years, cities have become a testing ground for finding and testing solutions to overcome the climate crisis. The subject of the paper is Nature-based Solutions (NbSs) that strengthen the resilience to climate change, influence urban spaces, and improve the quality of life of residents. The study focusses on the identification of NbSs, the diagnosis of its participation in local adaptation activities, and a comparative analysis of the activities planned and implemented in 44 large Polish cities in 2017–2023. The authors analyse data from 44 Polish cities, based on the types of NbSs implemented in European cities that carried out the URBAN GreenUP project. The results of the study show that Polish cities, while introducing sustainable urban lifestyles through NbSs, do not take advantage of all the opportunities inherent in these solutions. They focus on greening urban spaces and implement water interventions and singular green infrastructure measures to a lesser extent. There is negligible use of innovative and energy-using activities. The quantitative data obtained can be used to identify the gaps and potentials in the use of nature-based solutions in the adaptation of Polish cities to climate change and energy transformation. The aim of this work is also to identify recommendations to incorporate NbSs into urban adaptation policies in Poland. The authors conclude that the research conducted can serve to improve the knowledge on the links between NbS planning in adaptation activities and their implementation in urban spaces. An awareness of NbS gaps can influence the intensification of research on the implementation of innovative adaptation solutions, including energy-based solutions. The results obtained can also contribute to a better organisation of urban policies that aim to increase the resilience of cities to climate change.

On the Reason to Implement a Sustainable Urban Drainage Nature-Based Solution to Decrease Flood Threat: A Survey

Systematic interviews to technicians in charge of urban drainage were undertaken to assess the distribution of nature-based solutions (NBSs) for hydraulic risk mitigation in the Veneto region (Italy) and to investigate interventions that are priorities to address the challenges of urban growth and hydraulic risk. Specifically, this paper investigated stakeholders’ preference for green and gray infrastructure and for some NBSs in particular among those more frequently adopted, where they are predominantly implemented, and why. The results were interpreted in the context of significant geomorphological, socioeconomic, and regulatory parameters and how they relate to NBS implementation. The survey demonstrated that, among technical experts in one of Italy’s most developed regions, there may be a certain skepticism about the effectiveness of NBSs in counteracting the hydraulic risk of flooding, the close interrelation between political decisions in favour of NBS and the constrains of national and regional legislation, and the willingness to involve the population in the decision-making process. Further investigation showed that what (de)motivates the use of NBSs may be a partial disconnection between the academic, technical, and administrative sectors.

Analysing the treatment of environmental justice and nature-based solutions in the Urban Climate Action Plans of Latin American metropolitan areas

ABSTRACT Urban Climate Action Plans are instruments increasingly being used by governments to identify vulnerabilities and propose technological, engineered and ecosystem-based actions for adapting to and mitigating climate change effects. However, as the outcomes of the climate response could asymmetrically affect marginalised communities already more impacted by climate-related hazards, researchers and practitioners have expressed concerns regarding the lack of attention given to the environmental justice (EJ) implications of climate action planning. In this context, this study uses content analysis to review the inclusion and framing of EJ concerns in Urban Climate Action Plans from 30 Latin American cities as a less studied and particularly vulnerable world region. Moreover, we investigate whether and how these documents translate justice concerns into concrete strategies, with particular emphasis given to the use of Nature-based solutions. We found that, through the years, the concerns related to EJ are more prominent but are rarely concretised into specific actions. When they are, these actions are less framed within systemic policy interventions and more into educational and capacity-building strategies. Finally, most planning documents frame Nature-based solutions for biodiversity conservation purposes, forgoing the opportunity to adopt the socially transformative potential of the term for enhancing sustainable and just futures.

A Proposal of a Tool to Assess Psychosocial Benefits of Nature-Based Interventions for Sustainable Built Environment

The use of nature-based solutions (NbS) in urban regeneration processes has been demonstrated as a multifunctional solution to increase the resilience of the built environment, contributing to improved environmental quality and health and wellbeing, and providing empowerment to communities facing natural hazards. However, when it comes to the assessment of psychological wellbeing and social benefits, existing evidence is still limited. To contribute to the knowledge of NbS’ psychosocial benefits, it is necessary to develop and test assessment tools to contribute to a common NbS monitoring framework. In this paper, we describe the development of a psychosocial benefit assessment tool for nature-based interventions in the urban regeneration processes. This tool has been developed within the framework of the H2020 CLEVER-Cities project through a participatory and co-design process, considering advanced sustainability paradigms, such as Regenerative Sustainability and Sensory Sustainability Science. This tool is structured around two dimensions, (1) perceived health and wellbeing and (2) social benefits, which refer to 13 attributes, assessed through 24 items. The Delphi method was used to validate the assessment tool, in which a multidisciplinary panel of experts participated. The results indicate that it has good face and content validity, concluding with the potential applicability of this tool in different contexts.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Use of Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Adaptation

The concept of nature-based solutions (NbS) has been endorsed by multiple international organizations as one of the priority approaches to address climate-related challenges. These solutions are versatile, and can simultaneously address challenges such as climate impacts, public health, inequality, and the biodiversity crisis, being uniquely suited for urban adaptation. NbS are particularly relevant in the developing world, where strategies should be as self-reliant as possible, reducing the need for technological processes that require expensive and complex maintenance. NbS can also promote political, societal, cultural, and ultimately, systems change. The purpose of this paper is to present a literature review on the use of NbS for urban adaptation, identifying the main opportunities, challenges, and, most specifically, knowledge gaps, which can be addressed in subsequent research. The present paper identifies four types of knowledge gaps that are particularly relevant for the use of NbS for urban adaptation: future climate uncertainty, lack of site-specific technical design criteria, governance strategies, and effectiveness assessment evaluation. To overcome local governments’ limitations, specific implementation strategies and structures should be considered, centered on knowledge transfer within a transdisciplinary and participatory framework. These should be developed in partnership with urban planning entities, seeking to consolidate these approaches in policies that support social resilience and institutional capacity. Therefore, urban adaptation should be initiated with pilot projects to simultaneously address the urgency for implementation, while allowing urban planning practices the time to adjust, building capacity at the local level, and filling knowledge gaps through the assessment of effectiveness. The climate-resilience of urban tree species adequate to the future climate was identified as a relevant knowledge gap for the implementation of NbS.

Evaluation of nature-based solutions for flood risk management in the Oitavén-Verdugo River Basin (NW Spain)

AbstractFloods are recurrent phenomena with significant environmental and socio-economic impacts. The risk of flooding can increase when land use changes. The objective of this research has been to obtain an integrative methodology based on the development of a model in HEC-HMS, calibrated and validated from events between 2018 and 2022, and to apply simulations employing the use of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) tools. This model has been applied in Verdugo-Oitavén River Basin (NW Spain). Three different scenarios propose (1) the reforestation of 30% of abandoned agricultural land across the basin, (2) reforestation upstream (S-Upstream), and (3) reforestation in two sub-basins (S-Downstream). Upstream afforestation provided a similar reduction to catchment-wide afforestation for both peak discharge and hydrograph volumes. The S-Upstream simulation reaches peak reductions of 8%, but this percentage decreases when precipitation events are long lasting, reaching a reduction of 3.3% for events of 5 days or more. On the other hand, downstream reforestation has minimal effect (1%) in reducing maximum discharge of events. The use of NbS-based strategies would improve integrated watershed management, reduce flood risk, and improve environmental governance.

Rockfall susceptibility analysis through 3D simulations in marine protected areas of the Portofino coastline: case studies of San Fruttuoso and Paraggi bays

The research focuses on the assessment of the potential geomorphological hazards affecting the stability of the Promontory of Portofino (Regional Natural Park of Portofino, Northern Italy), mainly on the bays of San Fruttuoso and Paraggi. The study area constitutes one of the most representative and most populated environments, both by locals and tourists, of the entire Liguria area. For this reason, there is a growing need for investigation on the natural dynamics of these landscapes, based on detailed topographic information. The research starts from a regional geological and geomorphological analysis specific to the study area, combined with a multi-model comparison algorithm (M3C2), which allows comparing two LiDAR datasets acquired in 2008 and 2020, respectively, to assess the overall dynamics of the promontory development. Then, a detailed study of San Fruttuoso and Paraggi bays, two key points for visitors and therefore for management, is performed. Three-dimensional modeling of rockfalls is carried out, which allows the development of a specific management oriented to the use of nature-based solutions (NBSs) strategies, respecting the environment and increasing safety against instability processes in these areas.

Nature-based solutions for flood–drought mitigation using a composite framework: a case-based approach

AbstractWater-related hazards like floods and droughts are increasing due to climate change. The study aims towards balancing a double edge situation of the inevitable flood and drought. The Soil Conservation Service-Curve Number (SCS-CN) method is used to calculate the rainfall–runoff and the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) is used for identifying potential water accumulation zones, whereas the Normalized Differential Water Index (NDWI) is used to calculate surface waterbody variations and the Soil Water Index (SWI) is used to identify zones varying in the range of dry-to-wet soil moisture. The study focuses on the use of nature-based solutions (NbS) for achieving mutual flood–drought mitigation for the pilot case of the Banaskantha district, Gujarat, and is validated for the study case of the Muzaffarpur district, Bihar. The application of the developed contingency plan in the form of an applicability rubric agrees to solve the issue by 44.44% for the pilot case and 22.22% for the study case. It suggests the application of NbS for the regions having similar situations of flood–drought as of the pilot case.

Effectiveness of Nature-Based Solutions for Mitigating the Impact of Pluvial Flooding in Urban Areas at the Regional Scale

Pluvial flooding causes significant damage in urban areas worldwide. The most common approaches to mitigating these impacts at regional scales include structural measures such as dams, levees and floodways. More recently, the use of nature-based solutions (NBS) is receiving increasing attention, as such approaches are more adaptive than structural measures and have a number of potential co-benefits (e.g., improvements in water quality and amenity). As NBSs are generally applied at house or block scales in urban areas, their potential for reducing the impacts of urban flooding at the regional scale are unknown. We introduce an approach that enables the potential of using portfolios of NBSs to reduce the impact of urban flooding to be assessed at the regional scale. This approach enables the most suitable locations for such portfolios of NBSs to be identified, as well as their effectiveness to be modeled at spatial resolutions that are commonly used for regional planning studies. The approach is applied to a case study area to the north of Adelaide, South Australia, with results obtained suggesting that there is significant potential for using strategically placed portfolios of NBSs to reduce the impact of pluvial flooding in urban areas at the regional scale.

Stakeholders’ involvement in the planning of nature-based solutions: A network analysis approach

Environmental planning is considered an important process to positively encourage the inclusion of nature-based solutions (NbS) in urban areas. The success of their implementation relies on the collaboration between the involved stakeholders in the environmental planning process. The aim of this study is to identify the key stakeholders within the environmental planning processes that could be considered in NbS promotion, as well as to understand their actual position in a conceptual collaboration network. Therefore, a sample of seven Local Environmental Action Plans (LEAPs) from Romania was selected to identify the relevant stakeholders for addressing environmental challenges through the promotion of NbS. We use social network analysis (SNA) to understand the barriers and opportunities of the collaborative planning process by identifying (i) 42 distinct stakeholders classified, based on the diffusion of innovation theory, according to their interests and reasons in promoting or hindering an innovation, and (ii) 12 categories of environmental challenges. Our findings illustrate a relatively low centrality and influence of stakeholders as innovators, change agents, and transformers. Furthermore, those who have greater influence in the collaboration network and therefore those who could emphasize the use of NbS into environmental planning based on the actions from LEAPs come from the following categories of stakeholders: controllers, mainstreamers, and laggards. The environmental challenges are addressed mainly by institutional stakeholders, to the detriment of community ones. Our study highlights the necessity for collaboration to support efficient NbS integration into environmental planning processes.

Key Considerations for the Use of Nature-Based Solutions in Climate Services and Adaptation

Nature-based solutions (NbS) involve the reliance on natural or nature-based systems to enhance community resilience through delivering both climate adaptation and mitigation outcomes. While NbS do not necessarily represent new “technology” or methods, the intentional incorporation of these approaches into climate adaptation and mitigation efforts is often considered novel, particularly within the climate services sector where interventions have historically prioritized structural infrastructure approaches. NbS can offer an effective replacement for or complement to such traditional infrastructure approaches. Additionally, natural and nature-based systems can respond to climate change in a manner that engineered solutions often cannot, providing long-term holistic adaptation and mitigation success with additional benefits to ecosystem services such as improved air and water quality, carbon sequestration, outdoor recreation, and biodiversity protection. The incorporation of NbS as a core component of climate services increases the likelihood of adoption and effective implementation, ensuring greater long-term effectiveness for both communities and the natural systems on which they depend. This article supports the adoption and effective implementation of NbS by climate service providers through presenting a set of seven “key considerations” for their use in community-based adaptation. These key considerations are based on a review of work in the field to date, both within the United States and globally. Although these key considerations were developed in support of US adaptation planning applications (specifically, the US Climate Resilience Toolkit), they have global relevance.

Evaluation of urban infrastructure policies in Turkey for climate resilience and adaptation

ABSTRACT Turkey is a country vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. In urban areas where most of the population lives, floods occur due to sudden, short-term but heavy rains caused by climate change. Infrastructure deficiencies have also caused considerable loss of life and property. I have discussed policies and practices of public administration formed by central government and local administrations focusing on climate change resilience and adaptation. I have also evaluated policy areas that need further development. This study can contribute to finding solutions to problems faced by cities in Turkey and other nearby countries. Findings show that participatory processes involving scientific and local knowledge can play a key role. Green and blue infrastructure with grey infrastructure and associated engineering solutions should also be used. Legislation should be updated to expand the use of nature-based solutions and green infrastructure, which should form a key focus of urban policy development.