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Special Issue "Nature Based Solutions to Support Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development"

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2021.

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alessandro Pagano
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Guest Editor

Water Research Institute of the National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Bari, Italy
Interests: water resources management; water-related risks assessment and mitigation; resilience assessment; environmental sustainability; integrated modelling; participatory approaches

Dr. Elena López Gunn
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Guest Editor

ICATALIST, S.L., Calle Cifuentes, 5, 28021 Madrid, Spain
Interests: water security; social innovation; collaborative decision making; water governance; climate change adaptation and green infrastructure; groundwater strategic management

Dr. Leon Kapetas
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Guest Editor

DRAXIS ENVIRONMENTAL S.A., 54-56 Themistokli Sofouli St., 54655 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: climate change adaptation and blue-green infrastructure; natural flood management; natural capital assessments and ecosystem services approaches; resilience-thinking; water governance; cost-benefit analysis; groundwater resources management

Dr. Beatriz Mayor
E-Mail Website

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Guest Editor

ICATALIST, S.L., Calle Cifuentes, 5, 28021 Madrid, Spain
Interests: NBS business models; water-energy-food nexus; social and technological innovation; climate change adaptation and green infrastructure; integrated surface and groundwater management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There are growing concerns due to the increase of both frequency and magnitude of natural disasters, and particularly of water-related risks (floods and droughts). Such extremes have severe effects on communities, on the economy, and on the environment, which may be even worsened by additional pressures such as climate change. Policy- and decision-makers are thus increasingly aware of the need for more systemic perspectives oriented at supporting climate change adaptation, water-related risk reduction, sustainable development, and conservation and restoration of ecosystems. In this direction, EU policies are supporting the ‘working with nature’ method, and nature-based solutions (NBS) are becoming central in responding to multiple challenges. The European Commission defines NBS to societal challenges as “solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic intervention”.

A growing attention on NBS is coupled with a rising interest in the scientific literature, although several gaps and barriers still exist and need to be carefully addressed. For example, additional evidence on the functioning of NBS and on their hydrological performances is needed, e.g., when operating as a network of measures or in comparison/integration with grey infrastructures. Furthermore, a stronger evidence base is required on the capability of NBS to provide multidimensional benefits and co-benefits, with a specific attention to their dynamic evolution and the potential presence of trade-offs. Additionally, innovative methods and tools accounting for a deeper stakeholder involvement should be fostered, in order both to support the inclusion of local/expert knowledge as well as to increase the sense of awareness about NBS potential. Last but not least, innovative while feasible business models need to be sought in order to make NBS investable and financially self-sufficient in the long term, and thus enable and catalyse their implementation.

In this framework, the present Special Issue aims at collecting a wide range of experiences related to NBS design, assessment, and/or implementation, and interdisciplinary approaches are welcome. We invite papers focusing on, but not limited to, the following topics:

NBS design and effectiveness assessment, hydrological performances;
Integrated modeling of NBS and analysis of systemic impacts;
Benefit/co-benefit production and trade-offs both at urban and at watershed scale;
NBS flexibility and scalability;
Cost-effectiveness of NBS, valuation, and evaluation;
Tools and methods for supporting decision- and policy-making;
Public participation to support NBS implementation.
Innovative and feasible business models for NBS.

Dr. Alessandro Pagano
Dr. Elena López Gunn
Dr. Leon Kapetas
Dr. Beatriz Mayor
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Nature Based Solutions
water-related risks
ecosystem services
co-benefits assessment
sustainable development

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

State of the Art and Latest Advances in Exploring Business Models for Nature-Based Solutions

and

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7413; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137413 - 02 Jul 2021

Viewed by 947

Abstract

Nature-based solutions (NBS) offer multiple solutions to urban challenges simultaneously, but realising funding for NBS remains a challenge. When the concept of NBS for societal challenges was first defined by the EC in 2017, financing was recognised as one of the major challenges to its mainstreaming. The complexity of NBS finance has its origin in the multiple benefits/stakeholders involved, which obscures the argument for both public and private sector investment. Since 2017, subsequent waves of EU research- and innovation-funded projects have substantially contributed to the knowledge base of funding and business models for NBS, particularly in the urban context. Collaborating and sharing knowledge through an EU Task Force, this first set of EU projects laid important knowledge foundations, reviewing existing literature, and compiling empirical evidence of different financing approaches and the business models that underpinned them. The second set of EU innovation actions advanced this knowledge base, developing and testing new implementation models, business model tools, and approaches. This paper presents the findings of these projects from a business model perspective to improve our understanding of the value propositions of NBS to support their mainstreaming. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Based Solutions to Support Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development)

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Open AccessArticle

Nature-Based Solutions Tools for Planning Urban Climate Adaptation: State of the Art

Ilse M. Voskamp

Claudia de Luca

Monserrat Budding Polo-Ballinas

Helena Hulsman

and

Reinder Brolsma

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6381; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116381 - 04 Jun 2021

Viewed by 984

Abstract

Despite the recognized potential of nature-based solutions (NBSs) to support climate adaptation, there are still wide barriers for a wider uptake of such NBS in urban areas. While tailored NBS tools could facilitate and accelerate this process, a comprehensive mapping of their availability and capacity to respond to cities’ challenges is missing. This research aims to provide an overview of tools that intend to facilitate the uptake of NBS for urban climate adaptation supporting cities in overcoming their challenges. To do so, this paper (i) presents the results of interviews and workshops with municipal officers and decision-makers from different European cities that identified the challenges they experience with NBS uptake; (ii) selects and reviews NBS tools and (iii) analyzes them on their capacity to address these implementation challenges. Our research revealed four key challenges that municipal officers experience: resources availability; level of expertise, know-how or competence; the institutional setting, and collaborative governance and planning. The results from the tools’ review show that existing tools can support overcoming a lack of expertise (31), but, to a smaller extent, can also be of use when experiencing the institutional setting (13), availability of resources (11), and collaborative governance and planning (10) as a challenge. This work provides researchers and tool developers with insights into potential market saturation as well as scarcity of certain types of tools that would match cities’ challenges, highlighting needs and opportunities for new tool development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Based Solutions to Support Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development)

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Open AccessArticle

Communities of Innovation for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction: Niche Creation and Anticipation

Maria Conceição Colaço

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Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5180; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095180 - 06 May 2021

Viewed by 521

Abstract

This paper presents the concept of communities of innovation for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The paper discusses the added value of these types of communities to help address uncertain futures from the impact of climate change, which are highly context dependent. The paper frames these communities of innovation as part of innovation ecosystems in order to reflect on their key elements and added value. We argue that climate change and disaster risk management responses need to meet the needs of those experiencing problems with those that can offer solutions in distinct localities, including those that could fund or finance potential innovative solutions. Developing communities of innovation with the specific task of anticipating and creating niche solutions has been gaining traction in the EU. Some developed under the H2020 BRIGAID project are analysed here for other emergent COIs, as future-oriented communities tasked with the challenge to reduce disaster risks and enhance the climate resilience in their own spaces. This paper reflects on the experience of participants in these communities and their reflections and experience on whether these offer a useful form of organisation to anticipate future challenges, create niche solutions, and bring innovations to the market. The paper concludes with how communities of innovation can contribute to niche design and narratives of change to help achieve social and environmental resilience to reframe and help transition and transform current systems into more resilient, future-oriented communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Based Solutions to Support Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development)

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Open AccessArticle

Natural Assurance Schemes Canvas: A Framework to Develop Business Models for Nature-Based Solutions Aimed at Disaster Risk Reduction

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Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1291; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031291 - 26 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 595

Abstract

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly being promoted because they can solve different pursued aims together with providing an additional array of multiple ecosystem services or co-benefits. Nevertheless, their implementation is still being curbed by several barriers, for example, a lack of examples, a lack of finance, and a lack of business cases. Therefore, there is an urgent need to facilitate the construction of business models and business cases that identify the elements required to capture value. These are necessary to catalyze investments for the implementation of NBS. This article presents a tool called a Natural Assurance Schemes (NAS) canvas and explains how it can be applied to identify business models for NBS strategies providing climate adaptation services, showing an eye-shot summary of critical information to attract funding. The framework is applied in three case studies covering different contexts, scales, and climate-related risks (floods and droughts). Finally, a reflective analysis is done, comparing the tool with other similar approaches while highlighting the differential characteristics that define the usefulness, replicability, and flexibility of the tool for the target users, namely policymakers, developers, scientists, or entrepreneurs aiming to promote and implement NAS and NBS projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Based Solutions to Support Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development)

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Open AccessArticle

Innovating with Nature: From Nature-Based Solutions to Nature-Based Enterprises

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Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1263; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031263 - 26 Jan 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1890

Abstract

Nature-based solutions (NBS) to address societal challenges have been widely recognised and adopted by governments in climate change and biodiversity strategies. Nevertheless, significant barriers exist for the necessary large-scale implementation of NBS and market development is still in its infancy. This study presents findings from a systematic review of literature and a survey on private sector agents in the planning and implementation of NBS, with the aim to identify them. In this study, we propose a typology for organisations delivering NBS and a categorisation of their economic activities. The most common organisation type found is nature-based enterprise which offers products or services where nature is a core element and used sustainably and engages in economic activity. Moreover, eleven categories of economic activities were identified, ranging from ecosystem restoration, living green roofs, and eco-tourism to smart technologies and community engagement for NBS. Nature-based enterprises contribute to a diverse range of sustainable economic activities, that standard industry classification systems do not adequately account for. The recognition of the value created by these activities is essential for designing effective policy support measures, and for market development of the sector and its potential to facilitate the wider adoption of NBS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Based Solutions to Support Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development)

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Open AccessArticle

Introducing Nature into Cities or Preserving Existing Peri-Urban Ecosystems? Analysis of Preferences in a Rapidly Urbanizing Catchment

Cécile Hérivaux

and

Philippe Le Coent

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 587; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020587 - 09 Jan 2021

Viewed by 755

Abstract

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly being promoted as a means to address societal and environmental challenges, especially flood risk reduction. In the context of rapidly urbanizing catchments, NBS can take part of the development of sustainable cities, either by conserving peri-urban ecosystems from urban sprawl or by developing green infrastructure in the cities. Both can provide a wide range of co-benefits (e.g., climate regulation, air quality regulation), but also generate some negative effects (e.g., mobility issues, unsafety, allergens). We develop and implement a Discrete Choice Experiment survey to analyse people’s perception of co-benefits and negative effects, and associated preferences for the two types of NBS at a catchment scale. The results obtained from 400 households living in a French Mediterranean catchment highlight that people associate numerous co-benefits to NBS, but also negative effects. Our estimations reveal that resident households are ready to contribute large amounts through a tax increase for the development of NBS (from 140 to 180 EUR/year, on average). There is however a strong heterogeneity of preferences at the catchment scale influenced by income, location of the respondent along an urban–rural gradient, and perception of the importance of ecosystem services. These differences may reflect urban environmental inequalities at the catchment scale, which are important to take into account in order to avoid distributive inequalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Based Solutions to Support Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development)

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Open AccessArticle

The Quest for Adaptation through Spatial Planning and Ecosystem-Based Tools in Resilience Strategies

Konstantina-Dimitra Salata

and

Athena Yiannakou

Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5548; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145548 - 09 Jul 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1273

Abstract

As climate change and other interdependent challenges are expected to become increasingly acute and unpredictable, so the need for policies and measures to reduce risks and uncertainties in order to adapt to these changes becomes more imperative. Cities can influence their adaptation, resilience, and eventually their sustainability through spatial planning with the use of more ecosystem-based planning tools, such as Green Infrastructure (GI). The present paper is an attempt to assess whether and how city strategies address the objective of an adaptation which interconnects the criteria of vulnerability, adaptability, and resilience through spatial planning. For this purpose, the paper examines the Resilience Strategies of seven European cities of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative (100RC). Based on a thematic analysis, the paper investigates whether these strategies incorporate a spatial planning approach which contributes to adaptation to climate change, focusing on GI as a spatial planning tool. The paper argues that there is room for improvement in all the examined strategies, as none of them fully incorporate the concept of GI, and, furthermore, that some critical planning principles which contribute to adaptation are missing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Based Solutions to Support Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development)

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