This study delineated an SWOT analysis of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) within the context of heritage cities, utilizing an Internal-External (IE) matrix and an impact/uncertainty grid to ascertain the strategic positioning of NBS. The Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) score of 2.900 indicated a predominantly favorable internal environment for NBS, underscored by significant strengths such as 'Reconnecting Humanity with Nature' and 'Integration of Multiple Values'. Conversely, it also underscores weaknesses, most notably in 'Quantifying NBS Ecosystem Services'. Parallelly, the External Factor Evaluation (EFE) with a score of 2.797 suggested a moderately conducive external environment. Opportunities such as 'Gaining Wide Recognition and Support' and 'Enhancing Environmental Protection Awareness' are prevalent, albeit counterbalanced by threats including 'Insufficient Funding' and 'Competition with Multiple Alternatives'. The analysis posited the necessity of harnessing internal strengths to optimize external opportunities while simultaneously mitigating weaknesses and external threats. A proposed Strength + Opportunity (SO) strategy focuses on interdisciplinary policy development, community-centric NBS design, and establishment of participatory platforms underpinned by legislative support. Additionally, a Weakness + Opportunity (WO) strategy advocates for resource optimization, fostering public-private partnerships, and constructing regulatory frameworks conducive to resource-sharing within heritage communities. NBS in heritage cities are strategically poised for growth, contingent upon the effective utilization of inherent strengths and external opportunities. The analysis accentuated the imperative for dynamic, responsive strategies to internal capabilities and external environmental factors, advocating for a holistic, adaptable, and integrative approach in NBS to foster sustainable, resilient, and culturally vibrant urban ecosystems.

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How to cite: Wang, M. and Zhao, J.: Strategic Integration of Nature-Based Solutions in Historic Urban Landscapes: A SWOT Analysis Approach, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-336, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-336, 2025.

Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) are increasingly embedded in policies for climate change adaptation, highlighting NBS’s capacity to mitigate the risks of negative external impacts or provide buffers against shocks. For instance, the European Green deal promotes the integration of NBS by providing a new narrative involving biodiversity, Ecosystem Services (ES) and, indirectly, all four priorities of Sendai Framework. The selection of suitable NBSs should be based on their ability to reduce the magnitude, duration, or frequency of climate hazards considering their effectiveness under present and future conditions, while simultaneously delivering valuable co-benefits. However, empirical evidence on NBS performance is lacking – especially for coastal and transitional environments where there is limited site-specific evidence - and although harmonization efforts are being developed, e.g. the IUCN global standards, internationally recognized NBS standards have not yet been adopted into policies. The REST-COAST (rest-coast.eu) project aims to address these issues by demonstrating that upscaled coastal restoration can provide a solution to climate change adaptation through the provisioning of regulating ES such as reduction of erosion risk, reduction of flood risk, climate change mitigation and water quality purification. This is being elaborated by developing a risk analysis, initiated by a systematic review to expand the evidence-base for NBS implementation through identifying coastal NBS performance indicators. This review indicated that performance is most frequently evaluated based on environmental and physical indicators, e.g., vegetation cover, carbon sequestration, morphological changes, sediment, and nutrient dynamics, measured in-situ at the habitat scale. Nevertheless, to assure their long-term effectiveness of NBSs it is crucial to consider their suitability and scalability in relation to multi-hazard scenarios. Therefore, highlighting the importance of modelling and new data technologies, which allow the exploration NBS’s effectiveness for climate change adaptation and risk reduction through the evaluation of transformative pathways – a complete set of interventions, including NBSs and grey infrastructure, at the macro scale. To do so, a conceptual risk framework for the Venice lagoon (Veneto region, Italy) is being developed that will integrate the NBS performance indicators with climate scenarios and NBS intervention strategies to evaluate risk reduction through ES provisioning. This framework will provide the basis for the development and implementation of a Bayesian Network for risk modelling, integrating data regarding historical observations, past numerical modelling, and climate change projections, as well as co-created adaptation pathways for the Venice Lagoon. Co-creating these what-if adaptation strategies, based on a shared desired future and climate change projections, has the potential to bring together stakeholders and decision-makers to better understand, estimate and evaluate the effect of NBS interventions. Through exploring these research inquiries, this work aims to support the establishment of better guidelines for coastal and transitional adaptation management and development.

The REST-COAST project is funded under the Horizon2020 grant agreement No. 101037097.

How to cite: Horneman, F., Gatti, I., Torresan, S., Furlan, E., Bucx, T., de Vries, M., and Critto, A.: Enhancing Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Areas through Nature-Based Solutions and Risk Assessment, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1077, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1077, 2025.

Various flood risk mitigation measures such as green, hybrid and grey measures can be applied to reduce flood risk, which is expected to increase in the future due to climate change. While recent studies on flood risk perception have provided robust empirical evidence of social and regional differences in risk perception, comparative studies on the perception of flood risk management measures are lacking. Across Europe, there are significant differences in the preferred approaches to flood risk management and the identified barriers to their application. As part of this study, we examined the perception of various flood risk management measures in Slovenia, Czechia and the Netherlands. The following concepts were taken into consideration: effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability.

The public perception survey was conducted in the three countries via a self-administered online survey with the support of the external company (Bezak et al., 2024). In all three countries, a representative sample (n = 1000) was taken into account considering spatial and socio-demographic characteristics (quota sample). The selected flood risk management measures were divided into three categories: green, grey and a combination of green and grey (hybrid). The visual appearance (green, grey and hybrid), the extent of ecosystem services provided (zero, substantial and in-between) and the construction effort required (substantial, minimal and medium) were used to classify the measures. During the survey, respondents were only shown the drawing of the measure, not the description or the name of the measure. The following measures were considered: rain garden, wetland, tree trench, retention pond, cistern, dam (Bezak et al., 2024). In addition, three groups of experts were also included in the survey in Slovenia: water engineers, researchers working in the field of water management and agricultural workers.

In terms of individual flood protection measures, respondents (general public) in all three countries tend to view conventional grey measures (i.e., dams and cisterns) as more effective and acceptable, but more difficult to implement. This is in contrast to green and hybrid measures, which are considered feasible but less effective and acceptable. The degree of perceived effectiveness, feasibility and acceptance varies from country to country (Bezak et al., 2024). A similar perception was also noted by three expert groups in Slovenia, where researchers were the only group to consider green measures (i.e., wetlands) more effective than grey measures (i.e., dams). While water engineers and agricultural workers had similar perception as the general public, with water engineers clearly preferring classic flood risk management solutions such as dams. 

While specific projects and initiatives can benefit from knowledge of the individual determinants of flood risk perception, transnational policies and strategies should pay more attention to the specific patterns of perception in individual countries.

Reference:

Bezak et al., 2024. Investigating the public perception of green, hybrid and grey flood risk management measures in Europe. Progress in Disaster Science, 23, 100360, 10.1016/j.pdisas.2024.100360.

Acknowledgment: The research was conducted within the project [Evaluation of hazard-mitigating hybrid infrastructure under climate change scenarios] co-granted by Slovenian Research Agency (J6-4628) and Czech Science Foundation (22-04520L). 

How to cite: Bezak, N., Raška, P., Macháč, J., Louda, J., Zupanc, V., and Slavíková, L.: The public perception of green, hybrid and grey flood protection measures in three European countries, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2714, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2714, 2025.

The Khettara system is an ancient hydraulic infrastructure designed to collect and transport groundwater by gravity from the water table to irrigate oasis fields. This energy-efficient system, widely used in North Africa, particularly in Algeria (Foggara) and Morocco (Khettara), is celebrated for its sustainability and its potential to enhance drought resilience and combat desertification. Established as early as the 14th century, the Khettara system continues to function, despite facing significant natural and anthropogenic challenges. In Morocco, the indigenous water mobilization technique is found in two major oasis ecosystems in southern Morocco: Drâa and Tafilalet designated as the Biosphere Reserve (RBOSM) by UNESCO in 2000. Around these millennia-old agrosystems, successive civilizations developed resource management and governance practices, particularly in water allocation. Known as Al Orf or Azref, these regulations emphasize the protection, maintenance, and sustainable use of water resources where precipitation ranges from 50 to 120 mm per year. However, since the 1970s, the Khettara system has been in decline due to competition from motorized and solar-powered pumps, worsening droughts, and the migration of younger generations away from agriculture. This shift has led to growing inequality, individualism, and a breakdown in the collective labor and governance structures that sustained the system for centuries. Modern technologies, while initially promising, have proven unsustainable in many cases. In response, the Moroccan government undertook initiatives between 2008 and 2011 to restore certain abandoned Khettarat in the Tafilalet oases, integrating them into cultural tourism routes, particularly the Mejhoul circuit. This initiative, although still nascent, offers a promising pathway for collaboration among local communities (nomads, oasis inhabitants, and cooperative associations), researchers (hydrologists and hydro-sociologists), and stakeholders (local water policymakers and the tourism sector). Such efforts aim to preserve and revitalize this cultural and environmental heritage, which remains at risk. 

How to cite: Khettouch, A., Ait Brahim, Y., Hssaisoune, M., and Bouchaou, L.: Indigenous water management amid global changes: Reviving ancient Oasis irrigation systems in Southeastern Morocco, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4278, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4278, 2025.

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) leverage and mimic natural processes to address societal and environmental challenges. In recent years, they have attracted global interest for their significant contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals, offering integrated approaches to address multiple dimensions of resilience and sustainability in the context of global change. This potential is particularly promising in complex and rapidly evolving urban environments, where water resources represent both managing hazards and protecting resources. However, assessing and quantifying the full potential and impacts of NbS remains challenging, as their impacts span multiple disciplines and depend on local socio-geographical contexts and initial implementation goals. Holistic assessment frameworks are urgently required[ES1]  to demonstrate performance, capture the diverse effects of NbS along the process-impact chain, and enable stakeholders to monitor progress over time. This study presents a systematic literature review to map the current state of the art in NbS performance evaluation. 111 articles were reviewed to assess whether NbS evaluation methods associated with urban water resources provide holistic and transferable approaches while addressing the complexity of human-natural systems. Preliminary results indicate that most studies focused on existing sites where NbS were considered for implementation, often using modeling approaches. Performance evaluations spanned 16 parameter categories, with the majority addressing quantitative and qualitative hydrological aspects, consistent with the authors’ disciplinary backgrounds. Although many methods demonstrated reusability and supported decision-making processes, most studies assessed limited parameters, partly due to modeling assumptions. Notably, social aspects were frequently acknowledged, particularly regarding the involvement of local governments during the implementation phase. The results of this literature review can support scientists in developing robust assessment frameworks and provide stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art in NbS multi-benefit characterization. This, in turn, will provide stakeholders with greater confidence to invest in NbS, upscale their use, and influence NbS policies.

How to cite: Loghmani-Khouzani, T., Dubois, E., Ottaviani, S., Serrao, L., and Starkey, E.: Are water-related Nature-based Solutions (NbS) assessed to their full multi-benefit potential? A systematic literature review., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6629, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6629, 2025.

The EU-Water4All project INTERLAYER, 2024-2027, aims to develop cumulative adaptation strategies in the complex interlink between surface and groundwater management, using water retention measures to reduce water runoff and fill-up groundwater storages, thereby minimizing hydroclimatic extreme events’ impacts in water quantity and quality. Water retention is explored through Slow Hydrology measures, guided by terrain and water balance analysis, and related to land use (especially agriculture), water quality and biodiversity from a synergistic perspective to facilitate robust future River Basin Management Plans. Future climate simulations are produced locally in order to ensure that the proposed measures improve the resilient, adaptation and mitigation to hydroclimatic extreme events.

The concept of Slow Hydrology is tested in four living lab watersheds. The key questions are: (i) how can excess water be stored to reduce water velocity during flash floods, using field topography and drainage systems to increase detention and infiltration strategically in the catchment; (ii) how can water availability during dry periods be improved, considering the water needs for human activities without compromising biodiversity conservation, water quality or ecosystem services; (iii) how can the suggested nature-based solutions influence the local biodiversity and provide benefits and co-benefits to local population and stakeholders. The living labs represent contrasting European edaphoclimatic regions with different geologic characteristics and land uses:

Portugal, Guadiana River - This living lab covering 136 km² in the Toutalga sub-basin is dominated by intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES), characterized by flash flood and dry-phase periods. The basin has a hot summer Mediterranean climate.

Denmark, Vaerebro River - The catchment of the Vaerebro river is 153 km² and the river itself is 35 km long, having its source in a biodiversity-rich bog area. This living lab has a mixed land use with small and medium-sized villages, many spare-time farmers, and some agriculture, before discharging to Roskilde Fjord. It allows for a source-to-sea approach in a,region with a continental humid and warm summer climate.

Austria, Liesing River - The Liesing river with a catchment of 112 km², the Liesing is often affected by strongly fluctuating water flows. During dry periods, the Liesing carries very little water. However, during heavy or prolonged rainfall, the Liesing can quickly turn into a river with high water levels.  The catchment can be divided in a forest-dominated area followed by an urban river section.  in a region with a continental humid and warm summer climate. 

Romania, Danube River - Spanning 77 km² along the Danube River floodplain between Salcia and Maglavit, this site features agricultural lands, wetlands, and peri-urban areas, with an elevation under 100 meters. It experiences a continental humid climate with hot summers. Protected under the Natura 2000 site, it also lies near other important conservation zones. The key challenges include drainage, water abstraction, urban development, deforestation, and rising temperatures, disrupting the hydrological balance and increasing drought risk.

How to cite: Potes, M. and the INTERLAYER team - Water4All project: The complex INTERLink of safeguarding wAter availabilitY and quality to mitigatE and adapt to hydroclimatic extRemes – INTERLAYER project, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6771, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6771, 2025.

Mediterranean agrosilvopastoral ecosystems (MAEs), such as the Dehesa/Montado in Spain (SP)/Portugal (PT), Meriagos in Italy (IT) and valonia oak forests in Greece (GR), provide essential environmental services and play a significant role in supporting local communities, their economies, and well-being. However, the MAEs are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change effects, including rapid warming and heat waves, prolonged droughts with intermittent and sudden heavy rainfall and mediterranean hurricanes (medicanes) and wildfires. Water table decline, groundwater flow depletion, tree mortality, poor tree natural regeneration, soil degradation, decrease of biodiversity, and drastic modification of habitat pattern are the major direct consequences of the above-mentioned changes. Addressing these issues requires tailored sustainable solutions and transformative actions to support local communities and authorities in building climate resilience. The DRYAD project supports the EU Mission Adaptation to Climate Change by demonstrating climate-resilient nature-based solutions (NbS) tailored to MAEs. DRYAD aims to enhance MAE resilience to climate change through locally adapted NbS designed in collaboration with farmers and other stakeholders. The DRYAD project is centered around the development, testing and demonstration of NbS in five Demonstration Regions (DRs). The most promising NbS will be transferred to the three Replication Regions (RR).  Furthermore, DRYAD supports a multi-level and cross-sectoral integrated and adaptive management governance by developing a Decision Support System (DSS). DRYAD mobilizes regional and local authorities and stakeholders, research entities, private/public foundations, companies and citizens and involves them in co-creation, co-implementation, and co-validation processes through Living Labs. This will lead to the creation of widely re-applicable NbS with long-lasting impacts. The project envisages the development of tools and implementation guidelines to promote sustainable and climate-resilient practices and facilitate regional adaptation plans, contributing to the Nature Restoration Law regarding resilient nature and climate adaptations. DRYAD will address a range of NbS across different spatial scales and under various management and climate scenarios. The proposed approaches consider the complex interactions within natural systems, the diverse land uses and practices in MAEs, the intricate governance structures, and the diverse interests of stakeholders. The objectives and expected outcomes of DRYAD are presented with special emphasis on its novel technological developments which include: 1) Real-time and cost-effective monitoring solutions using in-situ LoRaWan and remote sensing (RS) data for NbS implementation in pilot demonstration areas (PDAs); 2) Development of a web-based geospatial database management system (GDMS) for managing space/time field and RS data; 3) Performing integrated ecohydrological models by coupling SCOPE, STEMMUS and MODFLOW6 codes to assess drought-related plant-soil-surface water-groundwater interactions; 4) Using models to support the novel NbS implementations; 5) Upscaling of NbS from local (PDA) to regional (DR) scales; 6) Replication of NbS in RR; 7) Development of a DSS and its embedding in GDMS; and 8) Dissemination of DRYAD results via a DSS, operational on computers and mobile phone apps.

Acknowledgments: This research was performed within DRYAD Project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement 101156076.

How to cite: Samper, J., Mendes, M. P., Salbitano, F., Lubczński, M., Andreu, A., Van der Tool, C., Francés, A., Villanueva, A., Pantera, A., Rolo, V., Sirca, C., Rodríguez, T., and Pimentel, R.: Demonstration and modelling of Nature-based Solutions to enhance the resilience of Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems and landscapes: DRYAD EU Project, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9041, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9041, 2025.

Dehesas, a biodiversity-rich Mediterranean agro-silvopastoral ecosystem with seasonal water availability, are highly sensitive to changes in both climatic conditions and management practices. While droughts naturally occur, climate change exacerbates water scarcity, leading to i) low and unpredictable pasture and tree production, ii) decreased pasture quality and shrub encroachment, iii) oak tree decline, mortality, and lack of natural regeneration, and iv) increased soil exposure to degradation and nutrient losses. These impacts jeopardize the long-term ecological and economic sustainability of dehesas, creating significant profitability challenges for rural communities.

Given the high degree of human intervention in dehesa, management practices are closely linked to the water fluxes, influencing the vulnerability to stressors. Integrating water availability projections into management planning and promoting sustainable water use are critical strategies to enhance the resilience of these systems. 

Under the umbrella of the European project DRYAD (“Demonstration and modelling of Nature-based solutions to enhance the resilience of Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems and landscapes”), we are developing process-based Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) aimed at improving ecosystem management to mitigate vulnerability to drought. These NBS focus on monitoring pasture productivity and tree mortality in relation to water stress to include these linkages in management strategies. Key outputs include composite risk and recurrence indexes integrating Earth Observation and forecasting alongside a human intervention factor represented as a coefficient of change to assess the impacts of management strategies.

The NBSs are being tested in two pilot areas in Andalusia, Spain, with a view to replication and upscaling in other Mediterranean regions. Different scales will be assessed, ranging from on-farm to watershed levels, to determine the optimal management depending on the water stress conditions. Close collaboration with stakeholders is needed to ensure the effective implementation of these solutions, addressing practical needs and facilitating adoption. This approach contributes to the long-term resilience of dehesas by supporting sustainable practices, enhancing ecosystem services, and bolstering rural livelihoods.   

Acknowledgments: This research was performed within DRYAD Project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement 101156076. This work is part of the grant RYC2022-035320-I, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and FSE+

How to cite: Andreu, A., Muñoz-Gómez, M. J., González-Dugo, M., Molina, A. J., González-Moreno, P., Ruiz-Gómez, F. J., Polo, M. J., Aguilar-Porro, C., Palacios, G., Samper, J., and Pimentel, R.: Early detection of vulnerability to drought: a Nature-Based solution for Dehesas (Spanish Oak Savannas), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9359, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9359, 2025.

Flood risks are escalating globally due to urbanization and climate change, which disrupt natural hydrological processes and diminish landscape resilience. Traditional grey infrastructure, such as concrete channels, dams, and levees, often sacrifices ecological integrity for flood protection. In contrast, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) offer an integrated approach combining flood mitigation with enhancing ecosystem services, biodiversity, and societal benefits. However, implementing NBS poses challenges, including balancing diverse stakeholder interests, land-use conflicts, and the need for effective policy integration.

This study examines the impacts of urbanization on flood protection and stakeholder perceptions in the Glinščica watershed, central Slovenia, with a focus on the Brdnikova dry retention reservoir. Designed primarily for agricultural use while protecting downstream urban areas, the reservoir exemplifies the complexity of multifunctional land use. Historical land-use changes in the Glinščica watershed, derived from a comparison of the Franciscean cadastre land use with current land use data, show a 1472% (505 ha) increase in built-up areas since the 19th century, accompanied by declines in meadows and pastures (62%; 373 ha), arable land (40%; 79 ha), and forests (7.4%; 53 ha). These transformations have increased flood risk, degraded biodiversity, reduced food security, and shifted public perceptions of land and water management.

Results show that renaturation efforts to restore ecological value of the altered landscape of Brdnikova reservoir are gaining recognition among various stakeholders. These initiatives promote multifunctional land use by creating diverse microhabitats within the reservoir (e.g species-rich meadows and wet microhabitats). On the other hand landowners managing agricultural land within the Brdnikova reservoir frequently face challenges including flooding and sedimentation, which leads to crop losses, reduction in soil productivity, and financial burdens associated with land restoration and sediment removal. Such disruptions that limit or complicate agricultural activities often lead to resistance against further measures among private land owners. The lack of meaningful involvement of farmers in planning processes and inadequate financial compensation mechanisms further deepen the divide and limit the willingness of landowners to support the implementation of multifunctional land use within the reservoir.

To address these challenges effectively, it is essential to adopt transdisciplinary approaches that integrate historical analyses, local knowledge, and scientific expertise of different fields. Transparent compensation mechanisms that fairly address the direct and indirect impacts on farmers are critical to building trust and fostering cooperation. Only through balanced and inclusive strategies sustainable outcomes that harmonize flood protection, agricultural productivity, and ecological conservation can be achieved.

Acknowledgements: This research was funded by the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) with a grant to the Ph.D. student Nejc Golob, project ARIS BI-AT-22-23-019, LIFE ReStart and OEAD WTZ SI 01/2023.

How to cite: Golob, N., Cvejić, R., Thomas, W., Anna, Z., Strauss, P., and Zupanc, V.: Reconciling Flood Resilience and Agricultural Challenges: Exploring the Multifunctional Potential of a Small Dry Retention Reservoir, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12248, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12248, 2025.

Soil and Water Bioengineering methods for natural hazard control, slope stabilization and river regulation processes are widely used and a viable alternative to common civil engineering techniques as part of nature-based solutions (NbS). The knowledge on the effects of different design schemes and the dynamic development of vegetation regarding is mostly handled through expert knowledge and a comprehensive approach for the design regarding the performance and management phase is still not fully implemented in the application of the diverse techniques. Therefore, this study aims to create a concept for a vegetation model to predict the development on pioneer stands and as a further consequence the performance of used techniques. The further goal includes the development of a conceptual basis for a vegetation growth model for NbS, which emphasizes on the spatial and temporal level of the modelling process and the calculation of the main vegetation parameters height, diameter and crown width. The concept is tested on three different study sites with pioneer stands of Robinia pseudoacacia (Black Locust) in Lower Austria to generate control results for the further adaptation of the model concept. Applied vegetation growth models (forest models, succession models and gap-models) are used for the conceptualization and verified for the requirements of NbS specific techniques. The development of a flowchart provides an overview of the elaborated framework and requirements for the ecological and biological parameters regarding the time and space criteria of a NbS model. The main result is the development of an adequate competition modelling that can depict the dynamic suppression mechanisms within pioneer vegetation stands and is capable for further development. The first 10-year simulation run with a yearly interval serves initially as a medium-term prediction and provides an insight into the further adjustment of the establishment module and review of the competition module. The results show the need in NbS with regard to long-term monitoring, data generation and the uniform documentation of the solutions. 

How to cite: Dorfer, M. and von der Thannen, M.: Growth modelling as a tool to support nature-based solution for natural hazard protection , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-13147, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13147, 2025.

One of the pressing challenges we observe in fast expanding urban areas especially in Global South are linked to the retreat of nature, infrastructure development negatively impacting urban blue and green spaces (BGS), along with growing vulnerability due to climate change. With the rapid rate of urbanisation, there is growing interest in protecting BGS as important Nature based Solutions (NbS) by securing ecosystem services and refuge to biodiversity.

Unlike energy and water efficiency, which yield clear financial benefits, ecological services and biodiversity co-benefits are often undervalued. This undervaluation reduces incentives for institutions to prioritize them. A promising NbS approach in fast sprawling urban areas is to implement biodiversity friendly practices in stable land-use areas such as large privately or publicly owned/managed campuses. There is evidence that a very large proportion of the country’s birds, bats and butterflies are reported to be found in educational campuses across India. While, there are evidence that these campuses help in mitigating heat stress besides sequestering carbon and helping in reducing urban risks due to lack of sufficient evidence, campus-based biodiversity conservation is likely to be seen as a co-benefit rather than a primary driver of impact. To fill the gap present stud we summarize evidence from across India and  bring in insights from two Indian urban educational campuses viz. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur and the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bengaluru.

We use satellite derived land surface temperature (LST) to quantify and map negative temperature anomalies (cooling) with respect to spatial average in these campuses in years with different levels of summer temperature. Observations and measurements on biodiversity, ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, microclimate, and ground water from these campuses are linked to campus management including integration of blue, green and grey infrastructure.

Several such campuses can include educational, governmental and defence establishments, multinational corporations as well as hospitality and other service providers can function as long term urban ecological observatories to understand the long-term impact and benefits of NbS apart being early warning networks for tracking environmental and ecological change across time and space, thereby enabling large areas as pivotal NbS at the city and country level. This improves the ease of implementation and have a positive impact on biodiversity, a key indicator of ecological health to promote ecosystem services, and also human health. We endorse urban campuses and their role as potential NbS by serving as catalysts for transformational urban development. This approach links biodiversity conservation with climate adaptation and deep de-carbonisation, crucial for sustainable economic development. A network of several campuses should be developed through the formulation and implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) that focuses on climate action. Designating campuses under a new category of conservation area called other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) will help emphasizing the relevance of campuses and, driving policy and investment changes for resilience building following NbS. An NbS roadmap leveraging the integration of blue, green, and grey infrastructure and emphasizing the concepts of co-existence with biodiversity and ecological restoration can emerge from campuses.

How to cite: Dhyani, S. and Krishnaswamy, J.: Integration of blue, green, and grey infrastructure in Urban campuses as a Nature based Solution for resilience and harnessing co-benefits, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16048, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16048, 2025.

Cities and urbanizing spaces combine heat stress from both heat island effect due to the built environment, loss of blue and green spaces as well as global warming. South Korea and India offer contrasting socio-economic and development situations, climate regimes, some similar but many dissimilar urban contexts, but both face the increasing vulnerability from heat stress. Blue and green spaces as nature-based interventions bring the potential to cool cities, support native biodiversity and provide other diverse ecosystem services as co-benefits.

Blue and green spaces (BGS) are potential nature-based solutions in fast urbanising cities for mitigating heat stress through evaporation as well as transpiration besides sequestering carbon and helping in reducing urban risks.  The effectiveness of BGS in mitigating heat stress and other ecosystem services in both countries depends on size, shape, weather, and climate variables, especially humidity, the socio-economic as well as governance context.

We use satellite derived land surface temperature (LST) to quantify and map negative temperature anomalies (cooling) with respect to spatial average across a few cities in India and South Korea in years with different levels of summer temperature, especially due to El Nino.  We analysed the diverse types of blue and green spaces in four metropolitan cities Bangaluru, Nagpur in India while, Seoul and Sejong in South Korea for understanding the impact of BGS.

The geometry landscape and political ecology of existing urban blue and green infrastructure can help inform future planning for blue and green spaces as adaptation and developing resilient cities in the warming urban environment. 

How to cite: Krishnaswamy, J., Myeong, S., and Dhyani, S.: Role of blue and green spaces in mitigating heat stress and providing biodiversity co-benefits in South Korea and India , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16602, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16602, 2025.

With the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-induced hazards, ensuring the safety and resilience of Europe's critical infrastructure is paramount to maintain economic flows, human well-being, and social stability throughout the continent. Whilst merely grey and technical solutions and approaches have been reaching their limits recently, Nature-based Solutions have gained attention in terms of supporting, re-integrating and restoring ecosystems, in order to raise their service potential and to reduce risks of hazard-related damage. However, established critical infrastructure and natural hazard assessment approaches need to be brought in line with NbS potential consideration, integral approaches respectively integration of NbS are needed in order to provide decision support and adapt to climate-change-related demands.

We present a concept for a decision support tool based on the RAMSSHEEP-method. Our contribution evolves from the participation in the  NATURE-DEMO project that aims to develop an advanced digital decision support platform that integrates climate projections, asset exposure, NbS catalogue portfolios, and advanced simulations to optimise the efficiency of NbS implementations. The RAMSSHEEP method is employed in this context to evaluate the protection of critical infrastructure, using performance indicators (PIs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of NbS. The method includes hazard characterization tools, grey infrastructure characterization tools, and nature-based characterization tools for a comprehensive assessment. The evaluation considers various factors, including safety, reliability, security, economy, environment, health, and politics. By pioneering a scalable, digitally-enabled, and validated framework for implementing NbS,  The adaptation of the RAMSSHEEP approach aims to synthesise and link the assessment of natural hazards, critical infrastructure risk and NbS potential. 

How to cite: Strauss, A., Fernandes, S., Kuschel, E., Obriejetan, M., Vorstandlechner, T.-M., Stangl, R., and Hübl, J.: RAMSHEEP procedures using nature-based solutions for protecting infrastructure against climate threats, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18604, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18604, 2025.

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer transformative pathways enabling environmental, social and economic benefits while building resilience, improving biodiversity and providing human well-being. A mixed-methods systematic literature review is carried out within the Horizon Europe project GoGreenNext to a) evaluate how synergistic solutions involving nature, climate, and health within urban settings are conceptualised in peer-reviewed literature, and b) identify barriers and enables influencing the uptake of these synergistic solutions in cities. Following standardised literature searches a corpus of 898 peer reviewed articles were considered with data being extracted from 495 articles. Here we aim to present preliminary results from this review, identifying strengths and weaknesses in terms of uptake of synergistic solutions that address different links within the biodiversity-climate-health nexus. Specifically, we characterise NbS interventions that can be considered as synergistic solutions and identify societal challenges and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) addressed by these interventions. Additionally, we conceptualise the barriers and enablers as social, ecological and technological factors influencing the transformative potential of existing interventions (e.g. NbS) across the 3-way nexus within urban settings.

How to cite: Camilleri, S., Stojanovic, M., Wübbelmann, T., Raymond, C., McPhearson, T., Mansoldo, M., Mifsud Scicluna, B., Mannich, E., Castaldo, A. G., Kennedy, C., Nigg, C., Callan, E., Mohammad, J., Gensitz, K., Galle, N., Kabisch, N., Macintyre, T. E., and Balzan, M. V.: The barriers and enablers influencing the transformative potential of existing interventions across the biodiversity-climate-planetary health nexus within cities: A Systematic Review, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18622, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18622, 2025.

Nature-based solutions (NbS) have been increasingly recognized as beneficial tools for addressing various environmental and societal challenges. However, despite their growing importance, NbS are primarily funded through public finance, with significant funding gaps hindering their widespread implementation. This gap is projected to widen due to increasing multisectoral interaction of environmental systems. NbS face several barriers that prevent their scalability, including limited financing, technical challenges, and a lack of integrated, multi-disciplinary approaches. Existing research on NbS predominantly employs a single-disciplinary framework, limiting the development of comprehensive, multisectoral, and multi-scale business models that integrate private sector participation, as public funding alone is insufficient.

This study proposes a novel methodology to bridge this gap by outlining a five-step process for the implementation of NbS, including: i) Local context analysis, ii) NbS Co-design, iii) NbS Impacts, iv) Business models, and v) Monitoring and evaluation. The methodology employs a circular process, designed for iterative application, ensuring that local contexts and identified societal challenges remain addressed throughout each cycle of implementation. This approach aims to develop a robust, integrative framework for NbS, ensuring that all stakeholders and local players, particularly the private sector, are engaged and that the true value of ecosystem services is internalized.

By quantifying and valuating the impacts of NbS on landscapes and stakeholders, this methodology enables a better understanding of the full value of natural spaces. It promotes a shift in stakeholder perception, viewing nature not just as a public good but also as a valuable investment for the private sector. The financial participation of stakeholders helps internalize the externalities associated with natural ecosystems, such as water quality degradation and carbon sequestration. The implementation of this methodology can significantly bridge the research gap in NbS finance, leading to improved financial mechanisms, new opportunities for private finance, increased private sector involvement, and ultimately, a more sustainable and scalable approach for long-term implementation. The methodology will be presented and discussed.

Acknowledgment: This work was supported by the OurMED PRIMA Program project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation under grant agreement No. 2222.

How to cite: Chatelier, F., Naeem Sarwar, A., Manfreda, S., and Jomaa, S.: A holistic framework for scaling-up Nature-based Solutions: From local context to evaluation, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18744, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18744, 2025.

Small and medium islands (SMI) are particularly vulnerable to climate change, natural hazards, and the overexploitation of their limited resources. While islands exhibit diverse social, economic, and environmental characteristics, SMI often face reduced capacity to address these vulnerabilities due to their relatively small populations, sensitive and open economies, limited natural resources, constrained land area, dependence on external markets despite their isolation, as well as governance and institutional challenges that can limit the effective implementation of policies. Here, we present preliminary results from a systematic literature review of NbS on SMI, sourced from peer-reviewed and grey literature, including a total of 280 NbS case studies, which are intended to be presented in the form of an open-access compendium as part of the EU Cost Action CA21158 SMILES. Most SMI NbS case-studies were carried out in coastal and marine ecosystems and forest ecosystems, focused on ecosystem restoration, and tended to be funded by public authorities, while fewer case-studies were found from, for example, agricultural, freshwater and urban ecosystems. SDG13, 14 and 15, targeting nature conservation and climate action, were the most commonly addressed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) although several SDGs were often addressed together. Moreover, multiple co-benefits were identified for different NbS categories when addressing biodiversity loss and climate change adaptation and mitigation.  

How to cite: Balzan, M. V., Igondová, E., Serra, E., Moustakas, A., and Mansoldo, M. and the Author List: Nature-based Solutions to address climate and societal challenges in small and medium-sized islands, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19723, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19723, 2025.

The escalating impacts of climate change demand a paradigm shift in the way we adapt and mitigate risks while transforming societal systems. Traditional approaches often focus on what to transform, neglecting how transformation occurs. DesirMED project addresses this gap by integrating scientific, social, and governance stakeholders to develop transformative climate adaptation strategies. Centered on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), the project aims to preserve ecosystems, enhance climate resilience, and sustainably manage resources while emphasizing that “people lie at the heart of transformation”. Indeed, to drive this transformative change not only data and digital tools can support this intricate shift, but deliberative processes, embracing scenario planning and visioning that acknowledge and respect diverse needs, livelihoods, worldviews and cultures, should be considered. Aligned with this mantra, DesirMED adopts a bottom-up, multidisciplinary approach involving eight Mediterranean regions committed to testing and demonstrating a multidimensional portfolio of adaptation solutions. The focus is on prioritizing NBS while aligning regional adaptation goals with transformative strategies. Central to this approach is the definition of landscape archetypes, which integrate climate hazards, NBS strategies, governance frameworks, and the interactions among ecosystems and key community systems to support a systemic approach to climate adaptation. This novel framework is further strengthened by deliberative processes, scenario planning, and inclusive stakeholder engagement, fostering the behavioral shifts and collaborative actions critical to driving a systemic shift,  while adopting  evidence-informed NBS and aligning regional adaptation pathways with societal and environmental objectives. By bridging silos and integrating diverse perspectives, DesirMED provides actionable insights for decision-makers, supporting transformative change that enhances resilience across Mediterranean regions. Best practices from DesirMED case studies are presented, highlighting their role in advancing transformative climate adaptation pathways. These examples illustrate how integrated, evidence-based approaches can enhance resilience, foster sustainable resource management, and align local adaptation efforts with broader societal and environmental goals, offering valuable insights for NBS scaling-up framework for the Mediterranean region and beyond.

How to cite: Furlan, E., Allegri, E., Simeoni, C., Pham, H. V., Bianconi, A., and Breil, M.: Nature-Based Solutions and beyond: the DesirMED’s approach for transformative climate adaptation in the Mediterranean region, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19729, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19729, 2025.

The international and national strategic guidelines establish "Nature Positive" scenarios that represent a strategic response to the ecological transition of urban settlements using ecosystem and nature-based solutions. In Italy, the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change establishes the implementation of actions to mitigate the climate risks, through green and grey measures and appropriate effectiveness indicators, which increase the adaptive capacity of systemic socio-economic systems. However, the methodology and operational methods with which to apply these measures at the local scale are still to be developed with respect to local specificities.

In Italy there are several knowledge, financial, technical and regulatory gaps that prevent or slow down the application of these actions at the local scale by Public Administrations.

Among the technical gaps, the adoption of approaches to the planning and design of public spaces emerges which is not yet able to operationally integrate climate adaptation and reducing impacts required at the local scale by national guidelines.

The paper analyses the case of the city of Naples, where for some years the PA has been including climate risk-oriented design criteria within its land governance tools.

The city of Naples, due to its settlement, typo-morphological, environmental and geological characteristics, is affected by the coexistence of climate risk phenomena and by specific conditions of climatic vulnerability of the built environment and the population, with reference to the impacts of heat waves and intense rainfall.

Outdoor spaces, can significantly affect the ability to reduce climate vulnerability at the building and urban scale, while bringing environmental benefits.

Moreover, urban public facilities designed with climate risk–oriented criteria, can be a network of urban spaces effective in counteracting climate impacts.

The aim of the experimentation is to develop a tool to support decision makers and upgrade knowledge and the ability of the PA to apply climate adaptation measures (MASE, 2023). This tool informs the climate risk-oriented planning and design process, with reference to the role of public spaces in reducing climate impacts in urban areas.

The experimentation, conducted using GIS databases, identifies the areas intended for neighbourhoods' equipment most impacted by the effects of heatwave and flooding climate phenomena. Based on the study of the feasibility conditions of the interventions, those suitable for the application of appropriate NBS solutions in open spaces for the reduction of climate vulnerability are taken into consideration.

Through the network analysis method applied in a GIS environment, the areas characterized by favourable proximity conditions are identified in which to prioritize climate adaptation interventions, as continued network of outdoor spaces, to reduce climate vulnerability. The identified NBS solutions are applied, and their effectiveness is verified.

The experimentation develops an operational tool for the Public Administration to select the priority areas of intervention among the urban neighbourhoods' facilities, obtaining an advance in quantitative approach to urban facilities, enhanced as a network of open spaces that provides environmental benefits.

The experimentation are developed in PRIN Research 2022 PNRR Call "REACT - _Regenerative processes Enhancement to Address decision makers toward Climate-proof Transition of southern metropolitan areas".

How to cite: Verde, S., Dell'Acqua, F., and Losasso, M.: Innovative Tool for Public Administration: a Decision Support for Effective Climate Adaptation in Urban Areas through Nature-Based Solutions, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20003, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20003, 2025.

The goal of the EU CARMINE project (https://carmine-project.eu/index.php/about/) is to help urban and surrounding metropolitan communities to become more climate resilient. The project focuses on heat, wildfires, flooding, pollution and drought and covers eight case study areas distributed across Europe. One such case study covers Birmingham, and the surrounding West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) area in the UK where pluvial flooding, related to extreme precipitation events, has been identified as a high priority climate-related hazard. High-resolution (~2km spatial resolution and hourly temporal resolution) climate/land surface modelling with the Joint UK Land-Environment Simulator (JULES) model is being used to quantify the influence of different scenarios of tree planting (tree density and species) on major climate hazards across the case study area, particularly pluvial flooding and extreme surface heat. JULES outputs are also being used with other relevant data to develop Digital Twin models to enable rapid assessment of pluvial flood and surface heat risks and timely guidance on ‘hot spot’ locations to inform flood and heat mitigation measures implemented by local maintenance teams. We present initial results from the modelling of pluvial flood risk and how this is influenced by different scenarios of tree cover across the area.

How to cite: Urhausen, S., Hemming, D., Brettle, D., Ferranti, E., and Greenham, S.:  Modelling the influence of trees in urban areas as a nature-based solution for increasing urban resilience to pluvial flooding, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-21786, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-21786, 2025.

The global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation have been catching the attention of governments, communities, and organizations worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for integrated and scalable solutions. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) provide a transformative approach to addressing these challenges while delivering benefits for both people and nature. Defined as “actions to protect, manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, which address societal challenges, effectively and adaptively, providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”. NbS have demonstrated their capacity to generate multi-dimensional impacts. For instance, mangroves avert USD 57 billion in annual flooding damages, NbS can provide one-third of the climate mitigation needed to meet the Paris Agreement goals, and the global benefits of ecosystem services from NbS focused on climate are estimated at USD 170 billion annually. These figures underscore the economic, ecological, and societal value of integrating NbS into sustainable development strategies.

IUCN has been at the forefront of advancing NbS for over two decades, developing the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions to guide their design, implementation, and evaluation. This standard, comprising 8 criteria and 28 indicators, ensures that NbS are effective, equitable, and adaptable to diverse contexts. The potential of NbS to address global societal challenges—including climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation—will be explored, with a focus on how NbS can advance the objectives of the three Rio Conventions (UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD). These solutions also align with many international frameworks such as the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which also foster resilient and sustainable communities.

How to cite: Kayitesi, N., Wang, P., Sheikholeslami, D., Anderson, K., and Karangwa, C.: Nature-based Solutions to Address Global Societal Challenges: Benefiting People and Nature, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19018, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19018, 2025.