Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have emerged as a vital approach to climate adaptation, offering ecological, economic, and social benefits. Beyond addressing risks such as flooding and heatwaves, NbS practices have demonstrated the critical role of social and political enablers in ensuring their success and scalability. These enablers, embedded within NbS initiatives, provide valuable insights for designing broader climate adaptation strategies replicable across diverse urban contexts.
The Adaptation Gap Report 2024 highlights the need to address persistent systemic challenges, including gaps in governance and social inclusion, which limit the scalability of climate adaptation efforts. Building on this context, this research examines NbS practices from China and Europe to analyze and present the key dimensions of social and political enablers embedded in successful NbS initiatives. These enablers are categorized into four critical dimensions:
- Educational and Capacity-Building Infrastructure: Programs that enhance technical expertise and community awareness lay the foundation for effective NbS implementation and long-term sustainability.
- Institutional Arrangements: Governance frameworks that enable cross-sectoral collaboration ensure that NbS are seamlessly embedded into urban planning and policy strategies.
- Community Engagement: Inclusive approaches that prioritize local participation create trust, foster ownership, and align NbS initiatives with community needs, enhancing their long-term sustainability.
- Leadership and Vision: Strong leadership at both municipal and grassroots levels facilitates stakeholder alignment, resource mobilization, and the sustained scaling of NbS.
This study provides a structured framework for understanding how these dimensions contribute to the effectiveness of NbS and their scalability. It argues that broader climate adaptation actions can benefit from their transformative potential by integrating social and political enablers into NbS design and governance.
This research underscores the importance of prioritizing non-structural enablers alongside technical innovations to bridge the systemic barriers identified in global reports. By scaling lessons learned from NbS, this study offers actionable pathways for advancing resilient and adaptive urban systems worldwide.
How to cite: Dai, K. G.: Enabling Factors for Scaling Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Climate Adaptation, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9726, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9726, 2025.
We live in an urban century, with projections indicating that by 2050 around 2.4 billion more people worldwide will live in cities. Similarly, urbanization in Europe is expected to increase from 72% in 2015, to 83.7% in 2050, while built-up areas are expected to cover more than 7% of the continent's total surface. At the same time, the effects of climate change are increasingly being noticed in urban settings. These impacts include hydro-meteorological events such as storms, floods, and landslides representing 64% of the damages reported from natural disasters in Europe since 1980, while climatological events, such as extreme temperatures, account for an additional 20%. In this context, Nature-based Solutions (NBS) have gained significant importance for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and are increasingly implemented in urban plans and strategies.
Although the integration of NBS into urban planning instruments is a priority in climate policies, there are still limitations that hinder the decision-making process and particularly the selection of efficient NBS for addressing specific environmental challenges. There is a significant gap in understanding the urban socio-ecological processes and dynamics associated with the regulating ecosystem services of NBS, including the benefits they provide, their quantification, and their valuation for effective integration into urban planning.
This study applies a systems-thinking approach to analyzing climate change impacts on cities by focusing on three key environmental challenges: air pollution; urban heat island effect; and urban flooding and runoff. The ecosystem service processes associated with these environmental challenges were identified and analyzed through a literature review employing a citation-chasing approach, based on relevant articles from the last decade. As a result, three models were designed using causal loop diagrams (CLD), one for each environmental challenge, thereby recognizing the key conditions and drivers of these socio-ecological processes. Key causal connections were then grouped into five domains defined as Climate, People, Water, Soil and Vegetation. Finally, these domains were reviewed and described in terms of their controllable and uncontrollable factors, with an emphasis on identifying priority factors to be integrated into urban adaptation strategies.
These results provide a theoretical framework for supporting the transformation of cities into more resilient environments in response to recurrent climate events. Accordingly, future studies are expected to explore urban environmental issues through an integrated approach, enhancing existing models and tools to support the selection of effective and efficient NBS. This will facilitate informed decision-making and accelerate the transition to climate adaptation.
How to cite: Elliott, S., Staes, J., and Vrebos, D.: Targeting key factors when adapting cities to climate change - A practical visualization and analysis of urban socio-ecological processes using causal loop diagrams., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2098, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2098, 2025.
Due to their multifunctionality, blue-green infrastructure (BGI) such as bioretention cells and green roofs are increasingly adopted to manage stormwater and mitigate urban heat. Despite their multifunctional potential, current studies simulating BGI benefits tend to focus on a single objective, often overlooking how the proposed designs would perform across multiple functions. As a result, the heat mitigation potential of stormwater-focused BGI is not yet well understood.
The goal of this study is to assess the impact that BGI primarily used for stormwater management, such as bioretention cells, porous pavements, and green roofs have on 2 m air temperature during the hottest hours of the day. To do so, we employ a microclimate model (Urban Tethys-Chloris, UT&C) to simulate over 20 BGI scenarios in three street canyon types—urban, residential, and industrial - in a town near Zurich, Switzerland. We also explore how properties affecting the stormwater management (e.g., variations in coverage, vegetation types, and soil properties) can alter canyon temperatures. Using measurements collected during the summer of 2024, the model was calibrated and validated (RMSE of 2.2°C and r2 of 0.84).
Results show that BGI elements replacing impervious surfaces on the ground provide the greatest cooling effects (0.4 to 1°C of cooling). For example, bioretention cells replacing impervious surfaces achieved a temperature reduction of up to 1°C in urban street canyons. Porous pavements, though without vegetation, also contribute to cooling by allowing stormwater infiltration and direct evaporation, reducing temperatures by an average of 0.4°C. In contrast, replacing existing vegetation with bioretention cells slightly increased temperatures, likely due to soil properties that improve stormwater infiltration, resulting in drier topsoil layers and reduced evaporative cooling. Green roofs had negligible impact on 2m air temperature, likely because their cooling effect did not extend far enough to influence the street canyon. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that dense vegetation, characterized by high albedo, a large leaf area index, and high evapotranspiration capacity, notably lowers temperatures compared to sparse vegetation with low albedo and limited evapotranspiration. Future work will assess how these results change under different scenarios, including with other types of BGI related to stormwater management, irrigation schemes, and in a future, more extreme climate. Overall, this work offers a deeper understanding of multifunctional BGI designs, highlighting potential trade-offs between stormwater management and heat reduction. By addressing these complexities, it supports a more holistic integration of BGI benefits in urban planning strategies.
How to cite: Cavadini, G. B., Manoli, G., and Cook, L.: Can Blue-Green Infrastructure Used For Stormwater Management Mitigate Urban Heat?, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6314, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6314, 2025.
The objective of this paper is to present the integrated method HIBOU 2030, which is employed to assess the efficiency of the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and their alternatives (e.g. grey, hybrid solutions) for urban projects. The HIBOU 2030 method aligns with international initiatives, such as the Science-based targets Network for nature[1] that promote the integrated assessment approaches. The HIBOU 2030 method is thus design to place the urban system integrating the NBS and theirs alternatives at the core of its approach, with the objective of contributing to several of the action-oriented global targets for 2030 outlined in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)[2] such as: Target 11 - Restore, Maintain and Enhance Nature’s Contributions to People, the Target 12 - Enhance Green Spaces and Urban Planning for Human Well-Being and Biodiversity and the Target 14 - Integrate Biodiversity in Decision-Making at Every Level.
HIBOU 2030 is based on the hybridization of several area of expertise (e.g. Life Cycle Assessment, ecology, urban planning, etc.) and its fundamental principles are as follows: 1) interactions (both positive and negative ) between biodiversity, NBS and the urban project occur on the project site (in situ) but also on global scale (ex-situ) 2) the multifunctionality of NBS is one of the answers to numerous urban challenges and it must be taken into account in the analysis of the results; 3) the integrated approach necessitates the establishment of a shared semantics among the various fields of expertise; a common macro-model to characterize the system to be assessed and the different development options; the interdependence of results for each issue. Consequently, a parameter variation to address one of the questions will inherently influence the others.
HIBOU 2030 method and its associated toolset facilitate the assessment the urban project’s contribution to the following urban challenges: 1) the climate change (1 indicator); 2) the biodiversity in situ and ex situ (8 indicators). These indicators are designed to address as much as possible of the five pressures on the biodiversity: global warming, land use change, pollution, overexploitation of resources, introduction of invasive species; 3) the stormwater management (1 indicator); 4) the urban heat island (UHI) mitigation (1 to 3 indicators); 5) the urban quality for the citizens, based on a qualitative assessment grid considering 24 criteria.
HIBOU 2030 is a tool used to conduct expertise and research studies, thereby supporting various stakeholders’ analyses and decision-making processes concerning construction and renovation actions for buildings and urban projects. Continuous improvement is achieved through the collection and analysis of feedback from its use in various European contexts.
[1]https://sciencebasedtargetsnetwork.org
[2]https://www.cbd.int/gbf/targets
How to cite: Schiopu, N., Brachet, A., Fardel, A., Kyriakodis, G., Bailly, E., Fies, B., and Sabre, M.: HIBOU 2030: an integrated method for the Hybrid assessment of the Interactions between the BiOdiversity, the nature-based solutions, and the Urban system, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19206, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19206, 2025.
Nature-based solutions are part of climate adaptation plans in many European cities. In recent years much research has been conducted supporting the effectiveness of urban nature-based solutions, however previous studies also have shown that multifaceted aims are difficult to achieve. Potential environmental benefits have to be balanced with related costs and spatial requirements environmental. These trade-offs underline that planning urban nature-based solutions involves choices. Therefore, this research builds upon a discrete choice experiment (DCE) which was conducted in 6 European countries focusing on cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants. The presented study, which was based on research as part of the UPSURGE project (Horizon 2020), sought to understand European urban residents’ preferences for urban nature-based solutions. The survey presented trade-offs such as the type of green area, the effectiveness in terms of air-quality, temperature reduction and biodiversity as well as monetary and time payments to participants. In total 5,990 residents from Greece, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, the UK and the Netherlands participated in the survey.
The results show generally similar patterns of preferences across citizens from all 6 countries regarding type of nature-based solutions and their effectiveness. Yet, different exposures to the impacts of climate change are reflected in the preference for effectiveness of the green areas for instance regarding temperature reduction. Furthermore, differences in preferences regarding the willingness to pay, biodiversity enhancement and participation are evident between the countries. Transferring the obtained results in a decision support tool, allows for the configurations of nature-based solutions which will be accepted by the majority of population in European countries.
Overall, the results emphasize the need for customization of nature-based solutions to the local context and importance of communicating the expected benefits. Incorporating the results in public participation processes, enables the definition of priorities and the design governance mechanism to guarantee long-term success of nature-based solutions.
How to cite: Jungnickel, M., Wanner, A., and Pröbstl-Haider, U.: Public Preferences for Nature-Based Solutions: Differences according to exposure in 6 European countries , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-3755, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-3755, 2025.
The project technical assistance is funded under the Support Facility of the Natural Capital Finance Facility (NCFF), Ref : AA-011030-001. It is a financial instrument blending EIB funding with European Commission (EC) financing funded by the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE programme). The overall objective of the NCFF is to provide a proof of concept demonstrating to the market, financiers and investors, the attractiveness of such projects and thereby develop a sustainable flow of capital from the private sector towards the financing of natural capital and achieving scale of such investments.
For the present project, the Fund management has been entrusted by the EIB to Ginkgo. Created in 2010 in partnership with Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity, Ginkgo has become a leading investment franchise dedicated to sustainable urban regeneration in Europe. The strategy of the franchise consists in acquiring a portfolio of well-located brownfield sites, remediating the land using innovative and environmentally respectful remediation approaches and redeveloping the sites into new inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods.
The overall objective of the project is to remediate and redevelop selected sites in and around urban areas inside the EU. The redeveloped sites include commercial space and housing of which a certain share will be social housing units. The redeveloped areas take the local urban planning considerations into account and pursue an integrated approach with the objective of developing neighbourhoods that are resilient and offer a high quality of life for their future citizens.
The main focus of the project is on advising the Fund in the development of resilient neighbourhoods embedding nature-based solutions (NbS) and suggesting biophilic NbS design. The Service Provider (Egis) works alongside the Fund’s architect team and environment experts on a selected set of five projects located in the following cities: Amsterdam, Florence, Porto, and Paris (2 sites). NbS are integrated with the objective of strengthening the resilience to climate change impacts, to promote biodiversity and to maximise the quality of life of the new neighbourhoods. The practical design advice is based on an integrated approach that embeds NbS and where possible creates linkages with other green areas (biodiversity promoting green corridors). The design advice is based on in-depth climate risk and biodiversity assessments of the sites.
In addition to the support in developing and integrating NbS, Egis also develops a knowledge sharing package allowing the Fund to share best practices with different audiences (public authorities, municipalities, peers, final clients). Based on the 5 selected projects and the NbS implementation process within the general approach of Ginkgo towards brownfield urban redevelopment, this knowledge sharing package will serve as a best practice reference document in the sector and for less experienced developers.
The project is currently being finalized. The aim of the present paper is to present the methodological approach for the NbS selection, supported by case-studies on the five pilot sites.
How to cite: Penin, N., Toubin, M., Ennesser, Y., Monteignies, L., and Nolier, L.: Development and technical design of state-of-the-art Nature-based Solutions for 5 urban sites under development in the EU, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19110, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19110, 2025.
With urbanisation, cities face increasing temperatures, which are further increased by climate change. In this context, urban greenery can be a strategy to reduce surface temperatures in cities, providing cooling through shade and evapotranspiration. However, little is known about how long different types of urban greenery take to reach their maximum surface temperature reduction capacity in different climates across the world. To fill this gap, we previously developed a method using remote sensing data to quantify this time span, calling it “Cooling Establishment Time” (CET). To increase the number of case studies to those previously investigated in Zurich (Switzerland), our main challenges are to automate the identification of green areas, their selection, and quantification of their cooling dynamics through time in a computationally effective way. As a starting point, this ongoing research quantified the Cooling Establishment Time of green areas in São Paulo (Brazil), generating new information about this time measurement in a different climatic and urban context. São Paulo’s green areas took around 6 to 20 years to reach peak Land Surface Temperature reduction, which were longer than the time spans identified in Zurich. This contrast may be explained by the differences in local predominant vegetation and built environment. We expect to generate a dataset of green areas’ Cooling Establishment Times throughout different cities in the world, leading to a better understanding of what drives the temporal dynamics of vegetation cooling. Such results can be useful for policymakers to best plan green areas, improving heat mitigation and adaptation strategies depending on local environmental conditions and social needs.
How to cite: da Nova Reuter, M., Gobatti, L., Leitão, J. P., and Vicente, R.: How long does vegetation take to reach peak cooling in São Paulo (Brazil)?, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5333, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5333, 2025.
Urban areas often suffer from increased air pollution, adverse heat-island effects, limited offer of green spaces, and declining biodiversity. Addressing these issues is critical for sustainable urban development, considering the observed global growth rate of urban population and the observed increase of severe weather episodes associated with climate change. Incorporating urban green spaces (UGS) and nature-based solutions (NbS) in urban planning can mitigate these issues, as highlighted by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Both UGS and NbS provide relevant ecosystem services (ES), including e.g., air and water quality regulation, and recreation.
Landscape components are essential in the design of UGS and NbS, as they can directly affect the diversity and effectiveness of ES provided, which are particularly relevant regarding both regulating and cultural ES. Thus, UGS design and the integration of NbS to address the highlighted issues must always consider user preferences on landscape elements to ensure effective multifunctionality, optimizing both regulating and recreating services. This study examines users' perceptions regarding the influence of 13 landscape components on the usage preferences of 10 different landscape units in a large UGS in Oporto, Portugal. The study was based on a face-to-face survey, addressing stationary park users (n=500) engaged in diverse activities during the summer period.
The results showed significant differences between landscape units for the relevance attributed to the different landscape components and for all socio-demographic variables (excluding variable gender). Landscape units with different landscape components showed different levels of relevance for the users. E.g., units with water elements tended to show higher relevance rates regarding well-being dimensions. Relevance for social and emotional well-being was tendentially rated higher than for physical well-being, suggesting that, even for those users engaged in sports activities, the social aspect of engaging in a group activity was highly relevant and positive. Through a factor analysis, we identified five major factors influencing user preferences, associated – and aggregating – different landscape elements: Comfort and security, Landscape diversity, Water presence, Recreational facilities, and Open spaces for activities. The results regarding landscape diversity also support the idea that psychological motivation is a strong driver for action. We propose a set of concrete actions addressing several aspects (e.g., multifunctional design, shadow coverage, vegetation diversity, incorporation of water features) that can contribute to an improved UGS design and integration of efficient NbS, addressing ecological and social needs.
This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), through the PhD grant SFRH/BD/149710/2019 attributed to the first author.
How to cite: Valença Pinto, L., Inácio, M., and Pereira, P.: User preferences for landscape components in an urban park – Contributions for the design of recreation-inclusive NbS from Oporto (Portugal), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10091, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10091, 2025.
Urbanisation has led to numerous challenges for human sustenance, which have been aggravated by progressive climate change. Green Infrastructure (GI), which involves working with nature has gained increasing recognition as a multifunctional approach to address urban heat island challenges, including heat mitigation, thermal comfort enhancement, and air pollution reduction. However, it is crucial to establish the multi-benefits of GI in the early stages of the design process to effectively evaluate their impact. Whilst there are scientific studies showing the singular benefit of GI (e.g., heatwave reduction), studies have rarely quantified their multi-benefits. As a result, GI is often undervalued, constituting a barrier to its implementation. This study aims to evaluate the co-benefits of urban parks for reducing the harmful effects of urban heating, improving thermal comfort, and reducing air pollution using mobile monitoring measurements. To achieve this, a comprehensive monitoring campaign was conducted, collecting data inside an urban park and surrounding area to find out the extent of co-benefits provided by urban parks.
The data for this study was collected via mobile monitoring along a fixed route during summer. Meteorological parameters and air pollutant levels were measured using a set of different sensors. The study's findings reveal significant benefits provided by the urban park environment. The mean air temperature during morning runs recorded 18.2°C within the park, compared to 19.6°C in the surrounding built-up area, demonstrating a 1.4°C (7.1%) reduction. In the afternoon, the average temperature within the park was 24.6°C, contrasting with 27.0°C in the built-up area, highlighting a 2.4°C (8.9%) decrease. These results underscore the park’s role in mitigating urban heat, especially during the hotter parts of the day. Furthermore, the park environment exhibited lower average particulate matter (PM) levels than the built-up area. PM10 and PM1 levels decreased by 1 µg/m³ (8%) and 0.2 µg/m³ (9.7%) respectively during morning runs, while the afternoon runs showed a 0.6 µg/m³ (13.3%) reduction in average PM2.5 values within the park. Additionally, CO2 levels were reduced by 22 ppm (4.5%) during morning and afternoon runs in the park compared to the built-up area.
These findings demonstrate the substantial reduction in air temperature and pollutants, such as CO2 and PM, with increasing distance from the built-up area towards the park. Understanding the interactions within and around urban parks regarding temperature, air pollution gradients, and thermal comfort compared to surrounding built environments is paramount. These insights can inform urban planning and design strategies to create healthier and more sustainable cities, thereby addressing contemporary urban challenges and fostering the well-being of urban populations.
How to cite: Khalili, S., Jones, L., and Kumar, P.: Quantifying the co-benefits of urban parks (heat mitigation, air pollution, and thermal comfort), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-14791, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-14791, 2025.
The European project GreenStorm (https://arceau-idf.fr/en/projects/greenstorm) focuses on nature-based solutions for urban stormwater management (NBSSW) and addresses the question of their implementation, performance and resilience for current and future climate extremes. It emphasizes the hydrological and thermal benefits of these devices as well as the stress suffered by their vegetation during extreme events in 5 participating European cities. The project proposes to identify effective, resilient designs accepted by the practitioners and citizens, but also the levers to promote their implementation on a city scale and maximize the associated benefits.
A part of the project consists of monitoring and modelling of NBSSW performance under actual but also future climate extremes. To perform such assessment, the project collaborates with the demonstrator facility SenseCity (https://sense-city.ifsttar.fr/en/), which consists of two 400m² platforms each composed of a ring road and small housing, equipped with sensors. One of these platforms simulates a 10 meter long "canyon" street with 4-meter-high walls and trees on both sides. This street is also equipped with two NBSSW for runoff management: storm water trees and a rain garden. The platforms can be covered by a climatic chamber to simulate physically different climate scenarios. The aim of this proposition is to discuss the potential and the limits of real scale climate simulation focused on NBS for storm water management.
Two climate scenarios were elaborated and tested, the reference climate corresponding to an average late summer climate at the location (Paris conurbation) and the extreme climate corresponding to heat waves observed in 2022 at SenseCity. The scenarios were obtained from statistical analysis of daily cycles of air temperature and humidity at the facility and compared to the climatic projections for 2023-2050 for the strongest CO2 emission scenario (RP8.5) employing 9 different climatic models (from SMHI, IPSL, MP, DMI, CLM, HadGEM, CNRM and KNMI models). Finally, these scenarios were adapted to the technical limits of the climate chamber. The essay was composed of two daily cycles of reference climate followed by three daily cycles of extreme condition to finish with three daily cycles of reference climate before withdrawing of the climate chamber.
The vegetation in the raingarden and of the stormwater trees were daily monitored for leaf pigments and the nitrogen balance index (DUALEX® SCIENTIFIC, Force-A,) and for leaf stomatal conductance and transpiration (LI-COR LI600). The measurements were completed by on-line sap flow (Implexx) for the trees and soil moisture measurements (Campbell) for both equipment.
First results indicate the suitability of conductance and sap flow measurements to follow the climate change and the important effect the applied gradients may have on vegetation.
The presentation will detail the methodology of the climate scenario creation and present, based on the results obtained, the potential and limits of such type of climatic chamber experiments.
How to cite: Seidl, M., Sandoval, S., Sage, J., Gromaire-Mertz, M.-C., Laporte, S., and Ulanowski, Y.: Towards an understanding of the limits of extreme event studies on Nature Based Solutions, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18974, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18974, 2025.
Nature-based Solutions for climate change adaptation can be implemented at various scales, from large natural parks to small green patches in the middle of more urbanised area. Each of these solutions can be considered as part of a larger green infrastructure. The size and shape of the different green patches, as well as the connectivity and proximity among them can be gathered under the notion of the spatial configuration of this green infrastructure. As a tool for landplaning, it would be useful to better understand how this spatial configuration can play a role in the conservation of biodiversity and the providing of the different expected ecosystemic services. A set of indicators derived from landscape ecology, mathematics and signal processing were used to characterize five dimensions of the spatial configuration: evenness, core area, isolation, roughness and fragmentation. These indicators are computed at different scales on land use and land cover data from a French conurbation. First results show that these different indicators bring complementary information and can be useful to establish a new typology of green infrastructures. A multiscale analysis will bring further information on the relevance of such indicators and at which scale they are the most useful. Subsequently, these spatial configuration indicators will be correlated with the results of ecosystemic services simulations to better understand how to optimize the ecological performances of green infrastructures.
How to cite: Valide, L., Bonin, O., and Versini, P.-A.: Characterizing green infrastructures multi-scale spatial configuration to better understand their ecological performances, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18017, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18017, 2025.
In response to the growing challenges posed by climate change and rapid urbanization, this research investigates the intricate dynamics of stormwater-related urban hazards. It emphasizes the risks and needs arising from environmental injustice, high-intensity rainstorm events, limited combined sewer system capacities, and the prevalence of impervious surfaces. A cross-comparative analysis is conducted in three coastal cities—Barcelona, Boston, and Rotterdam—each with distinct climates and policy frameworks, but facing shared challenges in urban stormwater management. The study advocates for tailored Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to address these issues while incorporating diverse perspectives to comprehensively evaluate their effectiveness.
The study underscores the urgency of integrating detailed risk assessments with strategic NBS planning to bridge the gap between current urban water management practices and the evolving needs for environmental resilience and societal well-being. A comprehensive framework is established for assessing climate-change-induced hydrological risks, implementing NBS, collecting evidence, and providing actionable guidance to decision-makers.
Adopting a Social-Ecological-Technological Systems (SETS) framework, the research explores the interactions among these interdisciplinary domains. First, it employs a novel methodology that integrates SETS vulnerability, hazard, and exposure factors into a spatially explicit risk score, offering nuanced insights into the impacts of water-related hazards on urban communities (IPCC, 2012; IPCC, 2022). Second, it develops baseline and themed NBS scenarios alongside site potential maps, presenting a systematic and replicable methodology for identifying suitable NBS implementation areas within urban environments. These scenarios account for SETS constraints, categorizing areas from fully feasible to infeasible. Third, the study evaluates the mitigation potential of NBS in reducing vulnerability while enhancing co-benefits, such as thermal comfort, recreation, water storage, habitat provision, and improved water quality.
The findings highlight the multifunctionality of NBS in complementing traditional grey infrastructure while strengthening urban resilience. By integrating natural elements, NBS delivers a wide range of ecosystem services that benefit urban populations. This study emphasizes the critical importance of flexible, forward-thinking, and equitable planning to adapt to climate change.
How to cite: Khromova, S., Herreros Cantis, P., Eckelman, M., Villalba Méndez, G., Busse, S., Benati, G., and Langemeyer, J.: From Runoff to resilience Multifunctional Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Stormwater Management: Comparative Insights from Barcelona, Boston, and Rotterdam, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9205, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9205, 2025.
Nature-based coastal solutions (NBCS) are gaining prominence among coastal scientists as sustainable strategies to address long-term challenges in coastal zones. However, their implementation will reshape coastal landscapes, requiring careful engagement with the public, whose socio-cultural values are directly affected by such changes. We, therefore, explore public perceptions, preferences, and perceived effectiveness of various coastal management strategies, with a focus on NBCS, using the UK as a case study. We carry out an online survey of > 500 UK residents, collecting data on demographics, place of residence, and views on coastal management. Using inductive coding, statistical analysis, and geospatial techniques, we identify a general consensus on the need for coastal management but find divergent preferences. While NBCS are the most preferred option, traditional hard defences are perceived as the most effective. Respondents with coastal management or engineering experience express greater confidence in the effectiveness of NBCS, whereas coastal residents prefer hard defences. Despite the ecological benefits of NBCS – e.g., enhanced coastal protection, carbon sequestration, and increased biodiversity – public understanding of their potential effectiveness remains limited. To advance NBCS adoption as a sustainable solution, greater engagement with local stakeholders is crucial. Tools such as systems mapping could support the development of inclusive and effective coastal management policies.
How to cite: Seenath, A., Mahadeo, S. M. R., and Catterson, J.: Public Perceptions of Nature-Based Coastal Management Solutions in the UK, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-13410, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13410, 2025.
Mangroves are essential blue carbon ecosystems with substantial potential to mitigate global warming. While human activities undeniably exert significant influence on mangrove growth, natural variables also play an important role in shaping their dynamics. Many studies focus on the effects of individual or limited factors on mangrove natural growth independent of anthropogenic deforestation, but comprehensive and large-scale assessments, particularly those considering both terrestrial and marine perspectives, remain scarce. This study examines 59 administrative areas worldwide by screening high-resolution satellite products and coastal observation records. After excluding the interference of human activities, we quantify natural mangrove changes from 1985 to 2023 using the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and evaluate the impacts of various terrestrial and marine factors, including carbon dioxide concentration, skin temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, sea level, salinity, and water temperature. Our results reveal that the EVI of naturally growing mangroves has increased by an average of 0.26±0.18% per year over the past nearly four decades, with no significant sign of deceleration, and remains commonly higher than that of adjacent non-mangrove vegetation. The annual EVI of mangroves is effectively modeled by the key environmental variables using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), with an average determination coefficient (R2) of 0.65±0.20. Among these variables, terrestrial-based carbon dioxide increase and marine-based sea level rise are the primary drivers of natural mangrove growth. This study deepens our understanding of the natural dynamics of mangrove growth and the long-term potential of nature-based coastal solutions.
How to cite: Huang, S. and Gin, K. Y.-H.: Carbon Dioxide Increase and Sea Level Rise Dominate the Natural Growth of Mangroves, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-14622, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-14622, 2025.
Salt marshes ecosystems, located between the sea and land, provide various valuable ecosystem services and constitute a sustainable nature-based coastal protection. However, these vegetated ecosystems have suffered extensive loss or severe degradation globally, primarily due to anthropogenic disturbances and climate change. This has led to a decline in ecosystem services and a reduction in ecological functions. To reverse this degradation, numerous efforts have been carried out worldwide to conserve and restore these coastal vegetated ecosystems, thereby providing nature-based solutions to mitigate climate change. Biodegradable 3D auxiliary structures have been widely implemented as a nature-based solution to facilitate the salt marsh plant establishment, enhance sedimentation process, and promote natural recovery process. However, the mechanisms by which 3D auxiliary structures protect saltmarsh seedlings remain underexplored, with limited targeted designs and comparative studies across various substrates. Here, we mimic key emergent traits that locally suppress physical stress by using biodegradable establishment structures. We then conduct a flume experiment designed to measure detailed hydrodynamic and sediment key parameters in order to study the mechanism of 3D auxiliary structures in plant seedlings protection. Our process-based analyses indicated that aboveground 3D structures protect seedlings by reducing flow velocities, thereby decreasing plant bending angles. Meanwhile, belowground 3D auxiliary structures stabilizes substrates by increasing incipient velocities and reducing erosion rates. This study highlight the importance of considering and facilitating bio-abiotic interactions in salt marsh restoration, as well as understanding the specific conditions at the restoration site. It not only enhance our understanding of salt marsh restoration mechanisms but also bridges a critical gap between ecological engineering and climate adaptation strategies.
How to cite: Li, Z., Xu, Y., Wang, X., Shen, J., Ma, S., Chu, X., Zhao, Z., and Yuan, L.: Unraveling the mechanism of 3D auxiliary structures in plant seedlings protection: Optimizing salt marsh restoration in coastal zone, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11336, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11336, 2025.
Water quality (WQ) deterioration in marine-coastal areas (MCA) is among the main threats affecting socio-economic systems and ecosystem functioning, calling for urgent actions to preserve ecosystems’ resilience. Nature-based Solutions (NBS) improve ecosystem resilience and biodiversity, transforming nature management while providing environmental and societal benefits. Yet, little is known on NBS capacity in reducing WQ deterioration due to climate and human-induced pressures in MCA. Understanding this nexus requires establishing functional relationships between marine ecosystems status and climate and human drivers exerting pressures over them. In this study, the relationship between climate change (CC) impacts on marine-coastal ecosystems is unravelled through a spatio-temporal Bayesian Network (BN) model, which allows estimating the adverse effects of human-induced and climate pressures on seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) along the Apulia region coast (Italy). To this aim, both anthropogenic (e.g., land use, MPAs) and environmental data (e.g., nutrients, temperature, transparency, depth, etc.) were integrated in the BN model, and jointly combined at the coastal water bodies scale, as framed within the WFD, and elicited by expert knowledge. Baseline environmental conditions were compared against multiple ‘what-if’ scenarios, representing different climate conditions, under RCP4.5 and 8.5, and nature-based management schemes. Key results emphasize the main variables (and the spatial extent) affecting the status of seagrass meadows, primarily depth, water transparency, and the presence/absence of protection actions along MCA, both on land and sea. On the other hand, results from scenario analysis highlight that under RCP4.5 the environmental conditions remain more suitable for seagrass habitat survival and growth, compared to RCP8.5 in both short (2050) and long (2100) term. Furthermore, the integration of management actions, primarily linked to land-use changes and widening of MPAs, would benefit WQ conditions for Posidonia oceanica health status, while contributing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (as part of Agenda 2030), and the Good Environmental and Ecological Status as required by relevant EU acquis.
How to cite: Allegri, E., Maynou, F., Bianconi, A., Furlan, E., de Juan, S., Pham, H. V., Critto, A., and Marcomini, A.: Conceptualizing a multi-risk Bayesian Network model to identify nature-based management solutions to face water quality degradation in a changing climate, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-681, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-681, 2025.
Agroforestry (integrating trees with crops or livestock) is widely considered as a ‘climate smart’ or ‘nature-based’ regenerative farming solution with multiple benefits. These include improvements to biodiversity, flood and drought mitigation, carbon storage, farm productivity, and resilience to climate change. However, whether and how these benefits are achieved and who benefits from them depends on a wide range of environmental, landscape and socio-economic factors. Scotland has significant potential for tree planting in rural environments, but this is relatively unexplored. Government aims to substantially increase agroforestry, but such expansion must be carefully planned to enhance ecosystem services, while avoiding unintended impacts. This complex task demands a multidisciplinary approach and tools to evaluate various factors and their interplay within the landscape, aiding decision-makers in exploring different options.
Here, we aimed to investigate the environmental and socio-economic potential and barriers for different types of agroforestry across diverse landscapes in Scotland. To help decision making and lower barriers for tree expansion on farmland with environmental benefits, we explored optimal planting scenarios in different settings. We conducted > 30 farmer interviews to evaluate the factors relating to adoption of agroforestry practices. We also developed a novel coupled carbon and hydrological model to assess the environmental effects of various agroforestry scenarios across Scotland. For riparian planting as a specific type of agroforestry, we then collaborated with > 100 stakeholders to explore the complexity of prioritising additional research needs and addressing national-level barriers to implementation.
While there is significant interest among farmers to integrate trees on their land, barriers such as insufficient knowledge on planting strategies, limited awareness of grant schemes, and inflexible policies persist. Overall, our results revealed that depending on motivation, socio-economic factors and business models, optimal planting scenarios can be vastly different. This is also constrained by site specificity, where additional evidence is needed by stakeholders to determine optimal tree placement and density to maximise multiple benefits. Modelling results aligned with the importance of selecting tree species and spatial planting designs based on site specific conditions. However, generally, for a finite number of trees, distributing broadleaved species over larger areas yields greater carbon storage and hydrological benefits per tree compared to planting them in dense clusters.
Finally, results were incorporated into the development of an interactive spatial multi-criteria mapping tool aiming to identify suitable and best locations for agroforestry in the landscape. The outcomes of this work support decision makers to deliver multiple objectives and improve accessibility and implementation of agroforestry as a nature-based agricultural solution with relevance to other parts of the UK and Europe.
How to cite: Geris, J. and Rostan, J. and the FARM TREE and RivyEvi Project teams: What works best where? Balancing multiple environmental and socio-economic demands for integrating trees into agricultural settings, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19462, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19462, 2025.
The environmental degradation observed in the last decades has triggered governments and international institutions to take action to halt biodiversity loss. For this, natural capital assessment is essential. The System of System of Environmental Economic Accounting-Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) was established by the United Nations (UN) as a global standard for integrating economic and environmental statistical data. Nevertheless, only some attempts were made to identify where this approach was conducted. In this study, we systematically review the studies, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis method. The results showed an increasing number of publications in the last decade. Most of the studies were conducted in Europe and Oceania. Regarding the types of SEEA-EA accounts, most studies focus on the extent of ecosystems and the monetary ecosystem services accounts. However, most do not provide essential information in the context of SEEA-EA, like opening/closing accounting tables, definition of reference conditions and results validation. The most studied ecosystem types were forests and woodlands; most of the works assessed more than one ecosystem type. Most ecosystem extent studies utilised national and international land use maps and remote sensing data. The results for ecosystem condition showed that most studies assess condition using indicators that fall out of the typology proposed in the SEEA-EA. They are mainly using biophysical indicators. Physical ecosystem services accounts were compiled by combining qualitative (e.g., expert elicitation) and quantitative (e.g., process-based modelling) methodologies, and studied mainly focusing on regulating & maintenance ecosystem services. Monetary ecosystem services accounts were compiled using economic methodologies such as market price and avoidance costs. The results obtained are essential to understanding the status of SEEA-EA implementation regarding the analysed ecosystem types, helping to reveal current gaps and future research needs. Furthermore, the implementation of SEEA-EA can serve as a basis to support the operationalisation of Nature Based-Solutions, safeguarding ecosystem condition and sustainably providing ecosystem services.
How to cite: Inácio, M., Baltranaitė, E., Valença Pinto, L., Meisutovic-Akhtarieva, M., Barceló, D., and Pereira, P.: Implementing the System of Environmental Economic Accounting-Ecosystem Accounting: A Systematic Review , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2139, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2139, 2025.
Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (eco-DRR) exemplifies the transformative potential of nature-based solutions (NBS) by bringing together disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and human development needs. As a cornerstone of NBS, eco-DRR leverages the sustainable use, restoration, and conservation of ecosystems to reduce disaster risks while enhancing ecological and social resilience. Beyond physical hazard mitigation, eco-DRR addresses sources of vulnerability by improving food and water security, diversifying livelihoods, fostering social cohesion, and empowering communities.
This research highlights a paradigmatic shift from hazard-centric interventions toward integrated, transdisciplinary approaches that address the root causes of vulnerability—such as poverty, inequality, and governance. It examines the interplay between ecological, social, and economic dimensions to mitigate flood risks effectively.
New findings from GOAL’s current research draw on case studies across African, Latin American, Caribbean, and South Asian contexts to explore:
- The root causes, dynamic pressures, and unsafe conditions driving flood-related social vulnerabilities.
- The effectiveness of eco-DRR interventions in reducing vulnerabilities and building resilience.
- Contextual factors influencing eco-DRR's scalability and success in diverse environments.
This presentation underscores the potential of eco-DRR as a scalable, sustainable NBS for flood adaptation. By integrating participatory approaches, citizen science, and cross-sectoral collaboration, it offers actionable insights for advancing interdisciplinary strategies, fostering global climate resilience, and embedding NBS principles in sustainable development.
How to cite: Sneddon, A., Pollard, A., and Makev, T.: Harnessing Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) for Societal Resilience to Floods, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20408, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20408, 2025.
This study performs an economic efficiency and equity analysis of four recent Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) interventions in Haiti, India, Indonesia, and Uganda. Our analysis aims at contributing to the development of methodological best practices for assessing both the economic-effectiveness and the distributional impacts of nature-based solutions, with a particular focus on marginalized or underserved communities. Nature-based solutions (NbS) are emerging as possible strategies to mitigate disaster risk while providing additional benefits to biodiversity and sustainable economic growth. However, there is limited scientific evidence about the cost-effectiveness and equity outcomes of NbS. For each ecosystem-based intervention examined we performed an economic efficiency assessment through a quantitative cost-benefit analysis (CBA). Our estimates show that at the 5th year since the project implementation, the interventions in Haiti and India generated positive net benefits, assuming hazard-related yearly losses in properties and GDP per capita in the project areas as low as 0.5 %. We observe the same outcomes in Indonesia and Uganda at the 10th year since the project implementation, assuming yearly losses equivalent to 1 % or higher and adopting a 3 % discount rate. When we include additional benefits from carbon capture and sequestration and pollution reduction the CBA net benefits estimates are positive at the 10th year mark for every discount rate adopted. Extensive qualitative interviews of local stakeholders corroborate the CBA results and provide insights on the numerous additional benefits experienced, which in the future could be measured and monetized if monitored over time. A qualitative analysis of the distributional effects of the interventions was performed to complement the economic efficiency assessment. This equity analysis indicates an enhancement in inclusivity, economic equality, participation, and capacity building among local stakeholders. In particular, the Eco-DRR interventions implemented resulted in significant education, health, safety and economic improvements for women, children, and economically vulnerable members of the local communities.
How to cite: Vicarelli, M., Georgescu, A., and Sudmeier-Rieux, K.: Cost-benefit and equity analysis of nature-based solutions in Haiti, India, Indonesia and Uganda, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4608, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4608, 2025.
Posters on site: Tue, 29 Apr, 10:45–12:30 | Hall X3
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) are regarded as an umbrella concept for actions focused on nature conservation and restoration, offering a range of social, economic, and environmental benefits. When specifically dealing with climate change adaptation, the term Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is also applicable. This research investigates EbA as a strategy to tackle the escalating climate challenges faced by coastal urban areas, including changing water regimes, and more frequent and severe floods and droughts. The study develops a decision-support framework aimed at guiding local governments in successfully implementing EbA. It highlights the importance of proposing protocols to evaluate the EbA implementation process in coastal urban areas. This framework is based on three core areas: governance systems, policy framework, and sustainable funding, with a set of indicators proposed for each area.
Within governance systems, the framework highlights the necessity of horizontal (within the same governance level) and vertical (across different administrative levels) cooperation. Political support, scientific expertise, and co-creation with local stakeholders are essential for integrating EbA into planning processes. Moreover, flexible governance structures enable institutions to adapt and ensure the sustainability of interventions.
Under policy framework, the framework proposes incorporating EbA into climate adaptation plans, urban policies, and international agreements, enhancing its uptake. Alignment between local regulations and broader strategic objectives, such as the EU Green Deal or the UN Sustainable Development Goals, reduces conflicts and supports EbA prioritization.
Sustainable funding is critical for scaling EbA. This study explores innovative mechanisms such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), ecological fiscal transfers, and fiscal incentives. These mechanisms complement traditional funding sources, such as local budgets and EU grants, to ensure long-term viability of EbA solutions.
The decision-support framework was tested across ten EbA initiatives of Spain and Portugal, focusing on coastal urban areas vulnerable to flooding. Examples include wetland restoration, urban farming, and green corridors in cities such as Lisbon, Barcelona, and Santander. The assessment revealed common challenges in implementing EbA measures, such as bureaucratic delays, governance misalignments, and limited fiscal incentives. However, successful cases demonstrated the importance of political support, horizontal cooperation, and stakeholder involvement.
While EbA are increasingly recognized at the EU level, its local implementation remains limited. Addressing governance challenges, aligning policies, and securing diverse funding sources are crucial for scaling EbA interventions. The assessment conducted in this study underscores the need for adaptive governance and the inclusion of diverse stakeholders in planning and execution of EbA. In addition, the research emphasizes the importance of adopting a systemic approach to incorporate EbA into local adaptation strategies, enhancing the resilience and stability of coastal cities. This research aims to contribute to a better understanding of how EbA can foster climate adaptation and urban resilience, offering practical tools to bridge the gap between policy and practice.
How to cite: Riera Spiegelhalder, M., Campos Rodrigues, L., and Ferrandis Martínez, A.: Assessing the implementation process of Ecosystem-based Adaptation in coastal urban areas , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5913, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5913, 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.
This poster aims to present the French ANR PENATE project, which has just started. PENATE seeks to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) as a strategy for adapting urban environments to climate change. To this end, it aims to develop multi-scale, multi-criteria, context-sensitive, and adaptive evaluation tools and methods tailored for local authorities.
The project is supported by a multidisciplinary consortium, bringing together expertise in hydrology, microclimatology, ecology, public policy, and law, and involving both research organizations and operational stakeholders. It includes several pilot sites where NbS are currently under monitoring. The project addresses key challenges such as mitigating urban heat islands, managing stormwater and flooding, improving quality of life, and ensuring ecological continuity across territories.
To achieve these objectives, PENATE aims to:
- Analyze and understand the legal, institutional, and technical constraints tied to implementing regulatory and strategic frameworks, and explore how NbS can address these challenges.
- Link the intrinsic properties of vegetation with their effects on thermo-hydraulic processes in NbS infrastructure through a functional traits-based approach.
- Develop digital tools capable of simulating the multifunctionality of NbS and evaluating their performance across different scales within complex territories.
The outcomes of PENATE are designed to support the integration of NbS into regulatory frameworks such as Local Urban Development Plans (PLUi), Climate Air Energy Plans (PCAET), and the Zero Net Artificialization (ZAN) objective. The project will provide local authorities with a dedicated diagnostic and decision-support tool to guide land-use planning and facilitate the implementation of NbS.
How to cite: Versini, P.-A., Gires, A., Techer, D., Claverie, R., Ramier, D., Guerrin, J., Desrousseaux, M., Schiopu, N., Brachet, A., Sabre, M., Fardel, A., Rodriguez, N., Sindt, L., Adrovic, A., Tassin, S., Carrière, M., Perrier, V., Caltran, H., Simon, G., and Schuster, S.: Planning and Evaluating NATure-Based Solutions within local authoritiEs – the PENATE project, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-7342, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-7342, 2025.
A significant part of built single-purpose land drainage is considered as disproportionate, including peat as well as non-waterlogged soils or submontane areas across Europe. Bearing in mind the ratio of drained farmland in Europe and the USA (17-87%), there persist an unmet potential to design and physically implement appropriate, within land consolidations or similar activities underutilized interventions on the existing land drainage, both on tiles and ditches. Among these interventions, there are many types of Nature Based Solutions (NBS), applicable on agricultural drainage systems or drained land, like constructed wetlands, biofilters, drainage blinding, two stage ditches, controlled drainage, canals revitalization and management. The principles, efficiency and limitaitons of these NBS are documented to some extent (e.g. the WOCAT SLM DATABASE, experimental catchments and sites), nevertheless, the proposals and implementation in practice is unsystematic and so the related real-life operational experience is rather vague.
This study presents a preliminary results from the Lovečkovicko case study (LCS), Northern Bohemia, the Czech Republic, aiming at introduction of practically applicable approaches for analyses and feasible yet conceptual proposals of measures on land drainage. The LCS, consisting of eight tile-drained cadastral units with heterogeneous natural and agricultural conditions, manifold history and various interrests of different stakeholders, stands for a representative example for the application of diverse methods for land drainage systems identification and proposals of related measures. Drainage, soil, geomorphological, landuse and land ownership characteristics and water retention / quality aspects were considered for the delineation and conceptual proposals of the different NBS.
This work also discuss the readilly available, whole country, regional or local necessary related data as well as the need for more detailed data acquisition or monitoring. These data and information should especially serve for the thorough justification and design of the proposed measures, as well as for the precise quantification of the NBS efficiency from the perspective of water balance and water quality as well as from the NBS investment and management costs point of view.
How to cite: Černý, J. and Fučík, P.: Interventions on land drainage for climate change adaptation – a conceptual case study, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8496, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8496, 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.
The present study explores the perceptions of diverse stakeholders about the potential of nature-based solutions to address inclusive climate actions (actions that tackle simultaneously climate change and inequalities). We performed surveys and in-depth interviews with 20-30 cross-sectoral stakeholders from five case studies of European cities (Bucharest, Amsterdam, Bruxelles, Turin and Skelleftea) aiming to understand how individual values, behaviors and dependent factors shape perceptions of climate risks and NBS acceptance.
Stakeholders were identified in a previous analysis and included personnel from governmental authorities, individual experts and specialists, non-state actors and general public. We included in the analysis a system of ranking of climate risks, but also detailed information about typologies of NBS of relevance to local conditions.
Results are being analyzed in both qualitative and quantitative approaches, and allowed us to identify: (i) high presence of specific climate risks (such as extreme heat in Bucharest); (ii) the preference of hybrid solutions as the most effective for mitigating climate risks; (iii) local and stakeholder-specific drivers and barriers to the effective implementation of NbS; (iv) the need for more collaborative planning for developing inclusive solutions.
The collection of different perceptions of stakeholders will inform a City Declaration discussed with cooperation partners during a reflection session that will support evidence-based decision making for more inclusive NbS and contribute together with other activities to an evidenced-based system for decision support. This research is part of the research project Driving Urban Transition - GREEN-INC (GRowing Effective & Equitable Nature-based Solutions through INClusive Climate Actions).
How to cite: Niță, M.-R., Hossu, A. C., Iojă, C. I., Calotă, M. A., and Mitincu, G. C.: Evaluating stakeholders’ perception for inclusive climate actions and NBS acceptance, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9615, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9615, 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.
The increase in frequency and severity of climate risk events highlights the need for investing in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Nature-based solutions (NBS) have proven to be effective at limiting the impacts of different climate risks. Despite their proven effectiveness, there is little investment in NBSs as a climate change adaptation solution. A cause for this NBS finance gap is the diversity of NBS benefits, many of which are difficult to quantify in monetary units. Without an accurate understanding of co-benefits, the societal return on investment of NBS would likely be undervalued and less attractive in investment decisions when compared with traditional solutions in cost-benefit analyses.
By means of a novel choice experiment, this study aims to improve the monetary quantification of NBS co-benefits. A survey was distributed in the Netherlands to over 2,000 respondents, with a deliberate oversampling of participants from Limburg, a region that suffered from devastating floods in 2021. We employ a co-creation approach involving local stakeholders for our experimental design and for the selection of NBS solutions presented in the experiment. Additional topics explored through our choice experiment include land use change and environmental preferences of respondents in their trade-offs. We also assess how respondents' perspectives on equity and redistribution impact willingness-to-pay to protect higher risk areas and lower-income households through publicly funded policies.
Findings from the choice experiment show monetary values assigned to different benefits of NBSs for flood risk reduction, and how respondent characteristics may influence these values. Additionally, we assess how the valuation of NBS-benefits differs between areas that were recently flooded compared to low-risk areas. Results from this study can be coupled with a flood risk model to obtain a comprehensive figure of benefits of NBSs as a flood adaptation measure, which may be applied in cost-benefit analyses or other decision-making tools by policymakers and institutional investors.
How to cite: García Álvarez, G., de Wolf, L., Botzen, W., Tesselaar, M., Staccione, A., Robinson, P., and Aerts, J.: Quantifying the Co-Benefits of Nature-Based Solutions: A Choice Experiment Approach to Flood Risk Adaptation in the Netherlands, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17893, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17893, 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.
