Nature-based solutions (NBS) are defined by the European Commission as “actions that are inspired by, supported by, or copied from nature…” and that solve societal challenges and multiple benefits. As a result, NBS are often promoted as alternative responses that solve complex societal challenges such as watershed management, while delivering a systemic approach of multiple benefits for well-being, human health, and sustainable use of resources. Despite rising interest in NBS, further identification of experiences implementing NBS could advance our understanding of the operationalization of this comprehensive concept. For this purpose, we analyzed 35 peer-reviewed articles on implementation experiences of NBS for water management in peri-urban areas, on aspects related to (i) NBS problem–solution: water challenges, ecosystem services, scales, and types; (ii) NBS governance and management. From the insights of the analysis, this paper asks what lessons are learned, and which barriers are identified, from implementing NBS for water management in peri-urban areas? As a result, this study presents a detailed analysis of each aspect. We conclude by highlighting accountancy, monitoring, and communication as potential success factors for integration and development while diminishing the overall barrier of complexity, which leads to technical, institutional, economic, and social uncertainty.

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Recent efforts to achieve social, economic, and environmental goals related to sustainability emphasize the importance of nature-based solutions (NBS), as grey infrastructure alone is insufficient to address current challenges. The majority of frameworks proposed in the literature fail to address the full potential of NBS, neglecting long-term results, unintended consequences, co-benefits, and their contribution to achieving global environmental agreements, such as the Agenda 2030, especially for water management in a peri-urban context. Here we present an innovative framework that can be applied to both NBS project planning and evaluation for several water-based challenges, giving practitioners and researchers a tool not only to evaluate ongoing projects but also to guide new ones. The framework considers three main stages of a NBS project: (1) context assessment, (2) NBS implementation and adaptation process, and (3) NBS results. This tool has the potential to be used to evaluate whether NBS projects are aligned with sustainability dimensions through a set of adaptable sustainability indicators. The framework can also highlight how the NBS targets are related to the sustainable development goals (SGD) and contribute to catalyzing the 2030 Agenda. The framework is an important tool for water management and other NBS types.

La cultura se ha utilizado como estrategia de regeneración urbana por su permeabilidad hacia otras áreas del desarrollo. Desde hace más de 30 años, el centro de Monterrey ha experimentado deterioro, pérdida de población y abandono, con lo que la estrategia del sector público ha sido realizar proyectos de regeneración urbana con fuerte implicación cultural. A pesar de la magnitud y la inversión de los proyectos, no se han logrado los objetivos esperados. En cambio, a partir del año 2013 surgen proyectos desde iniciativas bottom-up que están transformando positivamente el lugar. Se analizan los proyectos de regeneración urbana implementados en el centro mediante entrevistas a actores clave. Entre los principales resultados, destacan las iniciativas bottom-up como procesos de regeneración cultural capaces de transformar el territorio y el tejido social. La falta de diálogo entre actores es uno de los principales obstáculos para producir transformaciones más contundentes en el contexto sociourbano. Palabras clave: regeneración urbana; políticas; centro de Monterrey; regeneración cultural

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