Nature-based solutions to address global societal challenges

Capturing the multiple benefits associated with nature‐based solutions: Lessons from a natural flood management project in the Cotswolds, UK

“…Nature-based solutions (NBSs) are the latest in a number of terms that are beginning to influence policy debates on urban regeneration (Marton-Lefèvre 2012; Kabisch et al, 2016), responses to climate change (Cohen-Shacham, Walters, Janzen, & Maginnis, 2016; European Environment Agency, 2017), and sustainable development (Maes & Jacobs, 2015) as well as nature conservation (Eggermont et al, 2015; International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN], 2016). As with many new terms, it lacks a clear definition (Potschin et al, 2016), but its presence within the European Commission's (EC) Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 5 'Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials' programme (EC, 2015) and as a key programme for a major conservation non-governmental organization (NGO; IUCN, 2016) means that it is a term that will be receiving significant attention for the next few years.…”

“…As with many new terms, it lacks a clear definition (Potschin et al, 2016), but its presence within the European Commission's (EC) Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 5 'Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials' programme (EC, 2015) and as a key programme for a major conservation non-governmental organization (NGO; IUCN, 2016) means that it is a term that will be receiving significant attention for the next few years. In general, NBS is considered to be a broad definition covering the conserving, enhancing, and using of biodiversity by society in a sustainable manner, while also integrating social factors such as socio-economic development and effective governance (Balian, Eggermont, & Le Roux, 2014;Cohen-Shacham et al, 2016). The EC (2015) defines NBS to societal challenges as 'solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience.…”

Ecological stakeholder analogs as intermediaries between freshwater biodiversity conservation and sustainable water management

“…Nature-based solutions are considered a significant part of the global freshwater development toolbox (Cohen-Shacham, Walters, Janzen, & Maginnis, 2016;United Nations World Water Assessment Programme, 2018), and prevailing opinion on the connection between biodiversity and water security is clear from high-level panels of water resources experts (Vörösmarty et al, 2018).…”

“…van Rees and Reed (2015) argued that approaching ecological phenomena as ESA improves water management by (a) encouraging the use of hypothesis-based, mechanistic ecological research rather than purely descriptive studies and (b) facilitating the detection and adoption of mutual gains ("win-win") management solutions. These two advantages are especially relevant to current trends in improving ecological water management, including a desire for more processand rate-based metrics (Arthington et al, 2018;Poff, 2018), emphatic calls to make better use of nature-based solutions (Cohen-Shacham et al, 2016;United Nations World Water Assessment Programme, 2018), and a need for policy solutions that simultaneously achieve wildlife conservation and water security objectives (Harrison et al, 2018). In addition to these key advantages, we add that the ESA concept might also help achieve separate goals for the improvement of water management from both a governance and an ecological perspective.…”

Impacts of the Fundão Dam failure: a pathway to sustainable and resilient mitigation

“…Resilient mitigation refers not only to those solutions that can cope with current and future threats, especially climate change, but also to those that stem from the cultural and historical way the resources of the ecosystems have been used and degraded. 5 Of particular relevance to building resilience of socio-ecological systems is the adoption of nature-based solutions, defined as "actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits" (Cohen-Shacham et al, 2016).…”