Harnessing the potential of nature-based solutions for mitigating and adapting to climate change

Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 376(6600), P. 1410 - 1416

Published: June 23, 2022

Although many governments, financial institutions, and corporations are embracing nature-based solutions as part of their sustainability net-zero carbon strategies, some nations, Indigenous peoples, local community groups, grassroots organizations have rejected this term. This pushback is fueled by (i) critical uncertainties about when, where, how, for whom effective (ii) controversies surrounding misuse in greenwashing, violations human rights, threats to biodiversity. To clarify how the scientific can help address these issues, I provide an overview recent research on benefits limits solutions, including they compare with technological approaches, highlight areas future research.

Language: Английский

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Navigating Ecological Transformation: Resist–Accept–Direct as a Path to a New Resource Management Paradigm

BioScience, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 72(1), P. 16 - 29

Published: June 7, 2021

Abstract Natural resource managers worldwide face a growing challenge: Intensifying global change increasingly propels ecosystems toward irreversible ecological transformations. This nonstationarity challenges traditional conservation goals and human well-being. It also confounds longstanding management paradigm that assumes future reflects the past. As once-familiar conditions disappear, need new approach to guide decision-making. The resist–accept–direct (RAD) framework, designed for by managers, identifies options have responding helps them make informed, purposeful, strategic choices in this context. Moving beyond diversity complexity of myriad emerging frameworks, RAD is simple, flexible, decision-making tool encompasses entire decision space stewarding transforming ecosystems. Through shared application common approach, framework can help wider natural research community build robust, habits mind necessary new, twenty-first-century paradigm.

Language: Английский

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Intertwined people–nature relations are central to nature-based adaptation to climate change

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1917)

Published: Jan. 9, 2025

Adaptation to climate change is a social–ecological process: it not solely result of natural processes or human decisions but emerges from multiple relations within social systems, ecological systems and between them. We propose novel analytical framework evaluate in nature-based adaptation, encompassing (people–people), (nature–nature) (people–nature) relations. Applying this 25 case studies, we analyse the associations among these identify archetypes adaptation. Our findings revealed that adaptation actions with more people–nature mobilize identified four archetypes, distinct modes along gradient interaction scores, summarized as: (i) nature control; (ii) biodiversity-based; (iii) ecosystem services-based; (iv) integrated approaches. This study contributes nuanced understanding highlighting importance integrating diverse across systems. offer valuable insights for informing design implementation strategies policies. article part discussion meeting issue ‘Bending curve towards recovery: building on Georgina Mace's legacy biodiverse future’.

Language: Английский

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Future restoration should enhance ecological complexity and emergent properties at multiple scales

Ecography, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 2022(4)

Published: Dec. 7, 2021

Ecological restoration has a paradigm of re‐establishing ‘indigenous reference' communities. One resulting concern is that focussing on target communities may not necessarily create systems which function at high level or are resilient in the face ongoing global change. complexity – defined here, based theory, as number components system and connections among them provides complementary aim, can be measured directly several advantages. encompasses key ecosystem variables including structural heterogeneity, trophic interactions functional diversity. also assessed landscape scale, with metrics β diversity, heterogeneity habitat patches connectivity. Thus, applies, measured, multiple scales. Importantly, linked to emergent properties, e.g. functions resilience, there evidence both enhanced by complexity. We suggest ecology should consider new restore scales, particular individual ecosystems across landscapes. A approach make use certain current methods but encompass newer concepts such rewilding. Indeed, goal might many cases best achieved interventionist methods. Incorporating into policies could quite straightforward. Related aims enhancing services ecological resilience fore initiatives Sustainable Development Goals Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform Biodiversity Ecosystem Services. Implementation policy practice will need development applied local regional Ultimately, adoption an acceptance unprecedented environmental change requires ways doing fit for future.

Language: Английский

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Operationalizing forest‐assisted migration in the context of climate change adaptation: Examples from the eastern USA

Ecosphere, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 13(10)

Published: Oct. 1, 2022

Abstract There is increasing momentum to implement conservation and management approaches that adapt forests climate change so as sustain ecosystem functions. These range from actions designed increase the resistance of current composition structure negative impacts those transition substantially different characteristics. A component many adaptation will likely include assisted migration future climate‐adapted tree species or genotypes. While forest‐assisted (FAM) has been discussed conceptually examined experimentally for almost a decade, operationalizing FAM (i.e., routine use in forest projects) lags behind acceptance need adaptation. As vulnerability ecosystems increases, may become an integral tool reduce long‐term risks function, despite real perceived barriers its implementation. Here we discuss concept operational‐scale why it remains controversial, not yet widely adopted We present three case studies illustrate how practice can be approached pragmatically within framework acceptance. Finally, path toward advancing wide FAM.

Language: Английский

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Biodiversity outcomes of nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation: Characterising the evidence base

Frontiers in Environmental Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 10

Published: Oct. 11, 2022

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognised for their potential to address both the climate and biodiversity crises. Both these outcomes rely on capacity of NbS support enhance health an ecosystem: its biodiversity, condition abiotic biotic elements, continue function despite environmental change. However, while understanding ecosystem change mitigation has developed in recent years, those implemented adaptation remain poorly understood. To this, we systematically reviewed 109 nature-based interventions using 33 indicators across eight broad categories (e.g., diversity, biomass, composition). We showed that 88% with reported positive also benefits health. were associated a 67% average increase species richness. All studies supported health, leading “triple win.” there trade-offs, mainly forest management creation novel ecosystems such as monoculture plantations non-native species. Our review highlights two key limitations our First, limited selection metrics used rarely include aspects functional diversity habitat connectivity. Second, taxonomic coverage is limited: 50% only had evidence effects plants, 57% did not distinguish between native make suggestions how improve assessments NbS, well policy recommendations enable upscaling flourishing resilient ecosystems, effective addressing goals.

Language: Английский

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Challenges and Opportunities in the Use of Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Adaptation

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(9), P. 7243 - 7243

Published: April 26, 2023

The concept of nature-based solutions (NbS) has been endorsed by multiple international organizations as one the priority approaches to address climate-related challenges. These are versatile, and can simultaneously challenges such climate impacts, public health, inequality, biodiversity crisis, being uniquely suited for urban adaptation. NbS particularly relevant in developing world, where strategies should be self-reliant possible, reducing need technological processes that require expensive complex maintenance. also promote political, societal, cultural, ultimately, systems change. purpose this paper is present a literature review on use adaptation, identifying main opportunities, challenges, and, most specifically, knowledge gaps, which addressed subsequent research. identifies four types gaps adaptation: future uncertainty, lack site-specific technical design criteria, governance strategies, effectiveness assessment evaluation. To overcome local governments’ limitations, specific implementation structures considered, centered transfer within transdisciplinary participatory framework. developed partnership with planning entities, seeking consolidate these policies support social resilience institutional capacity. Therefore, adaptation initiated pilot projects urgency implementation, while allowing practices time adjust, building capacity at level, filling through effectiveness. climate-resilience tree species adequate was identified gap NbS.

Language: Английский

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Conservation strategies for the climate crisis: An update on three decades of biodiversity management recommendations from science

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 268, P. 109497 - 109497

Published: March 11, 2022

Language: Английский

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Understanding how justice is considered in climate adaptation approaches: a qualitative review of climate adaptation plans

Local Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 29(12), P. 1644 - 1663

Published: Aug. 4, 2024

Despite a growing focus on climate justice, prior research has revealed scant details about how marginalised groups have been engaged in local adaptation processes. This study aims to understand justice is considered these processes through qualitative review of plans and related documents from US municipalities. We reviewed 101 published between 2010 2021 using the three-dimensional framework recognitional, distributional, procedural justice. Overall, our findings stronger recognitional distributional than procedural. Recognitional mainly focused who most vulnerable change how, with adopting similar understanding vulnerability. Plans less frequently acknowledged historical injustices contribute Distributional was addressed strategies across six areas (e.g. health safety, buildings, green infrastructure, professional development, food, transit), focusing greater attention expanding existing programmes new initiatives. Little given potential negative impacts proposed strategies. Procedural one-off opportunities, rather more extensive engagement decision-making. Most lacked implementation considerations, for or otherwise, but when included, would be involved not implemented. These provide an array approaches incorporate planning support several considerations developing future plans.

Language: Английский

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Conserving biodiversity in the face of rapid climate change requires a shift in priorities

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: Sept. 4, 2022

Abstract The field of conservation aims to protect biodiversity—the diversity life on earth in all its forms. Traditional objectives and measures have already been expanded modified response shifting social values climate‐related challenges. As climate change progresses, we argue that these changes will need be accelerated. First, an even greater fraction prioritize the basic well‐being humans, especially areas where humans are strongly dependent their natural surroundings. For example, urban biodiversity low‐impact forms agriculture forestry reconcile contributions should increasingly viewed as compatible with objectives. Second, more allow for, foster, biodiversity. Indeed, changing species' characteristics biotic community composition not only adaptive responses inevitable but will, many instances, also necessary maintain functioning ecosystems. Conversely, attempts a historical state likely become difficult, expensive, possibly counterproductive. Finally, addition continuing adaptation work, efforts focus reducing atmospheric carbon concentrations. We explore how collectively transforming they potential lead just sustainable world despite impending change. This article is categorized under: Climate, Ecology, Conservation > Strategies Nature, Ethics Comparative Environmental Values Climate Development Sustainability Human Well‐Being

Language: Английский

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