TY - JOUR

T1 - Addressing societal challenges through nature-based solutions

T2 - How can landscape planning and governance research contribute?

AU - Albert, Christian

AU - Schröter, Barbara

AU - Haase, Dagmar

AU - Brillinger, Mario

AU - Henze, Jennifer

AU - Herrmann, Sylvia

AU - Gottwald, Sarah

AU - Guerrero, Paulina

AU - Nicolas, Claire

AU - Matzdorf, Bettina

N1 - Funding Information: For this approach becoming reality, some support for planning and governance is necessary. This is done by the interdisciplinary PlanSmart research group ( www.plansmart.info ) (supported by a research grant from the German Ministry of Education and Research BMBF), which, in collaboration with the Integrated EU LIFE Project “Living Lahn” ( www.lila-livinglahn.de ), provides scientifically sound decision-support to design strategies for sustainable development of the Lahn river landscape with a particular focus on NBS. PlanSmart collaborates closely with experts, decision-makers, stakeholders and citizens in the Lahn region to co-identify alternative river landscape development scenarios, to explore their respective implications, and suggest innovative implementation concepts and funding strategies. In particular, PlanSmart provides empirical evidence of the ecological, social and economic effects of scenarios (including NBS options) and explores suitable governance and business models for implementation.

PY - 2019/2

Y1 - 2019/2

N2 - Nature-based solutions (NBS) in river landscapes, such as restoring floodplains, can not only decrease flood risks for downstream communities but also provide co-benefits in terms of habitat creation for numerous species and enhanced delivery of diverse ecosystem services. This paper aims to explore how landscape planning and governance research can contribute to the identification, design and implementation of NBS, using the example of water-related challenges in the landscape of the Lahn river in Germany. The objectives are (i) to introduce the NBS concept and to provide a concise definition for application in planning research, (ii) to explore how landscape planning and governance research might support a targeted use and implementation of NBS, and (iii) to propose an agenda for further research and practical experimentation. Our methods include a focused literature review and conceptual framework development. We define NBS as actions that alleviate a well-defined societal challenge (challenge-orientation), employ ecosystem processes of spatial, blue and green infrastructure networks (ecosystem processes utilization), and are embedded within viable governance or business models for implementation (practical viability). Our conceptual framework illustrates the functions of NBS in social-ecological landscape systems, and highlights the complementary contributions of landscape planning and governance research in developing and implementing NBS. Finally, a research and experimentation agenda is proposed, focusing on knowledge gaps in the effectiveness of NBS, useful approaches for informed co-design of NBS, and options for implementation. Insights from this paper can guide further studies and support testing of the NBS concept in practice.

AB - Nature-based solutions (NBS) in river landscapes, such as restoring floodplains, can not only decrease flood risks for downstream communities but also provide co-benefits in terms of habitat creation for numerous species and enhanced delivery of diverse ecosystem services. This paper aims to explore how landscape planning and governance research can contribute to the identification, design and implementation of NBS, using the example of water-related challenges in the landscape of the Lahn river in Germany. The objectives are (i) to introduce the NBS concept and to provide a concise definition for application in planning research, (ii) to explore how landscape planning and governance research might support a targeted use and implementation of NBS, and (iii) to propose an agenda for further research and practical experimentation. Our methods include a focused literature review and conceptual framework development. We define NBS as actions that alleviate a well-defined societal challenge (challenge-orientation), employ ecosystem processes of spatial, blue and green infrastructure networks (ecosystem processes utilization), and are embedded within viable governance or business models for implementation (practical viability). Our conceptual framework illustrates the functions of NBS in social-ecological landscape systems, and highlights the complementary contributions of landscape planning and governance research in developing and implementing NBS. Finally, a research and experimentation agenda is proposed, focusing on knowledge gaps in the effectiveness of NBS, useful approaches for informed co-design of NBS, and options for implementation. Insights from this paper can guide further studies and support testing of the NBS concept in practice.

KW - Ecosystem services

KW - Integrated water resources management

KW - River landscapes

KW - Social–ecological research

KW - Sustainability science

KW - Water governance

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85054886767&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.10.003

DO - 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.10.003

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85054886767

VL - 182

SP - 12

EP - 21

JO - Landscape and urban planning

JF - Landscape and urban planning

SN - 0169-2046

ER -