TY - JOUR

T1 - Principles for urban nature-based solutions

AU - Kabisch, Nadja

AU - Frantzeskaki, Niki

AU - Hansen, Rieke

N1 - Funding information: We would like to thank three anonymous reviewers for their important comments and suggestions to an earlier version of this manuscript. Nadja acknowledges support by the research project Environmental-Health Interactions in Cities (GreenEquityHEALTH) – Challenges for Human Well-Being under Global Changes (2017–2022), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF; no. 01LN1705A). Niki wants to acknowledge that the research that inspired this paper stems from the European Union Horizon 2020 program with the project CONNECTING NATURE (no. 730222; 2017-2021). Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. Funding were provided by Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Grant No. 01LN1705A, GreenEquityHEALTH project, https://www.greenequityhealth.hu-berlin.de ) and Horizon 2020 framework programme (Grant No. 730222; Connecting Nature, https://www.connectingnature.eu ).

PY - 2022/6

Y1 - 2022/6

N2 - Nature-based solutions (NBS) were introduced as integrated, multifunctional and multi-beneficial solutions to a wide array of socio-ecological challenges. Although principles for a common understanding and implementation of NBS were already developed on a landscape scale, specific principles are needed with regard to an application in urban areas. Urban areas come with particular challenges including (i) spatial conflicts with urban system nestedness, (ii) specific urban biodiversity, fragmentation and altered environments, (iii) value plurality, multi-actor interdependencies and environmental injustices, (iv) path-dependencies with cultural and planning legacies and (v) a potential misconception of cities as being artificial landscapes disconnected from nature. Given these challenges, in this perspective paper, we build upon and integrate knowledge from the most recent academic work on NBS in urban areas and introduce five distinct, integrated principles for urban NBS design, planning and implementation. Our five principles should help to transcend governance gaps and advance the scientific discourse of urban NBS towards a more effective and sustainable urban development. To contribute to resilient urban futures, the design, planning, policy and governance of NBS should (1) consider the need for a systemic understanding, (2) contribute to benefiting people and biodiversity, (3) contribute to inclusive solutions for the long-term, (4) consider context conditions and (5) foster communication and learning.

AB - Nature-based solutions (NBS) were introduced as integrated, multifunctional and multi-beneficial solutions to a wide array of socio-ecological challenges. Although principles for a common understanding and implementation of NBS were already developed on a landscape scale, specific principles are needed with regard to an application in urban areas. Urban areas come with particular challenges including (i) spatial conflicts with urban system nestedness, (ii) specific urban biodiversity, fragmentation and altered environments, (iii) value plurality, multi-actor interdependencies and environmental injustices, (iv) path-dependencies with cultural and planning legacies and (v) a potential misconception of cities as being artificial landscapes disconnected from nature. Given these challenges, in this perspective paper, we build upon and integrate knowledge from the most recent academic work on NBS in urban areas and introduce five distinct, integrated principles for urban NBS design, planning and implementation. Our five principles should help to transcend governance gaps and advance the scientific discourse of urban NBS towards a more effective and sustainable urban development. To contribute to resilient urban futures, the design, planning, policy and governance of NBS should (1) consider the need for a systemic understanding, (2) contribute to benefiting people and biodiversity, (3) contribute to inclusive solutions for the long-term, (4) consider context conditions and (5) foster communication and learning.

KW - Biodiversity

KW - Cities

KW - Climate change

KW - Environmental justice

KW - Governance

KW - Sustainability

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123119244&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s13280-021-01685-w

DO - 10.1007/s13280-021-01685-w

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85123119244

VL - 51

SP - 1388

EP - 1401

JO - AMBIO

JF - AMBIO

SN - 0044-7447

IS - 6

ER -