Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Climate Change Adaptation Linking Science, Policy, and Practice Communities for Evidence-Based Decision-Making

• Published in: Bioscience Vol. 69; no. 6; pp. 455 - 466
• Main Authors: FRANTZESKAKI, NIKI, MCPHEARSON, TIMON, COLLIER, MARCUS J., KENDAL, DAVE, BULKELEY, HARRIET, DUMITRU, ADINA, WALSH, CLAIRE, NOBLE, KATE, VAN WYK, ERNITA, ORDÓÑEZ, CAMILO, OKE, CATHY, PINTÉR, LÁSZLÓ
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.06.2019
• Subjects: Adaptation; cities; Climate; Climate adaptation; Climate change; Climate effects; Climate science; Decision making; Forum; funding; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; issues and policy; Urban planning; cities; urban; resilience; nature-based solutions; climate change
• ISSN: 0006-3568; 1525-3244; 1525-3244
• DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biz042

Nature-based solutions offer an exciting prospect for resilience building and advancing urban planning to address complex urban challenges simultaneously. In this article, we formulated through a coproduction process in workshops held during the first IPCC Cities and Climate Science Conference in Edmonton, Canada, in March 2018, a series of synthesis statements on the role, potential, and research gaps of nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation. We address interlocking questions about the evidence and knowledge needed for integrating nature-based solutions into urban agendas. We elaborate on the ways to advance the planning and knowledge agenda for nature-based solutions by focusing on knowledge coproduction, indicators and big data, and novel financing models. With this article, we intend to open a wider discussion on how cities can effectively mainstream nature-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to the negative effects of climate change and the future role of urban science in coproducing nature-based solutions.