Incorporating stakeholders’ preferences into a multi-criteria framework for planning large-scale Nature-Based Solutions

• Published in: Ambio Vol. 50; no. 8; pp. 1514 - 1531
• Main Authors: Ruangpan, Laddaporn, Vojinovic, Zoran, Plavšić, Jasna, Doong, Dong-Jiing, Bahlmann, Tobias, Alves, Alida, Tseng, Leng-Hsuan, Randelović, Anja, Todorović, Andrijana, Kocic, Zvonimir, Beljinac, Vladimir, Wu, Meng-Hsuan, Lo, Wei-Cheng, Perez-Lapeña, Blanca, Franca, Mário J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.08.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation; Atmospheric Sciences; Biodiversity; Climate change; Decision making; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Environment; Environmental economics; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Environmental Management; Floods; Hydrometeorology; Infrastructure; Landslides & mudslides; Methodology; Multiple criterion; Nature-based Solutions in River Landscapes; Physical Geography; Risk reduction; River basins; Rivers; Urban areas; Flood risk reduction; Nature-Based Solutions; River basin; Climate change mitigation; Multi-criteria analysis
• ISSN: 0044-7447; 1654-7209
• DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01419-4

Hydro-meteorological risks are a growing issue for societies, economies and environments around the world. An effective, sustainable response to such risks and their future uncertainty requires a paradigm shift in our research and practical efforts. In this respect, Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) offer the potential to achieve a more effective and flexible response to hydro-meteorological risks while also enhancing human well-being and biodiversity. The present paper describes a new methodology that incorporates stakeholders’ preferences into a multi-criteria analysis framework, as part of a tool for selecting risk mitigation measures. The methodology has been applied to Tamnava river basin in Serbia and Nangang river basin in Taiwan within the EC-funded RECONECT project. The results highlight the importance of involving stakeholders in the early stages of projects in order to achieve successful implementation of NBSs. The methodology can assist decision-makers in formulating desirable benefits and co-benefits and can enable a systematic and transparent NBSs planning process.