Bibliography

711 publications found

• Addressing societal challenges through nature-based solutions: How can landscape planning and governance research contribute?

  Albert, C. et al. Landscape and Urban Planning (2019). Perspective.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.10.003

  Abstract

  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.

  Infrastructure-related approachesNature-based solutions in generalClimate change adaptationDisaster risk reductionEcosystem healthFood and water securityHuman well-being & developmentGrasslandWetland

• Mangroves shelter coastal economic activity from cyclones

  Hochard, J.P. et al. PNAS (2019). Original Research.
  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1820067116

  Abstract

  Mangroves shelter coastlines during hazardous storm events with coastal communities experiencing mangrove deforestation are increasingly vulnerable to economic damages resulting from cyclones. To date, the benefits of mangroves in terms of protecting coastal areas have been estimated only through individual case studies of specific regions or countries. Using spatially referenced data and statistical methods, we track from 2000 to 2012 the impact of cyclones on economic activity in coastal regions inhabited by nearly 2,000 tropical and subtropical communities across 23 major mangrove-holding countries. We use nighttime luminosity to represent temporal trends in coastal economic activity and find that direct cyclone exposure typically results in permanent loss of 5.4–6.7 mo for a community with an average mangrove extent (6.3 m per meter of coastline); whereas, a community with more extensive mangroves (25.6 m per meter of coastline) experiences a loss equivalent to 2.6–5.5 mo. These results suggest that mangrove restoration efforts for protective benefits may be more cost effective, and mangrove deforestation more damaging, than previously thought.

  Ecosystem-based disaster risk reductionClimate change adaptationDisaster risk reductionHuman well-being & developmentCoastline

• The promises and pitfalls of ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change as a vehicle for social empowerment

  Woroniecki, S. et al. Ecology and Society (2019). Review.
  https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10854-240204

  Abstract

  Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to climate change is an approach claimed to deliver social benefits relevant to marginalized groups. Based on a structured literature review, we interrogate such claims, asking whether such approaches may (or may not) contribute to social change and, more specifically, empowerment. We present a review of the predominant meaning and interlinkages of the EbA and empowerment concepts, which shows that EbA pays insufficient attention to issues of empowerment and agency. On this basis, we discuss how an empowerment lens could be (better) integrated into the conceptualization of EbA, suggesting key dimensions through which this could be supported. We show that the emphasis on empowerment theory and the merits that it brings to the EbA literature are helpful, leading to a number of important questions to adaptation projects on the ground. Incorporating an empowerment lens leads to an increased consideration of issues of power more broadly, especially the way marginalized groups’ agency, access, and aspirations are conditioned by social structures that may prevent strategic adaptation choices. We conclude that EbA will facilitate empowerment better by explicitly considering how social benefits can emerge from the interplay between particular types of actions, marginalized people’s adaptive strategies, and their relational context.

  Ecosystem-based adaptationClimate change adaptationHuman well-being & development

• Nature-based solutions (NbS) for reducing the risk of shallow landslides: Where do we stand?

  de Jesús Arce-Mojica, T. et al. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (2019). Systematic Review.
  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221242091930442X

  Abstract

  Nature-based solutions (NbS) are highlighted in international agreements such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 as promising strategies to reduce disaster risk, adapt to climatic change, and strengthen community resilience. Particular focus is placed on the role of vegetation to prevent or mitigate the impacts of natural hazards and climatic extreme events. Protection forests that aim to minimize the risk of shallow landslides and other slope processes are among the numerous examples of how vegetation can reduce disaster risk and support communities to cope with natural hazards. However, there is no existing systematic review of the protection functions that vegetation offers in different mountain environments and many studies only focus on one specific controlling factor – such as the root systems – without considering NbS as an integrated concept. We performed a detailed investigation into shallow landslides as the most frequent slope processes, and conducted a systematic literature review based on two peer-reviewed bibliographic databases, Scopus and Science Direct, to ascertain the extent to which vegetation is identified as a controlling factor and the targeting of NbS for risk reduction. We assessed more than 13,000 articles published from 2000 to 2018 and conducted an in-depth evaluation of the 275 articles that satisfied the assessment criteria. Our results show that despite the promotion of NbS in internal policies, little research has been published on this topic; however, this has increased over the last decade. We therefore encourage transdisciplinary studies that integrate NbS for shallow landslides reduction.

  Ecosystem-based disaster risk reductionEcological engineeringEcological restorationEcosystem-based adaptationClimate change adaptationDisaster risk reduction

• Impacts of Land-Based Greenhouse Gas Removal Options on Ecosystem Services and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

  Smith, P. et al. Annual Review of Environment and Resources (2019). Review.
  https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-101718-033129

  Abstract

  Land-based greenhouse gas removal (GGR) options include afforestation or reforestation (AR), wetland restoration, soil carbon sequestration (SCS), biochar, terrestrial enhanced weathering (TEW), and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). We assess the opportunities and risks associated with these options through the lens of their potential impacts on ecosystems services (Nature’s Contributions to People; NCPs) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We find that all land-based GGR options contribute positively to at least some NCPs and SDGs. Wetland restoration and SCS almost exclusively deliver positive impacts. A few GGR options, such as afforestation, BECCS, and biochar potentially impact negatively some NCPs and SDGs, particularly when implemented at scale, largely through competition for land. For those that present risks or are least understood, more research is required, and demonstration projects need to proceed with caution. For options that present low risks and provide cobenefits, implementation can proceed more rapidly following no-regrets principles.

  Ecological restorationEcosystem-based mitigationForest landscape restorationClimate change adaptationClimate change mitigationFood and water security

• Step back from the forest and step up to the Bonn Challenge: how a broad ecological perspective can promote successful landscape restoration

  Temperton, V. et al. Restoration Ecology (2019). Perspective.
  https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12989

  Abstract

  We currently face both an extinction and a biome crisis embedded in a changing climate. Many biodiverse ecosystems are being lost at far higher rates than they are being protected or ecologically restored. At the same time, natural climate solutions offer opportunities to restore biodiversity while mitigating climate change. The Bonn Challenge is a U.N. programme to restore biodiversity and mitigate climate change through restoration of the world’s degraded landscapes. It provides an unprecedented chance for ecological restoration to become a linchpin tool for addressing many environmental issues. Unfortunately, the Forest and Landscape Restoration programme that underpins the Bonn Challenge, as its name suggests, remains focused on trees and forests, despite rising evidence that many non-forest ecosystems also offer strong restoration potential for biodiversity and climate mitigation. We see a need for restoration to step back to be more inclusive of different ecosystem types and to step up to provide integrated scienti c knowledge to inform large-scale restoration. Stepping back and up will require assessments of where to restore what species, with recognition that in many landscapes multiple habitat types should be restored. In the process, trade-offs in the delivery of different ecosystem services (e.g. carbon, biodiversity, water, albedo, livestock forage) should be clearly addressed. We recommend that biodiversity safeguards be included in policy and implemented in practice, to avoid undermining the biophysical relationships that provide ecosystem resilience to climate change. For ecological restoration to contribute to international policy goals will require integrated large-scale science that works across biome boundaries.

  Area-based approachesEcological restorationEcosystem-based mitigationForest landscape restorationNature-based solutions in generalClimate change adaptationClimate change mitigationEcosystem healthFood and water securityHuman well-being & development

• Social–environmental drivers inform strategic management of coral reefs in the Anthropocene

  Darling, E. et al. Nature ecology & evolution (2019). Original Research.
  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-0953-8

  Abstract

  Without drastic efforts to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate globalized stressors, tropical coral reefs are in jeopardy. Strategic conservation and management requires identification of the environmental and socioeconomic factors driving the persistence of scleractinian coral assemblages—the foundation species of coral reef ecosystems. Here, we compiled coral abundance data from 2,584 Indo-Pacific reefs to evaluate the influence of 21 climate, social and environmental drivers on the ecology of reef coral assemblages. Higher abundances of framework-building corals were typically associated with: weaker thermal disturbances and longer intervals for potential recovery; slower human population growth; reduced access by human settlements and markets; and less nearby agriculture. We therefore propose a framework of three management strategies (protect, recover or transform) by considering: (1) if reefs were above or below a proposed threshold of >10% cover of the coral taxa important for structural complexity and carbonate production; and (2) reef exposure to severe thermal stress during the 2014–2017 global coral bleaching event. Our findings can guide urgent management efforts for coral reefs, by identifying key threats across multiple scales and strategic policy priorities that might sustain a network of functioning reefs in the Indo-Pacific to avoid ecosystem collapse.

  Area-based approachesEcological restorationEcosystem-based managementClimate change adaptationEcosystem healthMarine

• The effects of forest cover and disturbance on torrential hazards: Large-scale evidence from the Eastern Alps

  Sebald, J. et al. Environmental Research Letters (2019). Original Research.
  https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab4937

  Abstract

  Global human population growth, limited space for settlements and a booming tourism industry have led to a strong increase of human infrastructure in mountain regions. As this infrastructure is highly exposed to natural hazards, a main role of mountain forests is to regulate the environment and reduce hazard probability. However, canopy disturbances are increasing in many parts of the world, potentially threatening the protection function of forests. Yet, large-scale quantitative evidence on the influence of forest cover and disturbance on natural hazards remains scarce to date. Here we quantified the effects of forest cover and disturbance on the probability and frequency of torrential hazards for 10,885 watersheds in the Eastern Alps. Torrential hazard occurrences were derived from a comprehensive database documenting 3,768 individual debris flow and flood events between 1986 and 2018. Forest disturbances were mapped from Landsat satellite time series analysis. We found evidence that forests reduce the probability of natural hazards, with a 25 percentage point increase in forest cover decreasing the probability of torrential hazards by 8.7 ± 1.2 %. Canopy disturbances generally increased the probability of torrential hazard events, with the regular occurrence of large disturbance events being the most detrimental disturbance regime for natural hazards. Disturbances had a bigger effect on debris flows than on flood events, and press disturbances were more detrimental than pulse disturbances. We here present the first large scale quantification of forest cover and disturbance effects on torrential hazards. Our findings highlight that forests constitute important green infrastructure in mountain landscapes, efficiently reducing the probability of natural hazards, but that increasing forest disturbances can weaken the protective function of forests.

  Ecosystem-based disaster risk reductionDisaster risk reductionForestMontane

• Projected climate change effects on Alberta’s boreal forests imply future challenges for oil sands reclamation

  Nenzén, H. K. et al. Restoration Ecology (2019). Original Research.
  https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13051

  Abstract

  Climate change will drive significant changes in vegetation cover and also impact efforts to restore ecosystems that have been disturbed by human activities. Bitumen mining in the Alberta oil sands region of western Canada requires reclamation to “equivalent land capability”, implying establishment of vegetation similar to undisturbed boreal ecosystems. However, there is consensus that this region will be exposed to relatively severe climate warming, causing increased occurrence of drought and wildfire, which threaten the persistence of both natural and reclaimed ecosystems. We used a landscape model, LANDIS‐II, to simulate plant responses to climate change and disturbances, forecasting changes to boreal forests within the oil sands region. Under the most severe climate forcing scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway, RCP, 8.5) the model projected substantial decreases in forest biomass, with the future forest being dominated by drought‐ and fire‐tolerant species characteristic of parkland or prairie ecosystems. In contrast, less extreme climate forcing scenarios (RCPs 2.6 and 4.5) had relatively minor effects on forest composition and biomass with boreal conifers continuing to dominate the landscape. If the climate continues to change along a trajectory similar to those simulated by climate models for the RCP 8.5 forcing scenario, current reclamation goals to re‐establish spruce‐dominated boreal forest will likely be difficult to achieve. Results from scenario modelling studies such as ours, and continued monitoring of change in the boreal forest, will help inform reclamation practices, which could include establishment of species better adapted to warmer and drier conditions.

  Ecosystem-based disaster risk reductionEcosystem-based adaptationInfrastructure-related approachesNature-based solutions in generalClimate change adaptationEcosystem healthForestMontane

• Nature-based solutions for hydro-meteorological hazards: Revised concepts, classification schemes and databases

  Debele, S. E. et al. Environmental Research (2019). Systematic Review.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.108799

  Abstract

  Hydro-meteorological hazards (HMHs) have had a strong impact on human societies and ecosystems. Their impact is projected to be exacerbated by future climate scenarios. HMHs cataloguing is an effective tool to evaluate their associated risks and plan appropriate remediation strategies. However, factors linked to HMHs origin and triggers remain uncertain, which poses a challenge for their cataloguing. Focusing on key HMHs (floods, storm surge, landslides, droughts, and heatwaves), the goal of this review paper is to analyse and present a classification scheme, key features, and elements for designing nature-based solutions (NBS) and mitigating the adverse impacts of HMHs in Europe. For this purpose, we systematically examined the literature on NBS classification and assessed the gaps that hinder the widespread uptake of NBS. Furthermore, we critically evaluated the existing literature to give a better understanding of the HMHs drivers and their interrelationship (causing multi-hazards). Further conceptualisation of classification scheme and categories of NBS shows that relatively few studies have been carried out on utilising the broader concepts of NBS in tackling HMHs and that the classification and effectiveness of each NBS are dependent on the location, architecture, typology, green species, environmental conditions as well as interrelated non-linear systems. NBS are often more cost-effective than hard engineering approaches used within the existing systems, especially when taking into consideration their potential co-benefits. We also evaluated the sources of available data for HMHs and NBS, highlighted gaps in data, and presented strategies to overcome the current shortcomings for the development of the NBS for HMHs. We highlighted specific gaps and barriers that need to be filled since the uptake and upscaling studies of NBS in HMHs reduction is rare. The fundamental concepts and the key technical features of past studies reviewed here could help practitioners to design and implement NBS in a real-world situation.

  Ecosystem-based disaster risk reductionEcosystem-based adaptationInfrastructure-related approachesNature-based solutions in generalClimate change adaptationDisaster risk reductionHuman well-being & development

• Global restoration opportunities in tropical rainforest landscapes

  Brancalion, P. H. S. et al. Science Advances (2019). Original Research.
  https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/7/eaav3223

  Abstract

  Over 140 Mha of restoration commitments have been pledged across the global tropics, yet guidance is needed to identify those landscapes where implementation is likely to provide the greatest potential benefits and cost-effective outcomes. By overlaying seven recent, peer-reviewed spatial datasets as proxies for socioenvironmental benefits and feasibility of restoration, we identified restoration opportunities (areas with higher potential return of benefits and feasibility) in lowland tropical rainforest landscapes. We found restoration opportunities throughout the tropics. Areas scoring in the top 10% (i.e., restoration hotspots) are located largely within conservation hotspots (88%) and in countries committed to the Bonn Challenge (73%), a global effort to restore 350 Mha by 2030. However, restoration hotspots represented only a small portion (19.1%) of the Key Biodiversity Area network. Concentrating restoration investments in landscapes with high benefits and feasibility would maximize the potential to mitigate anthropogenic impacts and improve human well-being.

  Ecosystem-based adaptationEcosystem-based mitigationForest landscape restorationClimate change adaptationClimate change mitigationEcosystem healthFood and water securityHuman well-being & developmentForest

• Pathways for harmonizing forest-related climate change adaptation and mitigation in Francophone Africa

  Nganje, M. and Larwanou, M. International Forestry Review (2019). Original Research.
  https://doi.org/10.1505/146554819827167493

  Abstract

  The role of forests in climate change mitigation is well documented. However, little is known about the importance of forests to adaptation in response to climate change, and its integration with mitigation options to cushion social and biophysical systems from the impacts of climate change. This paper examines pathways for harmonizing forest-related climate change adaptation and mitigation in francophone Africa covering Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Cameroon. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches were employed in this study. It was found that wood energy savings, afforestation, reforestation, promotion of community forests, agro-silvipastoral schemes and urban forestry schemes were the most identified interventions with a potential of climate change adaptation and mitigation outcomes. In this regard, mainstreaming forests into adaptation and mitigation policies in the context of NDCs is critical if the benefits from forests and trees outside forests are to be realized in Francophone Africa.

  Climate change adaptationClimate change mitigationArtificial Landscapes - TerrestrialForestSavanna

• Utilising nature-based solutions to increase resilience in Pacific Ocean Cities

  Pedersen Zari, M Ecosystem Services (2019). Policy Brief. Review.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.100968

  Abstract

  ‘Ocean Cities’ of the Pacific are where urban landscapes and seascapes meet, where built and natural environments interface, and where human behaviour and urban development have profound impacts on both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Ocean Cities are at the forefront of climate change consequences, urbanisation challenges, and other development pressures. This article discusses the potential for nature-based solutions (NbS), including those focused on ecosystem services, in Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as a response to climate change, population growth, and urbanisation. Attention is directed to identifying the benefits of NbS and case-studies from Pacific SIDS, and if not available regionally, further afield. The article provides focus on possible barriers to implementation of NbS in a Pacific SIDS context and potential policy responses to these. Conclusions are threefold: (i) addressing interlinked ecological, climate, and human wellbeing issues in an integrated, ocean-focused and climate-responsive manner is vital for sustainable development in island systems; (ii) NbS can provide significant human wellbeing and biodiversity benefits in this context; and (iii) Pacific Ocean Cities, with a significant body of relevant traditional knowledge and emerging NbS experience, can inform global understanding of how to address converging urbanisation and climate change issues in Ocean Cities.

  Area-based approachesEcosystem-based disaster risk reductionEcological restorationEcosystem-based adaptationInfrastructure-related approachesNature-based solutions in generalClimate change adaptationClimate change mitigationEcosystem healthFood and water securityHuman well-being & development

• A systematic review of the human health and social well-being outcomes of green infrastructure for stormwater and flood management

  Venkataramanan, V. et al. Journal of Environmental Management (2019). Systematic Review.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.05.028

  Abstract

  Background: The increase in frequency and intensity of urban  ooding is a global challenge. Flooding directly impacts residents of industrialized cities with aging combined sewer systems, as well as cities with less cen- tralized infrastructure to manage stormwater, fecal sludge, and wastewater. Green infrastructure is growing in popularity as a sustainable strategy to mimic nature-based  ood management. Although its technical perfor- mance has been extensively studied, little is known about the e ects of green stormwater infrastructure on human health and social well-being. Methods: We conducted a multidisciplinary systematic review of peer-reviewed and gray literature on the e ects of green infrastructure for stormwater and  ood management on individuals’, households’, and communities’ a) physical health; b) mental health; c) economic well-being; and d)  ood resilience and social acceptance of green infrastructure. We systematically searched databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus; the  rst 300 results in Google Scholar; and websites of key organizations including the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Study quality and strength of evidence was assessed for included studies, and descriptive data were extracted for a narrative summary. Results: Out of 21,213 initial results, only 18 studies reported health or social well-being outcomes. Seven of these studies used primary data, and none allowed for causal inference. No studies connected green infra- structure for stormwater and  ood management to mental or physical health outcomes. Thirteen studies were identi ed on economic outcomes, largely reporting a positive association between green infrastructure and property values. Five studies assessed changes in perceptions about green infrastructure, but with mixed results. Nearly half of all included studies were from Portland, Oregon. Conclusions: This global systematic review highlights the minimal evidence on human health and social well- being relating to green infrastructure for stormwater and  ood management. To enable scale-up of this type of infrastructure to reduce  ooding and improve ecological and human well-being, widespread acceptance of green infrastructure will be essential. Policymakers and planners need evidence on the full range of bene ts from di erent contexts to enable  nancing and implementation of instfrastructure options, especially in highly ur- banized,  ood-prone settings around the world. Therefore, experts in social science, public health, and program evaluation must be integrated into interdisciplinary green infrastructure research to better relate infrastructure design to tangible human outcomes.

  Infrastructure-related approachesClimate change adaptationDisaster risk reductionHuman well-being & development

• A Global Deal For Nature: Guiding principles, milestones, and targets

  Dinerstein, E. et al. Science Advances (2019). Original Research. Policy Brief.
  https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/4/eaaw2869

  Abstract

  The Global Deal for Nature (GDN) is a time-bound, science-driven plan to save the diversity and abundance of life on Earth. Pairing the GDN and the Paris Climate Agreement would avoid catastrophic climate change, conserve species, and secure essential ecosystem services. New findings give urgency to this union: Less than half of the terrestrial realm is intact, yet conserving all native ecosystems—coupled with energy transition measures—will be required to remain below a 1.5°C rise in average global temperature. The GDN targets 30% of Earth to be formally protected and an additional 20% designated as climate stabilization areas, by 2030, to stay below 1.5°C. We highlight the 67% of terrestrial ecoregions that can meet 30% protection, thereby reducing extinction threats and carbon emissions from natural reservoirs. Freshwater and marine targets included here extend the GDN to all realms and provide a pathway to ensuring a more livable biosphere.

  Area-based approachesEcological restorationEcosystem-based adaptationEcosystem-based mitigationClimate change adaptationClimate change mitigationEcosystem healthFood and water securityHuman well-being & development

• Oyster breakwater reefs promote adjacent mudflat stability and salt marsh growth in a monsoon dominated subtropical coas

  Chowdhury M. S. N. et al. Scientific Reports (2019). Original Research.
  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44925-6

  Abstract

  Oyster reefs have the potential as eco-engineers to improve coastal protection. A field experiment was undertaken to assess the benefit of oyster breakwater reefs to mitigate shoreline erosion in a monsoon-dominated subtropical system. Three breakwater reefs with recruited oysters were deployed on an eroding intertidal mudflat at Kutubdia Island, the southeast Bangladesh coast. Data were collected on wave dissipation by the reef structures, changes in shoreline profile, erosion-accretion patterns, and lateral saltmarsh movement and related growth. This was done over four seasons, including the rainy monsoon period. The observed wave heights in the study area ranged 0.1–0.5 m. The reefs were able to dissipate wave energy and act as breakwaters for tidal water levels between 0.5–1.0 m. Waves were totally blocked by the vertical relief of the reefs at water levels <0.5 m. On the lee side of the reefs, there was accretion of 29 cm clayey sediments with erosion reduction of 54% as compared to control sites. The changes caused by the deployed reefs also facilitated seaward expansion of the salt marsh. This study showed that breakwater oyster reefs can reduce erosion, trap suspended sediment, and support seaward saltmarsh expansion demonstrating the potential as a nature-based solution for protecting the subtropical coastlines.

  Ecosystem-based disaster risk reductionEcological engineeringEcosystem-based adaptationClimate change adaptationDisaster risk reductionMarine