Nature-based solutions as urban adaptation to climate risk: Framework for economic evaluation as decision support tool
April 1, 2025Integration of Nature-based solution (NBS) as adaptation in planning and policy remains a challenge due to lack of adequate information on economic feasibility. This is mainly due to non-availability of economic evaluation framework for informed decision. Present study tries to address this by examining the status of evaluation frameworks through a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2023. Based on the synthesis of the evidence a five-step framework, exclusively for economic evaluation of NBS as urban adaptation has been developed. Using this a novel, holistic, just, equitable and inclusive cyclical decision tool has been proposed. The review confirmed the lack of economic assessment and a holistic evaluation framework. The evaluation framework has been backed by operational guidance by providing comprehensive recommendations on the methodologies, tools and techniques and indicators and metrics that can be used for execution of each step. The proposed cyclical decision tool facilitates equity and justice by having provisions for ensuring equal participation of each stakeholder in decision making. It specifically ensures incorporation of plurality of knowledge and in particular value of the ecosystem services (ESs) from NBS. The tool has applicability across the urban spatial scale in cities of developed and developing economies.