About this Research Topic
Nature-based solutions (NbS) have been the focus of an increasing amount of attention in both research and application in tackling environmental and climate issues, particularly in urban areas. This is being further accelerated by the findings of the latest IPCC report, which emphasised the potential of nature in reducing climate change-related risks.
The NbS approach has the potential to reduce the vulnerability of urban ecosystems to climate-related risks, making them more climate resilient and sustainable. NbS have been shown to provide benefits including reducing temperatures, flood control, mitigating air pollution, supporting biodiversity, securing ecosystem services, and providing a more sustainable direction to urban development. Implementation of NbS also facilitates mitigation of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects and brings down the city’s cooling needs.
For an NbS approach to development, cities and urban infrastructure need to be designed and planned with nature in mind. NbS as an umbrella concept encompasses a wide range of nature-based approaches to urban development. These range from planning blue and green infrastructure (restoring water bodies, expanding and restoring urban green spaces and forests), renewable energy sources for infrastructure development, ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and mitigation, and eco-disaster risk reduction.
These solutions are increasingly being used to guide the urban planning process, suggesting a paradigm shift in planning strategies towards nature-responsive plans and actions for the benefit of both humans and the ecosystem. Through the creation of open green spaces, green corridors, provisions of habitats for natural species to thrive, rainwater collection, protection of surface drainages, etc., NbS in cities are improving the quality of life of its dwellers. Thus NbS in urban development can enhance the liveability of cities for humans while also promoting biodiversity and building strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the communities.
Increasingly, emerging technologies and data-driven approaches are being employed to assess the viability of NbS at urban sites, and for quantifying the potential environmental and socio-economic benefits of their implementation. This Research Topic aims to collect a range of research investigating the use of innovative technologies in the planning, implementation, and assessment of NbS from both a theoretical and applied perspective at sites across the globe.
We invite submissions covering the use of any emerging technologies with respect to NbS including, but not limited to, the following:
• Geospatial technologies in NbS planning;
• Remote sensing for NbS;
• Uses of AI in NbS planning and implementation;
• Sensors for monitoring impacts of NbS projects;
• Mathematical modeling for NbS assessment;
• Data-driven approaches to quantifying benefits of NbS projects.
The NbS approach has the potential to reduce the vulnerability of urban ecosystems to climate-related risks, making them more climate resilient and sustainable. NbS have been shown to provide benefits including reducing temperatures, flood control, mitigating air pollution, supporting biodiversity, securing ecosystem services, and providing a more sustainable direction to urban development. Implementation of NbS also facilitates mitigation of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects and brings down the city’s cooling needs.
For an NbS approach to development, cities and urban infrastructure need to be designed and planned with nature in mind. NbS as an umbrella concept encompasses a wide range of nature-based approaches to urban development. These range from planning blue and green infrastructure (restoring water bodies, expanding and restoring urban green spaces and forests), renewable energy sources for infrastructure development, ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and mitigation, and eco-disaster risk reduction.
These solutions are increasingly being used to guide the urban planning process, suggesting a paradigm shift in planning strategies towards nature-responsive plans and actions for the benefit of both humans and the ecosystem. Through the creation of open green spaces, green corridors, provisions of habitats for natural species to thrive, rainwater collection, protection of surface drainages, etc., NbS in cities are improving the quality of life of its dwellers. Thus NbS in urban development can enhance the liveability of cities for humans while also promoting biodiversity and building strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the communities.
Increasingly, emerging technologies and data-driven approaches are being employed to assess the viability of NbS at urban sites, and for quantifying the potential environmental and socio-economic benefits of their implementation. This Research Topic aims to collect a range of research investigating the use of innovative technologies in the planning, implementation, and assessment of NbS from both a theoretical and applied perspective at sites across the globe.
We invite submissions covering the use of any emerging technologies with respect to NbS including, but not limited to, the following:
• Geospatial technologies in NbS planning;
• Remote sensing for NbS;
• Uses of AI in NbS planning and implementation;
• Sensors for monitoring impacts of NbS projects;
• Mathematical modeling for NbS assessment;
• Data-driven approaches to quantifying benefits of NbS projects.
Keywords: Nature Based Solutions, Urban Greening, Geospatial Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Governance, Urban Planning
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
