Nature-based solutions for resilient landscapes and cities.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly applied to guide the design of resilient landscapes and cities to enable them to reach economic development goals with beneficial outcomes for the environment and society. The NBS concept is closely related to other concepts including sustainability, resilience, ecosystem services, coupled human and environment, and green (blue) infrastructure; however, NBS represent a more efficient and cost-effective approach to development than traditional approaches. The European Commission is actively engaged in investing in NBS as a driver in developing ecosystem services-based approaches throughout Europe and the world. The pool of knowledge and expertise presented in this Special Issue of Environmental Research highlights the applications of NBS as 'living' and adaptable tools to boost the capacity of landscapes and cities to face today's critical environmental, economic and societal challenges. Based on the literature and papers of this Special Issue, we propose five specific challenges for the future of NBS.

• Publication year

  2018

• Venue

  Environmental Research

• Publication date

  2018-08-01

• Fields of study

  Economics, Engineering, Business, Environmental Science, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/j.envres.2017.11.038PMID 29217218
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Ecosystem services: Urban parks under a magnifying glass

  2018cited by this paper
• Green spaces are not all the same for the provision of air purification and climate regulation services: The case of urban parks

  2018cited by this paper
• Innovative urban forestry governance in Melbourne?: Investigating “green placemaking” as a nature‐based solution

  2018cited by this paper
• Nature‐based solutions to promote human resilience and wellbeing in cities during increasingly hot summers

  2017cited by this paper
• Re‐defining the characteristics of environmental volunteering: Creating a typology of community‐scale green infrastructure

  2017cited by this paper
• Air contaminants and litter fall decomposition in urban forest areas: The case of São Paulo ‐ SP, Brazil

  2017cited by this paper
• Hydro‐dam – A nature‐based solution or an ecological problem: The fate of the Tonlé Sap Lake

  2017cited by this paper
• Comprehending the multiple ‘values’ of green infrastructure – Valuing nature‐based solutions for urban water management from multiple perspectives

  2017cited by this paper
• Combining high-resolution images and LiDAR data to model ecosystem services perception in compact urban systems

  2017cited by this paper
• Public health risk of mercury in China through consumption of vegetables, a modelling study

  2017cited by this paper
• The health benefits of nature‐based solutions to urbanization challenges for children and the elderly – A systematic review

  2017cited by this paper
• Regulating urban surface runoff through nature‐based solutions – An assessment at the micro‐scale

  2017cited by this paper
• Urban natural environments as nature-based solutions for improved public health - A systematic review of reviews.

  2017cited by this paper
• Aerosol pollution and its potential impacts on outdoor human thermal sensation: East Asian perspectives

  2017cited by this paper
• Resilient landscapes in Mediterranean urban areas: Understanding factors influencing forest trends

  2017cited by this paper
• Cultivating nature‐based solutions: The governance of communal urban gardens in the European Union

  2017cited by this paper
• The reduction of Chlorella vulgaris concentrations through UV‐C radiation treatments: A nature‐based solution (NBS)

  2017cited by this paper
• Nature‐Based Solutions in the EU: Innovating with nature to address social, economic and environmental challenges

  2017cited by this paper
• The science, policy and practice of nature-based solutions: An interdisciplinary perspective.

  2017cited by this paper
• Nature‐Based Solutions for Europe's Sustainable Development

  2017cited by this paper
• Challenges for tree officers to enhance the provision of regulating ecosystem services from urban forests

  2017cited by this paper
• An impact evaluation framework to support planning and evaluation of nature-based solutions projects

  2017cited by this paper
• Nature-Based Solutions and Climate Change – Four Shades of Green

  2017cited by this paper
• Mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Governance and Planning

  2017cited by this paper
• Urban green infrastructure in Europe: Is greenspace planning and policy compliant?

  2017cited by this paper
• Nature‐based solutions for urban landscapes under post‐industrialization and globalization: Barcelona versus Shanghai

  2017cited by this paper
• Strategic green infrastructure planning and urban forestry

  2017influential reference
• Nature based solutions to mitigate soil sealing in urban areas: Results from a 4‐year study comparing permeable, porous, and impermeable pavements

  2017cited by this paper
• Nature based solution for improving mental health and well‐being in urban areas

  2017cited by this paper
• Grassland productivity and carbon sequestration in Mongolian grasslands: The underlying mechanisms and nomadic implications

  2017cited by this paper
• A spatial framework for targeting urban planning for pollinators and people with local stakeholders: A route to healthy, blossoming communities?

  2017influential reference
• Assessing allergenicity in urban parks: A nature‐based solution to reduce the impact on public health

  2017cited by this paper
• Natural Assurance Scheme: A level playing field framework for Green-Grey infrastructure development.

  2017cited by this paper
• Nature-based agricultural solutions: Scaling perennial grains across Africa

  2017cited by this paper
• Estimating Stand Volume and Above-Ground Biomass of Urban Forests Using LiDAR

  2016cited by this paper
• An indicator framework for assessing ecosystem services in support of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020

  2016cited by this paper
• Nature-based solutions to address global societal challenges

  2016influential reference
• Integrated valuation of a nature-based solution for water pollution control. Highlighting hidden benefits

  2016cited by this paper
• Ecosystem services : Methods and techniques for decision support – introduction

  2016cited by this paper
• Nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban areas: perspectives on indicators, knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities for action

  2016cited by this paper
• The provision of ecosystem services in response to global change: Evidences and applications.

  2016cited by this paper
• Sensor Capability and Atmospheric Correction in Ocean Colour Remote Sensing

  2015cited by this paper
• Policy shifts influence the functional changes of the CNH systems on the Mongolian plateau

  2015cited by this paper
• Nature-based Solutions : New Influence for Environmental Management and Research in Europe

  2015cited by this paper
• Benefits of restoring ecosystem services in urban areas

  2015cited by this paper
• Coupled natural and human systems: a landscape ecology perspective

  2014cited by this paper
• Solution scanning as a key policy tool: identifying management interventions to help maintain and enhance regulating ecosystem services

  2014cited by this paper
• Natural solutions: protected areas helping people to cope with climate change

  2011cited by this paper
• Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Adaptation : Nature-Based Solutions from the World Bank Portfolio

  2008cited by this paper
• Ecosystems and human well-being: synthesis

  2005cited by this paper

• Health and well-being in nature: Analysis of 18,054 visit reports and implications for nature-based biopsychosocial resilience theory (NBRT)

  2026cites this paper
• Governance of urban green spaces as nature-based solutions in Korea and Germany

  2026cites this paper
• Upcycling volcanic ash from Mount Etna for green roof system: a circular strategy for energy-efficient and sustainable buildings

  2026cites this paper
• Systems Approach To Climate Change Crisis, Global Perspective, and Uganda’s Outlook - A Review

  2026cites this paper
• Beat the heat: Hotspots for Nature-based Solutions in Vienna and Budapest

  2026cites this paper
• A systematic review of the impact of the urban environment on the health of school-age children and adolescents: Current landscape and future directions

  2026cites this paper
• The protective role of blue space in mental health outcomes: A systematic review

  2026cites this paper
• Fostering Amenity Criteria for the Implementation of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems in Public Spaces: A Novel Decision Methodological Framework

  2026cites this paper
• Exploring the influence of future land use changes on the cultural ecosystem services in a fast-developing region

  2026cites this paper
• Beyond Nature: Investigating the Restorative Properties of Environments Through the Comparison of Historical, Modern Urban, and Natural Image Exposures

  2026cites this paper
• A Scenario-Based Analysis Of Wetlands As Nature-based Solutions For Flood Risk Mitigation Using The TELEMAC-2D Model

  2025cites this paper
• Assessing the impact of climate-resilient trees as nature-based solutions on users’ thermal and psychological comfort in an urban garden

  2025cites this paper
• Fusing Multi-Modal Data for Comprehensive Quality Evaluation of Urban Ecological Space in Grid Scale: A Case Study in Taizhou, China

  2025cites this paper
• Landscape approaches and stakeholder engagement in nature-based solutions for sustainable river floodplains: A systematic review

  2025cites this paper
• Impact of urban green infrastructure on ecosystem services: A systematic review

  2025cites this paper
• Integrating and mapping spatial heterogeneity of the ecosystem: a novel approach to indicating environmental threats.

  2025cites this paper
• Sposoby budowania odporności miejskiej oraz wizerunku małych miast przy pomocy rozwiązań opartych o naturę

  2025cites this paper
• Heat-stress reduction through targeted green infrastructure using computational urban climate twins

  2025cites this paper
• Green walls as nature-based solutions for urban resilience and human well-being: the case of the city of Turin (Italy)

  2025cites this paper
• Harnessing nature: Evaluating cost-effective and globally sustainable solutions for Africa's environmental resilience

  2025cites this paper
• Climate-Driven Dynamics of Landscape Patterns and Carbon Sequestration in Inner Mongolia: A Spatiotemporal Analysis from 2000 to 2020

  2025cites this paper
• Prerequisites for the adoption of nature-based solutions in local communities using the NbS Assessment Tool (NAT): A case study of Lahore, Pakistan

  2025cites this paper
• Geographical feature and method factors significantly influence the reliability of ecological source information transmission at multi-scale

  2025cites this paper
• Development of an Indicator Assessment Framework for Urban Forest Effects Through a Scoping Review

  2025cites this paper
• (Re)greening transition of academic green spaces as a response to social and environmental challenges: the role of bottom-up initiatives

  2025cites this paper
• A practical NbS framework for ecological landscape design: The Pınarbaşı example

  2025cites this paper
• Managing Water-Ecosystem-Food Nexus using participatory approaches: insights from an innovative methodological approach developed in two Mediterranean areas

  2025cites this paper
• Nature-based solutions for urban climate resilience: implementation, contribution, and effectiveness

  2025cites this paper
• Nature-Based Solutions Applied in Urban Drainage Systems: A Case Study Using GIS-Based Hydrological Modeling

  2025cites this paper
• Dynamics of Runoff Quantity in an Urbanizing Catchment: Implications for Runoff Management Using Nature-Based Retention Wetland

  2025cites this paper
• The Emergence of Nature-based Solutions in Latin American Urban Policies: a critical review. The case of Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile and São Paulo.

  2025cites this paper
• Dynamics of ecosystem service-driven networks in the Qilian Mountains and their implications for protected area management

  2025cites this paper
• Understanding Policy Approaches to Urban Wetlands: Governance and Management Strategies in Two EU Metropolitan Areas - Helsinki and Vienna

  2025cites this paper
• Sustainable Evaluation and Improvement Strategy of Ecotourism in the Wuyishan National Park Based on the DANP-mV Model

  2025cites this paper
• Integrating nature-based solutions into urban flood risk and resilience analysis: A bowtie and sendai framework approach

  2025cites this paper
• Urban Forests and Green Environments for Sustainable Cities: Knowledge Landscape, Research Trends, and Future Directions

  2025cites this paper
• Revealing Global Trends on Nature-Based Solutions: Mapping and Visualizing Research Landscapes

  2025cites this paper
• Assessing conditions for NbS transformation in a mediterranean urban context: policy expectations, emerging networks, and collaborative capacity in Madrid.

  2025cites this paper
• How to achieve coordinated and sustainable development between urban flood resilience and ecosystem services at the urban agglomeration scale.

  2025cites this paper
• Driving factors of fragmentation in urban landscapes: Local contributions, spatial relationships, and causal effects

  2025cites this paper
• Time, justice, and urban nature: procedural barriers to multi-species flourishing

  2025cites this paper
• A review of the role and challenges of green ecology management in sub-Saharan Africa

  2025cites this paper
• Enhancing urban ecological resilience through small wetlands: A nature-based solutions in Changchun City, China

  2025cites this paper
• Coupling Mechanisms and Optimization of Urban Green Space Equity and Income Distribution Based on Multi-Source Big Data: A Case Study of Beijing

  2025cites this paper
• Designing Age-Friendly Paved Open Spaces: Key Green Infrastructure Features for Promoting Seniors’ Physical Activity

  2025cites this paper
• BIG U(nicorn)?: The nature of nature in coastal resilience planning

  2025cites this paper
• Modelling the role of permeable pavements in mitigating pluvial flooding in Genoa, Italy

  2025cites this paper
• How Does Green Infrastructure (GI) Influence Urban Thermal Environments? A Systematic Literature Review of Trends, Gaps, and Future Directions (2014–2024)

  2025cites this paper
• Animals and Cities: exploring the impact of human-animal interaction to enhance the quality of life of citizens.

  2025cites this paper
• An integrated approach for enhancing the planning perspective of peri-urban and urban green spaces: The case of the Limassol Metropolitan Area in Cyprus

  2025cites this paper
• Building Greener Cities Together: Urban Afforestation Requires Multiple Skills to Address Social, Ecological, and Climate Challenges

  2025cites this paper
• Assessing nature-based solutions: A developed SCGE model for long-term environmental and social impacts of urban green spaces on sustainable development

  2025cites this paper
• Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat

  2025cites this paper
• Scaling up nature-based solutions: dose-response effects of urban greening on avian biodiversity.

  2025cites this paper
• Public policy supporting innovation for sustainable development

  2025cites this paper
• Global Approaches for Ecological Restoration in Urban Environments: A PRISMA Review

  2025cites this paper
• A Holistic Catchment‐Scale Framework to Guide Flood and Drought Mitigation Towards Improved Biodiversity Conservation and Human Wellbeing

  2025cites this paper
• Deurbanizing for conservation and adapting: framing ecological restoration as a nature-based solution in La Pletera salt marsh, Catalonia (Spain)

  2025cites this paper
• Rize Çay Çarşısı Örneğinde Ekolojik ve Bütüncül Peyzaj Yaklaşımlarıyla Kamusal Alanların Yeniden Değerlendirilmesi

  2025cites this paper
• Perceived Green-blue Spaces Combined with Road Network for Urban Park Visitors in South China

  2025cites this paper
• Analysis of ecological network evolution in an ecological restoration area with the MSPA-MCR model: A case study from Ningwu County, China

  2025cites this paper
• Predicting Community Support for Park Development Using Social Exchange Theory

  2025cites this paper
• Building evidence regarding Nature-Based Solutions indicators and their implications for policy – the case of air quality

  2025cites this paper
• Exploring the Possibilities of Implementing the ALS-Based 3-30-300 Concept for Urban Green Space Management in Small Municipalities

  2025cites this paper
• Agentes y moderadores en espacios verdes urbanos: una visión multiespecies

  2025cites this paper
• Nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation in urban areas: A Norwegian planning perspective

  2025cites this paper
• Analysis of Land Use in the Seaside Regions of Ukraine in 2017—2022 Based on Satellite Information

  2025cites this paper
• Rozwiązania oparte na przyrodzie jako pole badawcze integrujące geografię = Nature-based Solutions as a research field integrating geography

  2025cites this paper
• Effects on heat mitigation, energy use, and carbon savings in urban-scale implementations of nature-based solutions

  2025cites this paper
• Green gutter as a Nature-based Solution for mitigation and adaptation strategy in urban environments.

  2025cites this paper
• Assessment of the Adoption of Nature-Based Solutions for Flood Risk Mitigation: Socio-Economic Determinants in the River Nyamwamba Catchment, Uganda

  2025cites this paper
• Blue Nature-Based Solutions in marine and coastal EU policies: Challenges, recommendations and policy opportunities throughout the policy cycle

  2025cites this paper
• A scenario-based framework for evaluating the effectiveness of nature-based solutions in enhancing habitat quality

  2025cites this paper
• Perceptual and physiological virtual assessment of Indoor Living Walls including lighting settings

  2025cites this paper
• Innovation curse: the wastefulness of technologies believed to mitigate climate change

  2025cites this paper
• Linking perceptions of ecological restoration projects’ impacts on ecosystem services and human well-being for achieving regional sustainability

  2025cites this paper
• New European Bauhaus Yaklaşımını Tamamlayıcı Gelenekselden Sürdürülebilirlik Dersleri: Bibliyometrik Analiz Yaklaşımı

  2025cites this paper
• Quantitative Evaluation and Typology of Social Exposure Patterns to Urban Green Spaces: A Case Study of Seoul

  2025cites this paper
• Using an innovative Catchment Nutrient Balancing (CNB) approach to improve river water quality: A case study from rural sub catchment in Cumbria, United Kingdom.

  2025cites this paper
• Current Interventions Are Inadequate to Maintain Cities' Resilience During Concurrent Drought and Excessive Heat

  2025cites this paper
• Regenerative and Connective Green Cells to Address Fragmentation and Climate Change in Cities: The TALEA Project Integrated Solution

  2025cites this paper
• Running in Rotterdam's blue spaces: Age group preferences and the impact of visual perceptions

  2025cites this paper
• The influence of payments and time payments: Preconditions to implement nature-based solutions in Austrian cities

  2025cites this paper
• Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for urban drainage: a review focused on sustainable stormwater management

  2025cites this paper
• Site selection for nature-based solutions for stormwater management in urban areas: An approach combining GIS and multi-criteria analysis.

  2024cites this paper
• Aligning nature-based solutions with ecosystem services in the urban century

  2024cites this paper
• A social cost-benefit analysis of shellfish beds on the Dutch coast as a nature-based measure against climate change

  2024cites this paper
• Integration of Building Information Modeling and Stormwater Runoff Modeling: Enhancing Design Tools for Nature-Based Solutions in Sustainable Landscapes

  2024cites this paper
• Editorial: Nature-based solutions for ecosystem restoration

  2024cites this paper
• Development of a novel performance evaluation framework for implementing regenerative practices in construction

  2024cites this paper
• Impact of vertical greening on urban microclimate and historic building materials: A meta-analysis

  2024cites this paper
• Urban Forests as Nature-Based Solutions: a Comprehensive Overview of the National Forest City Action in China

  2024cites this paper
• Nature-based solutions for resilient farming in southwest coastal region of Bangladesh: approach of second-order adaptation

  2024cites this paper
• A place-based framework for assessing the effectiveness of inclusive climate actions for nature-based solutions in cities

  2024cites this paper
• Making a case for nature‐based solutions for a sustainable built environment in Africa

  2024cites this paper
• The Influence of Internal Spatial Coupling Characteristics of Blue-Green Space on Cooling Benefit in Metropolitan Areas: Evidence form Hangzhou, China

  2024cites this paper
• Urban Ecosystem Services in a Rapidly Urbanizing World: Scaling up Nature’s Benefits from Single Trees to Thriving Urban Forests

  2024cites this paper
• Emerging Perspectives on Diverse Nature-Oriented Sustainability Strategies

  2024cites this paper
• Biochar and zero-valent iron alleviated sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline co-stress on the long-term system performance of bioretention cells: Insights into microbial community, antibiotic resistance genes and functional genes.

  2024cites this paper
• A transformations framework for mainstreaming a nature-based solutions approach

  2024cites this paper