Empowering cities globally: Four levers for transformative urban adaptation with nature-based solutions

Area of Science:

• Urban planning and climate adaptation science.
• Environmental management and sustainability.
• Policy and governance for climate resilience.

Background:

• Climate change exacerbates urban impacts, necessitating enhanced city adaptation capacities.
• Existing urban systems create resistance to change, hindering adaptation efforts.
• Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer a promising approach to urban climate adaptation but face implementation barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key barriers hindering the integration of NbS in urban climate adaptation.
• To propose levers for transformative adaptation by addressing these barriers.
• To support city leaders in leveraging NbS for climate resilience.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of barriers faced by city leaders in planning and implementing NbS.
• Identification of successful NbS adoption strategies from global examples.
• Proposal of four levers for transformative adaptation.

Main Results:

• Key barriers include knowledge gaps, lack of policy incentives, and limited financial autonomy.
• Four levers for transformative adaptation are proposed: knowledge sharing, incentive-based policies, diverse funding access, and reflexive monitoring.
• Successful NbS implementation requires addressing systemic challenges and empowering city leaders.

Conclusions:

• Closing the urban adaptation gap requires empowering cities with knowledge and resources for NbS.
• Implementing the proposed levers can facilitate the widespread adoption of NbS for transformative urban adaptation.
• Nature-centered urban planning is crucial for building resilient cities in the face of climate change.