The Role of Nature-Based Solutions in Supporting Social-Ecological Resilience for Climate Change Adaptation

2022/09/21 by Beth Turner, Tahia Devisscher, Nicole Chabaneix +3 · 1 voice · 2 citations
Environmental Science · #Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies #Ecosystem dynamics and resilience #Land Use and Ecosystem Services

paper · pdf · doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-012220-010017

openalex publication_date 2022/09/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

Social-ecological systems underpinning nature-based solutions (NbS) must be resilient to changing conditions if NbS are to contribute to long-term climate change adaptation. We develop a two-part conceptual framework linking social-ecological resilience to adaptation outcomes in NbS. Part one determines the potential of NbS to support resilience based on assessing whether NbS affect key mechanisms known to enable resilience. Examples include social-ecological diversity, connectivity, and inclusive decision-making. Part two includes adaptation outcomes that building social-ecological resilience can sustain, known as nature's contributions toadaptation (NCAs). We apply the framework to a global dataset of NbS in forests. We find evidence that NbS may be supporting resilience by influencing many enabling mechanisms. NbS also deliver many NCAs such as flood and drought mitigation. However, there is less evidence for some mechanisms and NCAs critical for resilience to long-term uncertainty. We present future research questions to better understand how NbS can continue to support social-ecological systems in a changing world.

Citations

• Ecosystem services or services to ecosystems? Valuing cultivation and reciprocal relationships between humans and ecosystems
• A conceptual framework for analysing adaptive capacity and multi-level learning processes in resource governance regimes
• Quantifying spatial resilience
• Understanding the value and limits of nature-based solutions to climate change and other global challenges
• Evaluating forest resilience to global threats using functional response traits and network properties
• Maladaptation: When Adaptation to Climate Change Goes Very Wrong
• Adaptation interventions and their effect on vulnerability in developing countries: Help, hindrance or irrelevance?
• Commentary : Resilience and Social-Ecological Systems: A Handful of Frontiers
• Resilience thinking meets social theory

Cited by

• Nature-based solutions for climate and health: mapping synergies and trade-offs
• Fostering sustainable and resilient coastal communities through combining Nature-based Solutions and empowerment tools: A review

Discussions

• Nature-based solutions that make ecosystems more resilient across the board have important benefits for e.g. local water cycles and biodiversity (doi.org/10.1146/annu...). Nature-based solutions could [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]

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