Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Ecosystems and Societies

Over the past few decades, the frequency and severity of natural and human-induced disasters have increased across Asia. These disasters lead to substantial loss of life, livelihoods and community assets, which not only threatens the pace of socio-economic development, but also undo hard-earned gains. Extreme events and disasters such as floods, droughts, heat, fire, cyclones and tidal surges are known to be exacerbated by environmental changes including climate change, land-use changes and natural resource degradation. Increasing climate variability and multi-dimensional vulnerabilities have severely affected the social, ecological and economic capacities of the people in the region who are, economically speaking, those with the least capacity to adapt. Climatic and other environmental hazards and anthropogenic risks, coupled with weak and wavering capacities, severely impact the ecosystems and Nature's Contributions to People (NCP) and, thereby, to human well-being. Long-term resilience building through disaster risk reduction and integrated adaptive climate planning, therefore, has become a key priority for scientists and policymakers alike. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is a cost-effective approach that utilizes ecosystem and biodiversity services for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, while also providing a range of co-benefits like sustainable livelihoods and food, water and energy security. This book discusses the concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) - both as a science and as art - and elaborates on how it can be applied to develop healthy and resilient ecosystems locally, nationally, regionally and globally. The book covers illustrative methods and tools adopted for applying NbS in different countries. The authors discuss NbS applications and challenges, research trends and future insights that have wider regional and global relevance. The aspects covered include: landscape restoration, ecosystem-based adaptation, ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, ecological restoration, ecosystem-based protected areas management, green infrastructure development, nature-friendly infrastructure development in various ecosystem types, agro-climatic zones and watersheds. The book offers insights into understanding the sustainable development goals (SDGs) at the grass roots level and can help indigenous and local communities harness ecosystem services to help achieve them. It offers a unique, essential resource for researchers, students, corporations, administrators and policymakers working in the fields of the environment, geography, development, policy planning, the natural sciences, life sciences, agriculture, health, climate change and disaster studies.

Autorentext

Dr. Shalini Dhyani is a Senior Scientist with the Critical Zone Group, Water Technology and Management Division of the CSIR-NEERI, India. She is the S. Asia Regional Chair for the IUCN Commission on Ecosystems Management (CEM) and Lead Author of the Global Assessment on Sustainable use of Wild Species (2018-2021) by Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Dr. Shalini has been working tirelessly to integrate and mainstream biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions in decision-making and policy planning.

Dr. Anil Kumar Gupta is a Professor and Head of the Environment, Climate and Disaster Risk Management Division and International Cooperation at the National Disaster Management Institute based in New Delhi. Dr. Gupta is known for pioneering contributions to climate change adaptation integration, including disaster management, concepts for and promotion of environmental sustainability, and ecosystem-based approaches to resilience and adaptation.

Dr. Madhav Karki is an expert on Natural Resources Management and the Executive Director and founder of the Centre for Green Economy Development, Nepal (CGED-Nepal), as well as an expert member of the Government of Nepal's Environment Protection Council. He is a member of the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and Deputy Chair of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM).

Inhalt

1. Opportunities and advances to mainstream Nature-based Solutions in disaster risk management and climate strategy.- Part 1. Decision making tools for mainstreaming NbS.- 2. Scaling up spring revival in the Himalaya: Graduating from spring-centric to aquifer-centric nature-based solutions.- 3. Ecosystem Based Integrated and Participatory Watershed Management.- 4. Nature-based solution for balancing the food, energy and environment trilemma: Lessons from Indonesia.- 5. Wetlands as buffers for water-mediated disaster risks: Policy and Programming Opportunities in India.- 6. Landscape Character Assessment: A method to include community perspectives and ecosystem services in landuse planning.- 7. Linking NbS with Water management: A case of South Megacities.- Part 2. Evidence and examples of NbS implementation.- 8. Forest landscape restoration as a NbS strategy for achieving Bonn Challenge pledge: Lessons from India's restoration efforts.- 9. Guns and Roses- Forest Landscape Restoration as a Nature based solution in areas of armed conflict.- 10. Leveraging Conservation Benefits through Ecosystembased Services Approach and Community Engagement in Wetland and Riparian Ecosystems the case of conserving Black-Necked Crane and White -Bellied Heron in Bhutan.- 11. Geo-Information tools in implementing Nature based Solutions from High Altitude Wetlands: From mapping to decision making support for Disaster Risk Reduction.- 12. Promoting nature based solution (NbS) through restoration of degraded landscapes in the Indian Himalayan Region.- 13. Temporal Changes in Livelihood and Land Usage patterns: Case study of a Primitive Tribe, Van Raji, from Uttarakhand, India.- Part 3. Advanced Institutional provisions and policies for NbS.- 14. Nature based solutions for restoration of freshwater ecosystems: Indian experiences.- 15. Applicability of Nature based Solution through Green Infrastructure Approach to Enhance Green Cover in Urban Transition Scenario.- 16. Climate Adaptive Agricultural Intervention for Food, Nutritional, Health and Livelihood Security.- 17. Agroforestry as a nature based solution for reducing community dependence on forests to safeguard forests in rainfed areas of India.- 18. Trees, shrubs and herbs for slope stabilization in landslide prone areas of Eastern Himalaya.- Part IV. Insights to Research Innovations in NbS.- 19. Permeable pavements as sustainable nature-based solution for management of urban lake ecosystems.- 20. Habitat Suitability Modelling and Nature-based Solutions: An efficient combination to realise the targets of Bonn Challenge and SDGs in South Asia.- 21. Role of tropical floodplain wetlands in carbon sequestration: a case study from Barak river basin of Assam, Northeast India.- 22. Ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction in Eastern Himalayan forests of Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India.- 23. Nature Based Solutions Entry Points through Sectoral Policies, Strategic Instruments and Business Continuity.- 24. New Pathways for NbS to realize and achieve SDGs and post 2015 targets: Transformative Approaches in Resilience Building.