Nature Based Solutions

Photo credits: PEDRR



Research status:

  • We are currently collecting data

  • A preliminary Draft will be availble in April 2021

  • The paper has been selected as vPICO presentation at the European Geophysical Union General Assembly 2021 in session ITS2.14/HS12.2 - 'Nature-Based Solutions for Global Environmental Challenges and SDG nexus research' (Tuesday, 27 April 2021, 09:20 CEST)

Differences in Nature Based Solutions perception and implementation strategies across academic disciplines, an empirical analysis


This survey-based empirical study investigates how disciplinary scholars perceive Nature Based Solutions (NBS) and how they differ in their NBS implementation approach at the local level.


Respondents participated in the 2020-2021 UN Sustainable Global Solutions Winter School, a ten-week course (online from Dec. 3, 2020, to Jan. 26, 2021) with a focus on Disaster Risk Reduction and Water Security. Supported by the United Nations Environmental Program and the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR), a global alliance of UN agencies, NGOs, and institutes, the Winter School Program is delivered via a partnership model between the University of Massachusetts Amherst's School of Public Policy and Department of Economics, McMaster University, and the United Nations University.


Aiming to build young professionals' capacity on NBS framing and application potential, the Program focuses on the delivery of conceptual and empirical information on ecosystem-based climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The Program represents a knowledge hub and an opportunity to network with scholars, international experts, and practitioners.


40 graduate students from numerous disciplines (e.g. economics, public policy, international affairs, geosciences, engineering, chemistry and physics) have been selected to attend the Program and have participated in a survey to assess how disciplinary scholars perceive NBS and to explore differences in strategies and priorities while implementing NBS within communities.


The results of the survey will offer lessons about opportunities and possible challenges of interdisciplinary collaborations when implementing NBS.


Principal Investigators:

Marta Vicarelli, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Economics, School of Public Policy <mvicarelli@econs.umass.edu>

Nidhi Nagabhatla, United Nations University and McMaster University, Canada


Research team:


  • Suad Abukamla, McMaster University, Canada

  • Megan Devoe, McMaster University, Canada

  • Magnolia Hamzeloee, McMaster University, Canada

  • Simon Schütze, United Nations University and University of Bonn, Germany

  • Hnin Wuit Yee Kyaw, United Nations and University of Bonn, Germany

  • Matt Brodeur, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Heriberto Godoy, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Brendan Moran, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Madison Trepanier, University of Massachusetts Amherst


We are thankful to the following students for their support in the initial stages of this project:

  • Michelle Ragany, McMaster University, Canada

  • Shannon McAndrew, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Sarah Traore, University of Massachusetts Amherst







Presentations

European Geophysical Union

Vicarelli, M. and Nagabhatla, N.: Differences in Nature Based Solutions perception and implementation strategies across academic disciplines, an empirical analysis, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-3767, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-3767, 2021.

Abstract:

This survey-based study investigates how scholars from different disciplines perceive Nature Based Solutions (NBS) and how they differ in their NBS implementation approach.

Respondents participated in the 2020-2021United Nations Sustainable Solutions Winter School, a ten-week course (online from Dec. 3, 2020, to Jan. 26, 2021) with a focus on Disaster Risk Reduction and Water Security. Supported by the United Nations Environmental Program and the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR, a global alliance of UN agencies, NGOs, and institutes) the Winter School Program is delivered via a partnership model between the University of Massachusetts Amherst's School of Public Policy and Department of Economics, McMaster University, and the United Nations University. The Program represents a knowledge hub and an opportunity to network with scholars, international experts, and practitioners.

Graduate students from numerous disciplines (e.g., economics, public policy, international affairs, geosciences, engineering, chemistry, and physics) have been selected to attend the Program and have participated in a survey to assess differences in their perception of NBS and to explore differences in strategies and priorities while implementing NBS within communities.

Our analysis has a particular focus on economic evaluation practices and economic efficiency analysis of NBS projects. The results of our survey offer lessons about opportunities and possible challenges of interdisciplinary collaborations when implementing NBS.



PEDRR Symposium


We will present our work during our Keynote talk at the PEDRR Symposium 15-16 September 2021.

The symposium provides a platform for exchange and learning on teaching and research for the upcoming policy meetings such as those for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR).