Risk Management and Resilience


This domain will initiate and sustain dialogue among the various stakeholders (private and public sector, architects, practitioners, policy maker), on nature-based solutions in the context of risk management and resilience of NBS. The dialogue will address methods for combining NBS for risk management in various levels such as reduction of pollution, carbon storage, preservation of biodiversity, recreational activities, and economic opportunities. Synergies in reducing multiple risks in regional level and influence of local level risk management on regional and EU level as well as alternatives on how to leverage funds for long term benefits and to ensure massive involvement of politicians and private companies in the implementation and funding of such solutions will be examined. Ecosystem-based solutions as an innovative way for risk management which combines different scales and planning perspectives will be considered.

Melaleuca entrapping microsites as a nature based solution to coastal erosion: A pilot study in Kien Giang, Vietnam

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 11:16am

Accumulation of fine grained sediment and natural regeneration of mangrove species are normally prioritized to control erosion on mangrove dominated muddy coasts. Current solutions to manage eroded mangrove dominated muddy coasts have been not as cost-effective as expected. Entrapping microsites, although mainly used for restoring eroded terrestrial resources, were first tested for restoring an eroded mangrove dominated muddy coast of Vam Ray, Hon Dat, Kien Giang, Vietnam.

The Value of Coastal Wetlands for Flood Damage Reduction in the Northeastern USA

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 11:15am

As exposure to coastal hazards increases there is growing interest in nature-based solutions for risk reduction. This study uses high-resolution flood and loss models to quantify the impacts of coastal wetlands in the northeastern USA on (i) regional flood damages by Hurricane Sandy and (ii) local annual flood losses in Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey. Using an extensive database of property exposure, the regional study shows that wetlands avoided $625 Million in direct flood damages during Hurricane Sandy.

A modelling framework for evaluation of the hydrological impacts of nature-based approaches to flood risk management, with application to in-channel interventions across a 29-km2 scale catchment in the United Kingdom

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 11:14am

Nature-based approaches to flood risk management are increasing in popularity. Evidence for the effectiveness at the catchment scale of such spatially distributed upstream measures is inconclusive. However, it also remains an open question whether, under certain conditions, the individual impacts of a collection of flood mitigation interventions could combine to produce a detrimental effect on runoff response. A modelling framework is presented for evaluation of the impacts of hillslope and in-channel natural flood management interventions.

Nature-Based Solutions for Europe's Sustainable Development

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 11:10am

Pursuing economic targets of job creation, growth, and innovation while tackling global environmental challenges, has long been seen as impossible. However, any long-term economic competitiveness and security depends on the extent to which natural resources are used sustainably. Therefore, the European Union is investing in nature-based solutions to achieve this double goal. The difference between the prevailing economic model and a sustainable resource use has long seemed insurmountable.

Large-scale 3-D experiments of wave and current interaction with real vegetation. Part 1: Guidelines for physical modeling

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 11:05am

The growing interest in incorporating nature-based solutions and ecosystem services as part of coastal protection schemes has recently increased in the literature and focused on the understanding and modeling of wave and current interactions with natural coastal landforms, such as salt marshes. With this purpose, using flumes or basins has been one of the preferred options in experimental modeling under controlled conditions.

Identifying Five Different Perspectives on the Ecosystem Services Concept Using Q Methodology

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 10:54am

The objective of this paper is to recognize and categorize the various ways that ecosystem services researchers perceive the concept and purpose of ecosystem services (ES). To do so, we employed the discourse analysis approach of Q methodology, where 33 researchers ranked 39 statements on ES derived from the literature.

Nature-Based Solutions in the EU: Innovating with nature to address social, economic and environmental challenges

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 10:44am

Contemporary societies are facing a broad range of challenges, from pressures on human health and well-being to natural capital depletion, and the security of food, water and energy. These challenges are deeply intertwined with global processes, such as climate change and with local events such as natural disasters. The EU's research & innovation (R&I) policy is now seeking to address these challenges from a new perspective, with Nature-Based Solutions, and turn them into innovation opportunities that optimise the synergies between nature, society and the economy.

Challenges for tree officers to enhance the provision of regulating ecosystem services from urban forests

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 10:40am

Urbanisation and a changing climate are leading to more frequent and severe flood, heat and air pollution episodes in Britain's cities. Interest in nature-based solutions to these urban problems is growing, with urban forests potentially able to provide a range of regulating ecosystem services such as stormwater attenuation, heat amelioration and air purification.

“Sponge City” in China—A breakthrough of planning and flood risk management in the urban context

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 20, 2018 - 9:46am

Surface water flooding is currently viewed as the most serious water-related issue in many of the China's large cities due to rapid urbanization, land-use change and the process of rapid socio-economic development. In 2014, the People's Republic of China established the concept of the ‘Sponge City’ which will be used to tackle urban surface-water flooding and related urban water management issues, such as purification of urban runoff, attenuation of peak run-off and water conservation.

Operationalizing ecosystem-based adaptation: Harnessing ecosystem services to buffer communities against climate change

Submitted by Stavros Stagakis on June 19, 2018 - 6:52pm

Ecosystem-based approaches for climate change adaptation are promoted at international, national, and local levels by both scholars and practitioners. However, local planning practices that support these approaches are scattered, and measures are neither systematically implemented nor comprehensively reviewed. Against this background, this paper advances the operationalization of ecosystem-based adaptation by improving our knowledge of how ecosystem-based approaches can be considered in local planning (operational governance level).