Time in and for nature-based solutions. No quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processes
Nature-based solutions (NbS) are an increasingly widespread tool in environment and development policies. They embody the idea that nature and natural processes can be purposefully used by humans to provide solutions to pressing environmental and social challenges. However, their potential to meet t...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Nature-Based Solutions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772411525000096 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832576425450799104 |
|---|---|
| author | Ina Lehmann Julia Grosinger Steffen Bauer Jean Carlo Rodríguez de Francisco Katarzyna Negacz Jonas Hein |
| author_facet | Ina Lehmann Julia Grosinger Steffen Bauer Jean Carlo Rodríguez de Francisco Katarzyna Negacz Jonas Hein |
| author_sort | Ina Lehmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nature-based solutions (NbS) are an increasingly widespread tool in environment and development policies. They embody the idea that nature and natural processes can be purposefully used by humans to provide solutions to pressing environmental and social challenges. However, their potential to meet this ambition is contested, particularly in terms of the scale of the challenge, the risk of diverting attention from the need for decarbonisation, and examples of poorly implemented NbS projects. A largely overlooked but crucial factor concerning the effectiveness of NbS is time. In response to this gap, we develop a framework for systematising the ecological and social dimensions of time in NbS as well as the distinction between slow and fast processes. On this basis, we gather insights from a systematic literature review on key challenges related to slow and fast processes in both the ecological and social dimensions of time. For instance, the long maturation time of many species and ecosystems may be incompatible with the often short-term logic of NbS projects or with the dynamic character of ecosystems that may be challenging for continuous benefit provision. We also identify practical recommendations from the literature review for incorporating time into NbS design, for instance through adaptive monitoring, and we conclude with an urgent call for a more long-term perspective for NbS policies and practice. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9fcff1dc51da41deb8c2fd01671816d3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2772-4115 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature-Based Solutions |
| spelling | doaj-art-9fcff1dc51da41deb8c2fd01671816d32025-01-31T05:12:44ZengElsevierNature-Based Solutions2772-41152025-06-017100219Time in and for nature-based solutions. No quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processesIna Lehmann0Julia Grosinger1Steffen Bauer2Jean Carlo Rodríguez de Francisco3Katarzyna Negacz4Jonas Hein5Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1111, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) Carrer de les Columnes s/n, Campus UAB, Edifici ICTA-ICP, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, SpainGerman Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Tulpenfeld 6, 53113 Bonn, GermanyGerman Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Tulpenfeld 6, 53113 Bonn, GermanyInstitute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1111, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the NetherlandsGerman Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Tulpenfeld 6, 53113 Bonn, GermanyNature-based solutions (NbS) are an increasingly widespread tool in environment and development policies. They embody the idea that nature and natural processes can be purposefully used by humans to provide solutions to pressing environmental and social challenges. However, their potential to meet this ambition is contested, particularly in terms of the scale of the challenge, the risk of diverting attention from the need for decarbonisation, and examples of poorly implemented NbS projects. A largely overlooked but crucial factor concerning the effectiveness of NbS is time. In response to this gap, we develop a framework for systematising the ecological and social dimensions of time in NbS as well as the distinction between slow and fast processes. On this basis, we gather insights from a systematic literature review on key challenges related to slow and fast processes in both the ecological and social dimensions of time. For instance, the long maturation time of many species and ecosystems may be incompatible with the often short-term logic of NbS projects or with the dynamic character of ecosystems that may be challenging for continuous benefit provision. We also identify practical recommendations from the literature review for incorporating time into NbS design, for instance through adaptive monitoring, and we conclude with an urgent call for a more long-term perspective for NbS policies and practice.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772411525000096NbSSocial timeEcological timeEffectivenessGovernance |
| spellingShingle | Ina Lehmann Julia Grosinger Steffen Bauer Jean Carlo Rodríguez de Francisco Katarzyna Negacz Jonas Hein Time in and for nature-based solutions. No quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processes Nature-Based Solutions NbS Social time Ecological time Effectiveness Governance |
| title | Time in and for nature-based solutions. No quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processes |
| title_full | Time in and for nature-based solutions. No quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processes |
| title_fullStr | Time in and for nature-based solutions. No quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Time in and for nature-based solutions. No quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processes |
| title_short | Time in and for nature-based solutions. No quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processes |
| title_sort | time in and for nature based solutions no quick fix solutions for complex ecological and social processes |
| topic | NbS Social time Ecological time Effectiveness Governance |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772411525000096 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT inalehmann timeinandfornaturebasedsolutionsnoquickfixsolutionsforcomplexecologicalandsocialprocesses AT juliagrosinger timeinandfornaturebasedsolutionsnoquickfixsolutionsforcomplexecologicalandsocialprocesses AT steffenbauer timeinandfornaturebasedsolutionsnoquickfixsolutionsforcomplexecologicalandsocialprocesses AT jeancarlorodriguezdefrancisco timeinandfornaturebasedsolutionsnoquickfixsolutionsforcomplexecologicalandsocialprocesses AT katarzynanegacz timeinandfornaturebasedsolutionsnoquickfixsolutionsforcomplexecologicalandsocialprocesses AT jonashein timeinandfornaturebasedsolutionsnoquickfixsolutionsforcomplexecologicalandsocialprocesses |