Evidence for nature based solutions (NBSGap)

Lead Research Organisation: NERC CEH (Up to 30.11.2019)
Department Name: Biodiversity (Penicuik)

Abstract

In order to make informed strategy for the good of UK citizens and to implement it through well-founded and informed policy, the policy-makers need evidence. They need to know what is known in an area and what has yet to be researched. The evidence needs to be structured and systematically obtained so the policy maker and all the interested stakeholders can understand the reasons the policy makers make their decisions. The NBSGap project will systematically review the evidence available in a wide range of sources on aspects of nature-based solutions prioritised by multiple-sector policy makers in each of the four regions of the UK.
There are various definitions of NBS but at their core, they cluster into the general theme of learning from and using nature to create sustainable societies, which enhance human well-being, locally, regionally or globally. NBS initiatives are multidimensional and highlight the fundamental influences that preservation and diversification of ecosystems can have on human wellbeing. These ranges from climate regulation and limiting the impacts of natural disasters such as flooding and epidemic disease outbreaks, to promoting improved human physical and mental health directly by reconnecting citizens with nature. At the same time, nature-based solutions address and respond to the challenges of nature conservation in the face of ongoing environmental degradation. However, there may be a trade-off between the co-benefits of NBS interventions and co-harms, where exposure to infectious diseases linked to wildlife or arthropod vectors is increased for example. It is claimed that solutions based on nature should be integrated into many policy sectors including transport, housing, energy and health policies, climate regulation strategies and territorial planning because of the interactions, trade-offs, synergies and conflicts resulting from NBS target actions. As such policy makers need to understand the evidence for the effectiveness of NBS co- benefits and co-harms across policy domains. In particular, we want to ascertain the specific benefits and disbenefits in comparison to anthropocentric technological solutions across policy domains. Only then can policy-makers and regulators make informed decisions to enact appropriate NBS actions which resonate with public values and lead to a more sustainable future.
The resultant reporting will focus on providing a systematic map of the evidence relating to NBS and the UK for the targeted outcomes agreed with the steering group.

Planned Impact

NBSGap is focused on providing a systematic map of the evidence relating to policy maker prioritised NBS actions in the UK for the targeted outcomes agreed with the steering group. The key areas of reporting will be to detail the review objectives, the methods followed, outline the results of the mapping, and identify research gaps concerning key areas of related to NBS actions in the UK. The project team will disseminate the resulting evidence gaps identified and thus impact future research.
 
Description The concept of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) has evolved as an umbrella concept. At its core, is a general theme of learning from and using nature to create sustainable places where nature can flourish and which will enhance human well-being (HWB). This study interviewed 46 policy makers and agency staff in the four component parts of the UK and identified four priority societal challenges facing the United Kingdom: three related to management issues i.e. NBS cost-efficacy, governance in planning, environmental justice, and the fourth threats to the acoustic environment. These challenges collectively address priority management issues which stakeholders requested be investigated widely i.e. across landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes and soundscapes. From over 7000 articles identified in the keyword searches, less than 2% robustly reported the role of NBS actions or interventions on HWB compared with non-NBS actions or interventions. The soundscape was the least studied of the societal challenges identified as of key importance by policy makers and those operationalising NBS actions and interventions. This systematic evidence map study has highlighted the need for long-term, cross-disciplinary, cross-department research to provide robust knowledge to integrate NBS actions and interventions for the benefit of HWB.
Exploitation Route This review shows that whilst the evidence base is growing on NBS-HWB linkages, significant biases persist in the existing literature. There was a bias in favour of the urban environment and restoration studies focused on conservation aspects while only a few studies investigating the full suite of advantages to HWB that can be delivered from NBS actions and interventions. The soundscape was the least studied of the societal challenges identified as of key importance by policy makers with cost-efficiency the most reported. However, the lack of primary knowledge covering all four key societal challenges identified, confirms that the knowledge gaps identified by the policy makers persist and highlights a clear research need for long-term, trans-disciplinary studies that focus on comparisons between NBS and non-NBS alternatives
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy

Healthcare

Leisure Activities

including Sports

Recreation and Tourism

Government

Democracy and Justice

 
Description Evidence of learning by the interviewees in the early stages of this award was noted. The final report has been converted into an academic paper which will ensure the findings are spread though the scientific community. The paper was distributed to all 46 policy makers and those who operationalize policy who contributed to the initial stakeholder engagement. In addition the learning and protocol was shared with Indian Socio Ecological Participatory Action Research Network in a virtual meeting 21 Sept 2021. The study is also used for training.
First Year Of Impact 2021
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Societal

Policy & public services

 
Description Evidence of learning by the 46 interviewees in the early stages of this award was noted.
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Title Coded data for all studies included in the systematic map database 
Description Output from CADIMA software of 115 studies coded and included in the systematic map database and narrative synthesis 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact The database is provided in the context of the systematic map enabling others to drill down and view all references and thus follow up as their research demands 
 
Description Discussion during workshop in connection with Citizen Science Exploration Grant (Grant Ref: BB/T018674/1) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The workshop aimed amongst other objectives to understand the opportunities and challenges for integrating existing citizen science activities within the park to support rewilding research. The evidence map conducted in this study was used to highlight the lack of knowledge on the acoustic environment.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description ECOACOUSTICS WORKSHOP 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The workshop considered why ecoacoustics is an important area for policy and land management. Topics covered were hardware deployment, sampling protocols, analysis and data workflows as well as transdisciplinary research considerations. The venue was Kilpisjärvi biological research station (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/research-stations/kilpisjarvi-biological-station/research). I highlighted the results of this project i.e. Heatmap illustrating the distribution and frequency of occurrences of evidence from studies reporting on positive or negative aspects of the acoustic environment related to nature based solution (NBS) actions/interventions on human wellbeing (HWB) and contrasted with the other topics identified by policy makers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Example in training module 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact Our papers and protocol is used as an example in UKCEH training platform - the online course introduces partipcants to Evidence Synthesis, Evidence Review, rapid Evidence Assessments and Systematic Reviews. It provides partipcants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to carry out an Evidence Review Synthesis for an area of Natural Environment research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL http://www.ceh.ac.uk/training/evidence-synthesis-demand
 
Description In total 46 interviews were conducted with staff working in the governments or regulatory agencies of the four component parts of the UK. Scottish Government and agencies (20), England (12), Wales (8) and Northern Ireland (6). The aim of the interviews was not to determine differences across the regions in the priority societal challenges and associated NBS actions and HWB outcomes per se, but rather to ensure that the focus of the evidence mapping review was likely to have maximum utility acr 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A structured interview approach was adopted which sparked questions and discussion, and as the aim was triangulation of opinions the views of earlier interviews were shared. Interviewees reported increased learning in related nature based solutions.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Nature based solutions: Experiences from UK 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The Indian Socio Ecological Participatory Action Research Network a loose group of active researchers and practitioners focused on exploration of ecosystem services and nature based solutions as a means to enhance sustainable coupled socio-ecological systems.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021