Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Climate Change Adaptation and Wellbeing: Evidence and Opportunities From Kiribati, Samoa, and Vanuatu

Abstract

Climate change and urbanisation in combination put great pressure on terrestrial and ocean ecosystems, vital for subsistence and wellbeing in both rural and urban areas of Pacific islands. Adaptation is urgently required. Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer great potential, with the region increasingly implementing NbS and linked approaches like ecosystem-based adaptation in response. This paper utilises three Pacific island nation case-studies, Kiribati, Samoa and Vanuatu, to review current NbS approaches to adapt and mitigate the converging resilience challenges of climate change and urbanisation. We look at associated government policies, current NbS experience, and offer insights into opportunities for future work with focus on urban areas. These three Pacific island case-studies showcase their rich cultural and biological diversity and, importantly, the role of traditional ecological knowledge in shaping localised, place-based, NbS for climate change adaptation and enhanced wellbeing. But gaps in knowledge, policy, and practice remain. There is great potential for a nature-based urban design agenda positioned within an urban ecosystems framework linked closely to Indigenous understandings of wellbeing.

Global mapping of urban nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation

“…This could be done by building on and further connecting ongoing efforts to centralise knowledge regionally. Examples include the Urban Nature Atlas focusing initially on Europe 18 , and extending later to other regions through participatory approaches 58 , or the emerging Kiwa Initiative focusing on NbS in Oceania 59 .…”

Integration of Indigenous and Local Knowledge in Policy and Practice of Nature-Based Solutions in China: Progress and Highlights

“…As the third aspect, supervision emphasizes an ILK-led monitor pattern that enhances the adaptability and resilience of NbS [1,36]. Last, but not least, a general participation of indigenous people and local communities is also considered critical for just NbS, the scope of which covers the aforementioned three aspects, as well as extra possible descriptions, including community co-creation, full participation, and co-production [11,14,15].…”

“…ILK can be an impactful tool in this aspect. International reports and academic studies have shown that indigenous people provide a source of knowledge for climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, urban and rural resilience enhancement, and disaster control [3,15]. For instance, the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report stated with high confidence that planning processes that integrated ILK and scientific knowledge could effectively prevent maladaptation and control consequent risks to marginalized and vulnerable groups [16].…”

An Oceania Urban Design Agenda Linking Ecosystem Services, Nature-Based Solutions, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wellbeing

“…Some NbS investment is large scale. The Kiwa Initiative, for example, launched in 2020, is a major 35 million euro multi-donor NbS programme led by the Agence Française de Développement that will fund various NbS projects at different scales across Pacific islands, expecting to include urban areas [69]. NbS initiatives in Oceania have showcased feasible approaches to a number of broad challenges including: climate change mitigation and adaptation; biodiversity conservation; disaster risk reduction; management of coastal areas; water, food and energy security; human physical and psychological health issues, such as air quality, green space management, and public health; poverty reduction; social justice; participatory planning and governance; and sustainable economic and social development in general (ibid).…”