Page 39 - Çevre Şehir İklim İngilizce - Sayı 2

Çiğdem Coşkun Hepcan

Nature-based solutions may be in the form of natural (natural ecosystems),
semi-natural (hybrid solutions-rain swales, semi natural river corridors, coastal
embankments, etc.) or human-made cultural solutions (roof gardens, green
walls, etc.) (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Grey, Hybrid and Nature-based (Blue-Green) Solutions
To define a solution as a nature-based one, it must benefit ecological
processes and biodiversity (Pörtner et al, 2021). For this reason, it is not
possible to define all elements of blue-green structures as nature-based
solutions. To illustrate, lawn areas and engineered rivers are not considered
nature-based solutions as they are applications resulting in water and earth
pollution. The efficiency of hybrid solutions created through the integration
of nature-based solutions to grey solutions is quite high compared to that of
grey solutions. These applications yield more successful results in rainwater
management in cities compared to grey solutions.
Nature-based solutions support climate change mitigation and adaptation
strategies and provide many ecological, social and economic benefits (Figure 3).
Ecological / Environmental Regulating Water flow and cycle

Improving water quality, biological treatment

Improving soil quality
Providing soil stabilization / preventing erosion

Improving air quality

Reducing disaster risks
Preserving and supporting biological diversity

Carbon capture and storage

Restoration of degraded land

Disease and pest control

25 Journal of Environment, Urbanization and Climate