On the Management of Nature-Based Solutions in Open-Air Laboratories: New Insights and Future Perspectives

Glauco Gallotti, Marco Antonio Santo, Ilektra Apostolidou, Jacopo Alessandri, Alberto Armigliato, Bidroha Basu, Sisay Debele, Alessio Domeneghetti, Alejandro Gonzalez-Ollauri, Prashant Kumar, Angeliki Mentzafou, Francesco Pilla, Beatrice Pulvirenti, Paolo Ruggieri, Jeetendra Sahani, Aura Salmivaara, Arunima Sarkar Basu, Christos Spyrou, Nadia Pinardi, Elena Toth, Silvia Unguendoli, Umesh Pranavam Ayyappan Pillai, Andrea Valentini, George Varlas, Giorgia Verri, Filippo Zaniboni and Silvana Di Sabatino
Additional contact information
Glauco Gallotti: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Marco Antonio Santo: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Ilektra Apostolidou: Innovative Technologies Centre (ITC), 11633 Athens, Greece
Jacopo Alessandri: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Alberto Armigliato: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Bidroha Basu: School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Richview, Clonskeagh, D14 E099 Dublin, Ireland
Sisay Debele: Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
Alessio Domeneghetti: Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Alejandro Gonzalez-Ollauri: School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK
Prashant Kumar: Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
Angeliki Mentzafou: Innovative Technologies Centre (ITC), 11633 Athens, Greece
Francesco Pilla: School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Richview, Clonskeagh, D14 E099 Dublin, Ireland
Beatrice Pulvirenti: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Paolo Ruggieri: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Jeetendra Sahani: Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
Aura Salmivaara: Natural Reosurces Unit, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Latokartanonkaari 9, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland
Arunima Sarkar Basu: School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Richview, Clonskeagh, D14 E099 Dublin, Ireland
Christos Spyrou: Innovative Technologies Centre (ITC), 11633 Athens, Greece
Nadia Pinardi: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Elena Toth: Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Silvia Unguendoli: Hydro-Meteo-Climate Service of the Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy of Emilia-Romagna (Arpae-SIMC), 40138 Bologna, Italy
Umesh Pranavam Ayyappan Pillai: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Andrea Valentini: Hydro-Meteo-Climate Service of the Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy of Emilia-Romagna (Arpae-SIMC), 40138 Bologna, Italy
George Varlas: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, 19013 Anavyssos, Greece
Giorgia Verri: Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, CMCC, Ocean Predictions and Applications Division, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Filippo Zaniboni: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Silvana Di Sabatino: Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” (DIFA), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy

Resources, 2021, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-21

Abstract: The adoption of Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) represents a novel means to mitigate natural hazards. In the framework of the OPERANDUM project, this study introduces a methodology to assess the efficiency of the NBSs and a series of Open-Air Laboratories (OALs) regarded as a proof-of-concept for the wider uptake of NBSs. The OALs are located in Finland, Greece, UK, Italy, and Ireland. The methodology is based on a wide modeling activity, incorporated in the context of future climate scenarios. Herein, we present a series of models’ chains able to estimate the efficiency of the NBSs. While the presented models are mainly well-established, their coupling represents a first fundamental step in the study of the long-term efficacy and impact of the NBSs. In the selected sites, NBSs are utilized to cope with distinct natural hazards: floods, droughts, landslides, salt intrusion, and nutrient and sediment loading. The study of the efficacy of NBSs to mitigate these hazards belongs to a series of works devoted to the implementation of NBSs for environmental purposes. Our findings prove that land management plays a crucial role in the process. Specifically, the selected NBSs include intensive forestry; the conversion of urban areas to grassland; dunes; marine seagrass; water retention ponds; live cribwalls; and high-density plantations of woody vegetation and deep-rooted herbaceous vegetation. The management of natural resources should eventually consider the effect of NBSs on urban and rural areas, as their employment is becoming widespread.

Keywords: nature-based solutions; nature-based solutions efficiency; open-air laboratories; natural hazard; climate change; mitigation policies; numerical models; land use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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