Nature-Based Solutions for Flood Mitigation and Resilience in Urban Areas

Abstract

AbstractUrban areas face several environmental problems and risks related to water management, such as floods and degradation of water quality, enhancing population vulnerability and threatening urban sustainability. These problems are expected to be exacerbated with increasing urbanization and climate change, which leads to higher frequency and intensity of hydrometeorological extremes. Moving towards more flood resilient cities has proven a major challenge, particularly considering the high concentration of population and economic activities and, thus, high pressure on limited available space. Nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas favour stormwater retention, infiltration, and filtration, contributing to flood mitigation and enhancement of water quality. The effectiveness of different NBS on stormwater management, however, is influenced by design and placement aspects, but a network of connected NBS elements can improve flood mitigation and enhance urban resilience. Stronger evidence of the advantages of NBS, however, is still required to overcome the current challenges and barriers impairing their wider implementation in urban areas.