Contribution of nature-based solutions (NbS) to resilience - A review of European projects between 2014 and 2023

Climate change has a global impact, particularly in urban areas. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are gaining prominence as an important alternative, harnessing natural processes to deliver socio-economic and environmental benefits, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas, owing to their multifaceted nature. In Europe, NbS are being primarily explored in urban environments to enhance resilience to extreme climatic events. This study consisted of a systematic review of 66 projects funded by the European Union (EU) between 2014 and 2023, conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), a set of standards aimed at improving the quality and transparency of systematic reviews. The review was carried out through the analysis of EU research and development repositories, based on criteria including funding period, project description, geographical location, typology, methods adopted in each project, and the main challenges identified, which underscore the urgency of innovative solutions to manage natural systems in urban environments. The qualitive and quantitative analysis indicates the wide geographical distribution of the projects, with significant applications in countries such as Spain ( n = 76), Italy ( n = 40), France ( n = 36), Germany ( n = 29), and Portugal (with n = 28). Projects were categorized according to their purpose, methodology, and technologies employed, highlighting a diversity of approaches, sufficiently replicable to ensure feasibility in future projects that promote urban sustainability and adaptation to climatic adversities. The urban challenges faced in the implementation of the projects analysed include issues related to the deployment and replication of solutions, community behavioural change, collaboration between different stakeholders, and funding. Furthermore, the various target groups involved reflect a collaborative approach to the co-creation of NbS, aimed at maximizing benefits and strengthening community resilience, with a particular focus on government entities ( n = 50), citizens ( n = 41), the scientific community ( n = 26), the business community ( n = 21), and civil society/NGO ( n = 13), thereby achieving the objectives set. This study underscores the importance of NbS as a tool to address social, economic, and environmental challenges, particularly in cities, contributing to the development of more resilient communities. However, in order to effectively respond to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), greater efforts are required to ensure the inclusion of NbS and a broader variety of measures in public policies, given that 2030 has been set as the target year for achieving the SDGs.