How can nature-based solutions be used to support behavior to achieve sustainable cities? A proposed approach to designing and implementing interventions

Nature-based Solutions (NBS) offer alternative approaches to minimizing the impact of some of the urgent problems associated with climate change and the resultant biodiversity losses. They are also considered to be social and experiential approaches with multi-functional elements that can help improve urban resilience, and the quality of life of residents living in cities. Although their benefits are well documented, their uptake is too slow, mainly because there is a lack of knowledge and expertise, and the perceived benefits are hardly visible, especially in the short term after their implementations. NBS can help accelerate the transition to more sustainable, equitable and empathetic societies if they are used synergistically to trigger emotional and cognitive responses from contact with nature. This research suggests that NBS can be used to achieve long-lasting pro-environmental behavioral changes at the individual or community level through integratively designing and conducting Nature-based Interventions (NBIs). The authors propose key elements such as visualization, demonstration and participation via experiential and social learning processes to help stimulate environmental self-identity, thereby fostering long-term environmental stewardship. Upon exploring contextual and procedural dimensions in relation to stimulating positive emotional responses, place-based, process-based and informational types of NBIs were derived, and key steps in goal formulation, protocol design and resource allocation were highlighted among the integral phases to achieve successful results. Future research should focus upon measuring the long-term effects of these types of initiatives among different demographics, cultural contexts and settings.