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Mainstreaming nature-based solutions in cities: A systematic literature review and a proposal for facilitating urban transitions

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  • Adams, Clare
  • Frantzeskaki, Niki
  • Moglia, Magnus

Abstract

Nature-based solutions are gaining prominence in urban sustainability discourses, especially in climate adaptation, in efforts to increase resilience, and as a means of promoting a range of social, environmental, and economic benefits. There are however barriers and inertia that slow the adoption of such solutions, and a term commonly used for overcoming such factors is mainstreaming. The term mainstreaming in relation to nature-based solutions is ambiguous, as it is entangled within or conflated with other similar concepts that also describe change processes. This lack of clarity is a cause for potential misdirection of planning with nature-based solutions towards more climate resilient cities. Therefore, this article expands and deepens the understanding of mainstreaming nature-based solutions in cities by proposing a (re)conceptualisation of the term mainstreaming. Our (re)conceptualisation explores mainstreaming in the context of multi-level governance, to unpack where mainstreaming can unfold within and across levels, and focuses on knowledge drivers, to unpack how mainstreaming activities are shaped. These dimensions are important for unpacking where mainstreaming can happen and what informs mainstreaming activities, facilitating more effective discourses, policy-making, and wider adoption of urban nature-based solutions. We report on a systematic literature review and synthesis of 147 articles, which proposes a new mainstreaming framework and definition by identifying five mechanisms and four roles to explain how mainstreaming processes unfold or mobilise in cities. This adds a framework and language to the academic and policy debate that is needed for operationalising nature-based solutions mainstreaming processes, and thereby to transform urban planning practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Adams, Clare & Frantzeskaki, Niki & Moglia, Magnus, 2023. "Mainstreaming nature-based solutions in cities: A systematic literature review and a proposal for facilitating urban transitions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:130:y:2023:i:c:s0264837723001278
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106661
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