Natural solutions to face climate change in urban environments

The adaptation to climate change based on ecosystems and the incorporation of Natural Solutions in urban environments like creating more green spaces, placing pervious pavement and installing water fountains in the cities will help to face some of the main impacts of climate change. Natural Solutions create comfortable urban spaces, reduce flooding caused by strong rain (thanks to an increased permeability), help with carbon storage and increase biodiversity, thus creating healthier and more resilient spaces.

All this enables cities to adapt to impacts caused by both gradual climate changes (like temperature increase and rainfall changes) and extreme changes (like floods and heat waves).

In this sense we have presented together with NEIKER a “Guide for the Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Design of Natural Solutions as Ways to Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change”, created by both companies with the aim of supporting local governments when selecting the measures that best suit the needs and priorities of their municipalities, and to provide evidence of this.

The methods, tools and examples included in this guide were applied in a pilot project in San Sebastián, in Txomin Enea.

The guide has been created as part of the NaturAdapt project, which is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, through the Biodiversity Foundation. This guide has also been contrasted at the San Sebastián Climate Change Adaptation Commission, together with the Navarre Network of Local Entities for Sustainability.

Download the guide