Nature-based Solutions for Climate-Adaptive Water Management: Conceptual Approaches and Challenges

기후변화대응 물관리를 위한 자연기반해법의 개념적 체계와 정책적 과제

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are defined as practical and technical approaches to restoring functioning ecosystems and biodiversity as a means to address socio-environmental challenges and provide human-nature co-benefits. This study reviews NbS-related literature to identify its key characteristics, techniques, and challenges for its application in climate-adaptive water management. The review finds that NbS has been commonly used as an umbrella term incorporating a wide range of existing ecosystem-based approaches such as low-impact development (LID), best management practices (BMP), forest landscape restoration (FLR), and blue-green infrastructure (BGI), rather than being a uniquely-situated practice. Its technical form and operation can vary significantly depending on the spatial scale (small versus large), objective (mitigation, adaptation, naturalization), and problem (water supply, quality, flooding). Commonly cited techniques include green spaces, permeable surfaces, wetlands, infiltration ponds, and riparian buffers in urban sites, while afforestation, floodplain restoration, and reed beds appear common in non- and less-urban settings. There is a greater lack of operational clarity for large-scale NbS than for small-scale NbS in urban areas. NbS can be a powerful tool that enables an integrated and coordinated action embracing not only water management, but also microclimate moderation, ecosystem conservation, and emissions reduction. This study points out the importance of developing decision-making guidelines that can inform practitioners of the selection, operation, and evaluation of NbS for specific sites. The absence of this framework is one of the obstacles to mainstreaming NbS for water management. More case studies are needed for empirical assessment of NbS.