Overview
This course explores the role of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in addressing the complex challenges posed by climate change in urban environments. Nature-based solutions are actions that leverage the power of nature to address societal challenges, providing benefits for both human well-being and biodiversity. By leveraging scenario planning, complex systems thinking, and case study analysis, students will learn how NBS can enhance resilience, support biodiversity, and address societal inequities. Grounded in an eco-evolutionary and multispecies perspective, the course emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, natural, and technological systems in shaping sustainable urban futures.

Scope
Environmental change is outpacing the adaptive capacity of cities, demanding a fundamental shift toward integrating evolutionary principles into urban planning. Nature-Based Solutions have emerged as a cost-effective strategy to enhance long-term resilience while contributing to decarbonization. However, the effectiveness of NBS depends on ecological and evolutionary dynamics, as rapid ecological and evolutionary changes can alter the ecosystem functions that NBS aim to maintain. Integrating evolutionary insights into Nature-based Solutions (NBS) offers a powerful means to enhance adaptation to climate change by leveraging the natural capacity of species and ecosystems to evolve in response to environmental pressures.

This course critically examines how NBS can support urban adaptation to climate change, including responses to flooding, heat waves, wildfires, and biodiversity loss. It explores the complex interplay of ecological, social, and governance factors that influence the design, implementation, and performance of NBS. By integrating a multispecies and eco-evolutionary perspective into NBS design, students will investigate how to enhance cities’ adaptive capacity and ensure their long-term resilience.