Speaker
Description
The increasing frequency and intensity of climate-induced hazards have underscored the urgent need for integrated, context-specific strategies that enhance the resilience of vulnerable territories. Among the most promising responses are ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) and nature-based solutions (NBS), which leverage the inherent capacities of natural systems to buffer communities against climate risks. This paper examines how territorial resilience can be strengthened through NBS, with a focus on ecosystems.
The research addresses a central challenge: current adaptation policies often rely heavily on engineered solutions, overlooking the ecological and social dimensions of resilience. This has led to fragmented responses that fail to address the systemic nature of climate vulnerability. In contrast, this study explores how ecosystem-based adaptation can offer co-benefits for biodiversity, livelihoods, and long-term environmental sustainability.
The theoretical framework is grounded in resilience theory, landscape ecology, and integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). Resilience theory provides a foundation for understanding how social-ecological systems absorb shocks and reorganize without collapsing. Landscape ecology emphasizes the spatial configuration of ecosystems and the importance of ecological connectivity. ICZM offers a governance model for managing coastal areas holistically, integrating environmental, economic, and social factors.
Methodologically, the study utilizes a multi-scalar case study design combining spatial analysis, stakeholder interviews, and policy document review. Three territories were selected: a mangrove restoration program in West Africa; a Mediterranean coastal zone employing dune and wetland rehabilitation; and a Pacific island community implementing ridge-to-reef watershed management. Data were triangulated to assess ecological effectiveness, community participation, and policy integration.
Findings indicate that nature-based solutions significantly enhance resilience when implemented with community co-design, continuous monitoring, and institutional support. In the West African case, mangrove reforestation not only reduced flood risks but also improved fisheries and carbon sequestration. In the Mediterranean zone, coastal buffer zones protected urban areas from storm surges while enhancing biodiversity. On the Pacific island, integrated watershed restoration improved freshwater access and reduced sedimentation in coral reefs, benefiting both human health and marine ecosystems.
The discussion highlights critical enablers and barriers to successful NbS implementation. Key success factors include inclusive governance, tenure security, and access to climate finance. Conversely, barriers such as land-use conflicts, short project cycles, and a lack of cross-sectoral coordination undermine effectiveness. The paper also critiques the prevailing policy bias toward “grey” infrastructure and calls for mainstreaming NbS into national adaptation plans (NAPs), urban planning frameworks, and development finance.
This paper argues that territorial resilience cannot be achieved through sectoral solutions alone. Instead, it requires a paradigm shift toward recognizing ecosystems as infrastructure and engaging local knowledge and practices. NbS offers a cost-effective, multifunctional, and socially inclusive pathway to climate adaptation, especially in regions with high vulnerability and limited fiscal capacity.
In conclusion, the study provides actionable recommendations for policymakers, development agencies, and practitioners. These include creating enabling legal frameworks for NbS, scaling up successful pilot projects through public-private partnerships, and integrating ecosystem indicators into climate risk assessments. Furthermore, capacity building at the local level is essential to ensure that communities are not just beneficiaries but active co-creators of resilient futures.
By linking ecological integrity with social resilience, nature-based solutions offer a compelling model for navigating the climate crisis. As the evidence grows, so too must the political will to invest in the natural systems that ultimately sustain life and protect humanity from the cascading impacts of a warming planet.
Keywords: territorial resilience, ecosystem-based adaptation, nature-based solutions, coastal management, community participation
