Stakeholders’ Engagement on Nature-Based Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review

TLDR

Urbanization creates social and environmental challenges that nature‑based solutions aim to address through green infrastructure, but effective stakeholder engagement is essential for trust and ownership. This review examines the current state of citizen and stakeholder participation in nature‑based solutions. The authors searched SCOPUS, identified 142 papers, and analyzed participation in terms of perceptions, preferences, and process challenges and opportunities. Participation is increasingly recognized as promising, yet research gaps remain in several related domains.

Abstract

Cities are facing a broad range of social and environmental challenges due to the current pressure of global urbanization. Nature-based solutions aim to utilize green infrastructure to improve people’s health and wellbeing. The design of urban environments must embrace the individual ideals of citizens and stakeholders which can only be achieved if effective methods of communication, involvement, and feedback are ensured. Such a procedure creates trust during its implementation, helping to take ownership and stewardship of processes and sites. This systematic literature review explores the current state of the art regarding citizen and stakeholder participation in nature-based solutions (NBS). The search on the SCOPUS database identified 142 papers in total that met the inclusion criteria. The participation analysis was separated in two areas: (a) analysis of perceptions, preferences, and perspectives of citizens and stakeholders, and (b) analysis of the participation process, including challenges and opportunities, motivations, methods and frameworks, and collaborative governance. The results revealed that stakeholder and citizen participation or collaboration in nature-based solutions is increasingly recognized as promising; however, research in several related domains is still lacking.