Using a system thinking approach to assess the contribution of nature based solutions to sustainable development goals

TLDR

Climate change and resource overexploitation drive the need for integrated sustainable development policies, and the UN 2030 Agenda emphasizes biodiversity and ecosystem functioning as essential for economic activity and community well‑being, positioning nature‑based solutions (NBS) as innovative tools for water risk management and green growth, though their full potential depends on recognizing trade‑offs and synergies. This study aims to evaluate how NBS can contribute to multiple Sustainable Development Goals by delivering bundled ecosystem services and co‑benefits, and to test whether a deeper understanding of system interactions improves decision‑making and enhances NBS effectiveness. Using a system‑thinking, multi‑sectoral framework, the authors analyzed the potential of NBS to provide co‑benefits while mitigating water‑related hazards, applying the approach to the restoration of Copenhagen’s Ladegaardsaa urban river. The analysis of the Ladegaardsaa restoration revealed interconnected social, economic and environmental co‑benefits, illustrating how a system‑based, multi‑sectoral assessment can identify trade‑offs and synergies to guide NBS implementation toward SDG achievement.

Abstract

Climate change and the overexploitation of natural resources increase the need to integrate sustainable development policies at both national and international levels to fit the demands of a growing population. In 2015 the United Nations (UN) established the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development with the aim of eradicating extreme poverty, reducing inequality and protecting the planet. The Agenda 2030 highlights the importance of biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems to maintain economic activities and the well-being of local communities. Nature Based Solutions (NBS) support biodiversity conservation and the functioning of ecosystems. NBS are increasingly seen as innovative solutions to manage water-related risks while transforming natural capital into a source of green growth and sustainable development. In this context, NBS could potentially contribute to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting the delivery of bundles of ecosystem services together generating various social, economic and environmental co-benefits. However, to achieve the full potential of NBS, it is necessary to recognize the trade-offs and synergies of the co-benefits associated with their implementation. To this aim, we have adopted a system perspective and a multi-sectoral approach to analyse the potential of NBS to deliver co-benefits while at the same time reducing the negative effects of water-related hazards. Using the case study of Copenhagen, we have analysed the relationships between the co-benefits associated with the scenario of the restoration of the Ladegaardsaa urban river. Our hypothesis is that enhancing the understanding of the social, economic and environmental factors of the system, including mutual influences and trade-offs, could improve the decision-making process and thereby enhance the capability of NBS to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.