A social-ecological-technological systems framework for urban ecosystem services

TLDR

Urbanization and climate change heighten the need for cities to deliver climate‑adaptation and quality‑of‑life solutions, prompting a shift toward nature‑based solutions that provide ecosystem services, yet the complexity of social, ecological, and technological interactions hampers mainstreaming and requires understanding for effective, equitable, and resilient service provision. The study presents a social‑ecological‑technological system (SETS) framework to address four core challenges of urban nature‑based solutions: multi‑functionality, systemic valuation, scale mismatch, and inequity. The framework builds on decades of urban ecosystem services research and integrates natural, technological, and socio‑economic systems. The framework demonstrates that coordinating natural, technological, and socio‑economic systems is essential for designing, planning, and managing urban nature‑based solutions to achieve optimal social‑ecological outcomes.

Abstract

As rates of urbanization and climatic change soar, decision-makers are increasingly challenged to provide innovative solutions that simultaneously address climate change impacts and risks and inclusively ensure quality of life for urban residents. Cities have turned to nature-based solutions to help address these challenges. Nature-based solutions, through the provision of ecosystem services, can yield numerous benefits for people and address multiple challenges simultaneously. Yet, efforts to mainstream nature-based solutions are impaired by the complexity of the interacting social, ecological, and technological dimensions of urban systems. This complexity must be understood and managed to ensure ecosystem-service provisioning is effective, equitable, and resilient. Here, we provide a social-ecological-technological system (SETS) framework that builds on decades of urban ecosystem services research to better understand four core challenges associated with urban nature-based solutions: multi-functionality, systemic valuation, scale mismatch of ecosystem services, and inequity and injustice. The framework illustrates the importance of coordinating natural, technological, and socio-economic systems when designing, planning, and managing urban nature-based solutions to enable optimal social-ecological outcomes.