A guest blog from Joana Castellar, Quim Comas and Vicenç Acuña at ICRA
Second round of the nature-based solutions terminology survey! Let's talk in the same nature-based language!
Even if there are multiple research and implementation activities related to NbS, we do not have a common NbS terminology: there are different, often overlapping nomenclatures of NbS. For instance, the same NbS can be called a “green façade with climbing plants”, a “climber green wall”, or a “ground-based greening”. This is hindering communication and affects the consolidation of the knowledge generated so far in this field. Therefore, EdiCitNet project (Edible Cities Network) (GA 776665), the COST ACTION Circular City (CA 17133) and the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) joined efforts for a comprehensive review work and developed a preliminary list of 32 NbS, integrating 108 overlapping NbS from 4 EU projects: UNALAB, URBANGREENUP, NATURE4CITIES and THINKNATURE.
In this endeavor, we followed a participatory approach: a couple of weeks ago, we published in Oppla, a web-based survey where the NbS community could together find a common terminology for these NbS. The survey received 164 answers from researchers and practioners of 46 countries all over the globe.
First, we thank all participants for sharing your NbS knowledge and experience in this process. Together, we agreed on the names of 20 NbS. However, there are still some NbS for which the consensus was not reached (less than 50% of valid votes). Therefore, we would like to kindly ask your help once again: we have prepared a second survey containing the 12 NbS were consensus was not reached, each with a brief description. Now we need to decide between the two names that received most votes in the first survey.
Second round - NbS terminology survey
It will only take you 5-10 minutes to answer it!
Let's all be part of this nature-based movement towards a common terminology for NbS!
Thank you in advance!