Evaluation of Sustainability Indicators within the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions. A Case study in the Kolubara River Basin of Serbia
Creators: name: Bahlmann, Tobias
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019

description: Multiple studies have shown that higher numbers of natural disasters, such as hydro-meteorological risks, have<br> been recorded in the past and are furthermore predicted to increase into the future. The continuous changing<br> climate has led to increasing pressure that is put on the environment as well as on human society. Due to these<br> developments, effective tools and sustainable methods for flood risk management are becoming more<br> significant. ‘Nature-based solutions’ have been increasing in their popularity due to their functionality towards<br> reducing flood risk while providing a wide range of co-benefits to nature and human well-being. The procedure<br> of an efficient planning and selection of NBS represents a complex process that requires the involvement of<br> multiple stakeholders. Measures need to be evaluated taking into account their multiple benefits in addition to<br> their primary function of flood risk reduction as well as specific local requirements.<br> In this research, a novel method for involving stakeholders in the selection and evaluation process of NBS is<br> presented and applied to the case study in the Kolubara River Basin in Serbia. The evaluation included a broad<br> range of indicators such as risk reduction, water quality, and environmental, social, and economic aspects.<br> Information about characteristics and challenges in the area was gathered, which represented a foundation for<br> the pre-selection of NBS measures. An existing evaluation framework from the project RECONECT was used and<br> adjusted in order to test how to include stakeholder input within the method. The whole process can be seen as<br> a test-phase of the measure selection and will help decision-makers in the selecting and planning of NBS<br> implementations. <br> The case study area showed present hazards in form of torrential and fluvial flooding in various locations within<br> the basin, having major impacts on urbanised and agricultural areas as well as on mining facilities. Through the<br> pre-selection process, 11 NBS measures were selected based on local conditions and evaluated through MultiCriteria Analysis (MCA), including the input of local stakeholders. Outcomes showed the measure floodplain<br> excavation/restoration as a suitable solution, due to a good performance of reducing flood risk and benefits in<br> environmental aspects, such as improving water quality of surface and groundwater. Additionally, retention and<br> detention ponds were found to be a valuable solution. An implementation could improve the storing capacity<br> for discharged water in flood prone areas and create recreational benefits. Also solutions, like deepening of<br> water bodies and removing of obstacles were seen to be potentially suitable, having a positive impact on the<br> flow capacity of the river. In order to address the problem from a wider perspective, a decentralized placement<br> of multiple selected measures throughout the basin should be considered. Additionally, it was suggested to<br> consider the combination of green and grey infrastructure (hybrid solutions) in order to aim for higher efficiency. <br> The stakeholder involvement was seen as a very important part within the evaluation process, in order to include<br> local needs and understand different opinions on measure preferences. It was seen that already the involvement<br> of two stakeholders, could lead towards different perceptions e.g. on the relevance of addressing nature and<br> social aspects through NBS and created further discussion points. The research was seen as a test-phase of the<br> NBS selection and evaluation process for including stakeholders, that showed the importance and also the<br> complexity that an involvement of stakeholders brings along. The tested evaluation method is suggested to be<br> applied with a higher number of stakeholders representing a higher diversity of backgrounds such as citizens,<br> farmers, local industries, scientists/engineers and policy makers. Through this approach, decision makers will be<br> able to include a broader range of relevant local needs into the process of NBS selection and giving the<br> opportunity of knowledge exchange within the affected community.