ReNature launches new nature-based solutions support toolkit

The ReNature project is proud to announce the release of an interactive online toolkit designed to guide experts and non-experts in the implementation of nature-based solutions. The newly launched service is a feature of the ReNature Compendium which identifies a range of nature-based solutions that may be used to tackle societal challenges, associated with environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, climate change and environmental justice. When using the ReNature nature-based solutions Compendium, decision-makers, practitioners and the public can learn from experiences of nature-based solutions implementation in a Mediterranean climate.

Despite the appeal of nature-based solutions to stakeholders, their implementation has largely been carried out to address specific challenges. There currently remains a lack of practical tools that assess the capacity of nature-based solutions to effectively tackle the multiple, and often interacting, challenges faced by society. This knowledge gap is problematic for decision-makers and practitioners who need to determine the most appropriate nature-based solutions to implement in cities and in different environments.

By identifying the societal challenges that are most often selected by users, researchers are provided with an indication of the challenges that are most urgent within the region and how these are tackled using nature-based solutions. The ReNature toolkit may also be used by researchers to pinpoint areas that require further research.

How does the toolkit work?

Firstly, the toolkit user selects up to three main societal challenges that they are seeking to address. As a result, the toolkit shows a number of color-coded nature-based solutions options, indicating the level of evidence that supports the use of a particular solution type to address each one of the chosen challenges. In other words, the results indicate how often nature-based solutions have been used to resolve the identified problem. The user can then read more about the nature-based solutions and see successfully implemented examples from a Mediterranean climate. Finally, by filling out a contact form, users can arrange a follow-up discussion to directly avail of the ReNature's research team's expertise. Users can also engage in supporting future evidence-gathering of nature-based solutions in the region. Additionally, the toolkit will have one more feature, launched in September, presenting the co-benefits associated with each nature-based solutions type.

"After a three-year capacity building action, we wanted to ensure the continuation of ReNature's legacy as a nature-based solution knowledge provider within the Mediterranean region by sharing information about existing case-studies provided by the international community. By doing so, we aim to further develop the networks and opportunities for knowledge exchange in the Mediterranean region, which is facing key challenges associated with rapid urbanization (particularly in island and coastal environments) and climate change," comments project Coordinator Mario Balzan. 

The nature-based solutions toolkit is published on ReNature's website as part of the ReNature Compendium, which currently contains in-depth information on over 95 nature-based solutions case studies across the Mediterranean. To maximize the findability and reach of the toolkit and ensure its sustainability, the ReNature project aims to collaborate with other nature-based solutions knowledge sharing platforms. 

With the Mediterranean region considered as a global hotspot of climate change impacts, and recent research indicating the loss of ecosystem services associated with urbanization and environmental change, nature-based solutions offer an opportunity to tackle these societal challenges. The ReNature Compendium toolkit makes it possible to identify specific nature-based solutions types that have been implemented to tackle these challenges within the region while providing a valuable learning toolkit that can be used anywhere in the world.