Our era is characterized by the integration of digital technology into every aspect of our lives.
From communication and entertainment to engineering and healthcare, the influence of digital tools is omnipresent. We’re seeing advancements in Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Quantum Computing that are reshaping industries. Digital transformation is no longer just a trend. It is becoming part of our day-to-day activities. And it’s pretty exciting, isn’t it?
On the other end of the technology spectrum, there are nature-based solutions (NbS). Although not so loud, NbS are generating traction and becoming more and more recognized in their own right.
First things first – what are nature-based solutions? While several definitions exist, I will provide how the EU Commission defines them:
Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions.
On the ground, this high-level definition translates into green roofs and pocket parks in urban zones, interventions such as agroforestry and constructed wetlands in rural zones, or riparian buffer restoration and mangrove restoration in natural zones… Those are just a couple of examples; the list is not exhaustive.
Seeing how NbS are able to transform neighborhoods or landscapes through multiple benefits they provide, it is difficult not to get excited about what nature can do! I count myself as one of the NbS enthusiasts too. But some of my friends do not exactly agree with me. They say that technology is the real catalyst for progress. There is no doubt that we live in a high-tech digital world. Do we really have to choose one direction, though? Is this really an either/or situation?
I am borrowing the central statement of this piece from Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, whom I had an opportunity to hear during the New European Bauhaus festival this April.
Mr. Schellnhuber presented the evolution of technological development, characterizing them on a continuous scale from no-tech, through mid-tech to high-tech (Figure 1).
However, following such development the future we are heading for is not the future we want. As Mr. Schellnhuber put it, “If we want to reach climate resilience, no-tech needs to meet high-tech. Ingenuity needs to meet Evolution. The newest knowledge must be linked with no-tech and this is nature!” (Figure 2).
I believe that for successful implementation of NbS projects, such “no-tech meets high-tech” principle is crucial and that the rollout of NbS without cutting-edge digital tools is a highway to maladaptation.
As an example, say that a city is considering implementing a small park in combination with bioswales. This could reduce the heat-island effect and also reduce the risk of flash floods. But where should this small park be placed to actually provide those benefits? Satellite imagery can provide extensive up-to-date data on surface temperatures, land use, and vegetation health to identify the hotspots, and the newest hydrologic modeling can be used to simulate stormwater flows in the case of extreme rain events, thus determining the most impactful location for NbS implementation.
No-tech / high-tech synergy is exactly what we are trying to achieve through project CARDIMED. CARDIMED aims to enhance Climate Resilience in the Mediterranean by mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions in systemic transformation. The project, a part of the EU mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, will demonstrate 34 different types of NbS through 90 interventions across 10 regions and 20 locations. Leveraging advanced digital technologies is one of the core pillars of the project. Aiming at NbS designers and operators, CARDIMED is developing a harmonized NbS interventions management digital platform for accurate assessments and informed and targeted interventions.
Using advanced digital technologies is one of the core pillars of the project. Aiming at NbS designers and operators, CARDIMED is developing a Harmonised NbS interventions management digital platform for accurate assessments and informed and targeted interventions.
Going even a step further, we are leveraging latest tools to enhance communication with stakeholders! To highlight a few: we are developing an augmented reality smartphone app for immersive community engagement. Using their phones, citizens will be able to visualize how Nature-based Solutions would look in their environment. Similarly, we will use Digital storytelling to bring to life the benefits and services of nature by creating compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.
In conclusion, Nature-based Solutions can greatly benefit from the latest digital advancement. The two are not opposing forces but rather complementary partners in creating sustainable and innovative solutions for the future.
You can download the opinion article here.
