Unraveling Nature-Based Solutions for Flood Risks
The article "Unraveling nature-based solutions for flood risks: What insights do the social representations of experts provide?" is written by Pénélope Brueder, Alexandra Schleyer-Lindenmann, Corinne Curt, and Franck Taillandier.
Key Insights
- The study focuses on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for flood risk management and examines the social representations of experts in the field.
- The authors interviewed 19 flood experts, divided into two groups: theorists and practitioners.
- The study used lexicometric and thematic analyses to examine the discourses of these experts.
Main conclusionsOriginal Article
- NBS is a complex social representational object that generates polarization due to its technicality.
- Practitioners may view NBS as "greenwashing" because they are presented as new and innovative.
- Theorists contrast their NBS vision with a "gray" vision influenced by French civil engineering culture and the need to control ecosystems.
- Both groups agree that NBS thinking is about "leaving more room for nature", echoing Dunlap's New Environmental Paradigm.
- The term "Nature Based Solutions" may not be appropriate for all stakeholders. The authors suggest using the term "vegetal engineering" to better connect with techniques used in the field and to enhance the value of traditional knowledge.