Environmental and climate policy integration: Targeted strategies for overcoming barriers to nature-based solutions and climate change adaptation

This paper examines how municipalities integrate Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into climate adaptation planning and governance. Using a city-to-city learning lab approach, it analyses planning processes from design to implementation and identifies key constraints and enabling practices.

The study finds that municipal actors rely on five main strategies: stakeholder collaboration, citizen engagement, outsourcing, internal organisational change, and science–policy integration. It concludes that effective NbS governance requires stronger capacities, resources, and relational approaches to support long-term, sustainable climate adaptation.

C. Wamsler a, * , B. Wickenberg b , H. Hanson c , J. Alkan Olsson c , S. Stålhammar a , H. Bjorn € d , H. Falck e , D. Gerell f , T. Oskarsson g , E. Simonsson f , F. Torffvit f , F. Zelmerlow h

Policy cycle stage: implementation, adoption