NATWIP

NATWIP intends to contribute to closing the water cycle gap by focusing on water management challenges in landscape areas that have been neglected because they lie in the transition zones between the urban and the rural, commonly referred to as ‘peri-urban’ areas, where the potential offered by nature-based solutions (NBS) is explored. The overall purpose is to exchange learning experiences among the partnership and promote the debate between science and society in order to increase awareness among practitioners and users on the application of NBS to manage different hydrological challenges such as water scarcity, pollution, and risks related to extreme events like flood and drought in peri-urban areas.

4 specific objectives defined in NATWIP are: 1) Review of international experiences to identify barriers, lessons learned and challenges in the implementation of different NBS to deal with water management in the peri-urban; 2) Designing a methodological framework as a tool to analyze the potentials, content and benefits of NBS in peri-urban, considered from sustainability perspective; 3) Applying the methodological framework at multiple case study sites with an aim to compare situations and draw generalizations; and 4) Creating a common narrative for implementing NBS for water in the peri-urban, through best practices guidelines and policy recommendations.

The research methodology for this project comprises 4 components. The first component relates to review of international experiences on NBS. This involves first desk reviews of existing international literature on NBS for water with a view to identify factors affecting their implementation and effectiveness, focusing on the peri-urban context, followed by interviews with leading experts in the field. The review considers social, economic and ecological sustainability dimensions related to NBS and the factors affecting these.

The second component builds upon the findings from the above exercise, developing a descriptive multidimensional assessment tool to check the sustainability of NBS projects and their resultant sustainability impacts for water management in peri-urban areas. This is in the form of a coherent integrated methodological framework containing specific assessment criteria relevant to the peri-urban context. These criteria will help assess the feasibility and/or value of NBS for water and even help draw the strengths and weaknesses of NBS versus conventional engineering solutions regarding overcoming of water challenges such as scarcity, water quality degradation, restoration or/and naturalization of water cycle in the peri-urban, in order to ultimately close the water cycle gap.

In the third component of the methodology, the assessment framework developed above will be applied to understand and assess existing NBS and conventional engineering solutions for addressing water cycle gaps in a number of different case study sites spread across the participating countries. The case studies are based on literature survey as well as field-based first-hand research, with data collection through interviews and focus groups with concerned stakeholders. The case study sites are located in Norway, Sweden, Spain, South Africa, India and Brazil.

WP1: Review of international experiences 
Conduct a literature review of international experiences to identify barriers, lessons learned & challenges in the implementation of different NBS. Also conduct interviews with leading experts working with NBS. Further, also conduct a literature review to establish current practices within water management specifically in periurban areas. This activity contributes to the research in WPs 2,3 & 4. WP leader: UPC, Spain 

WP2: Establish methodological framework to assess NBS 
Develop a comprehensive framework for assessing the different aspects of the performance of NBS, especially with regard to ecological, economic & social dimensions. WP leader: IIS-Rio, Brazil 

WP3: Apply the NBS assessment framework to case study sites 
The results of the assessment framework will be applied in relation to the specific socio-political context for 8 selected case study sites as described in section 1.4. This will include i) a scenario study ii) a comparative analysis & iii) reflection on conditions that favour the implementation of NBS and their driving forces. The studies will be based on literature survey as well as field visits, with data collection through interviews and focus groups with concerned stakeholders. WP leader: NGI, Norway

WP4: Create a common narrative 
Create a narrative based on reasoned analysis, empirical observations & reflections gathered together with relevant stakeholders, on principles, processes & indicators for designing & implementing NBS in peri-urban areas within the pan-European scale. It will bring together outcomes from WPs 1, 2 & 3. WP leaders: Stellenbosch University, South Africa and Södertörn University, Sweden

NATWIP aims at comprehensive research on NBS regarding water and wastewater-related needs in peri-urban areas. Though increasing
interest in NBS in research and action is being expressed globally, this project’s originality lies in: first, developing an innovative multidisciplinary
approach to designing & implementing NBS for water in the peri-urban, especially taking socio-economic perspective; second,
evaluating the strengths & weaknesses of NBSs for water vis-a-vis conventional engineering solutions from economic, ecological & social
perspectives; and third, adopting an evidence-based integrated approach rooted in European and international contexts to develop tools to
promote NBSs for water in the peri-urban.
The innovation of the project basically lies in development of an interdisciplinary methodological framework to assess NBS for water and
applying it to understand case situations spread across multiple European & international sites. The innovation further lies in creating a
common narrative & hence best practices to deal with water challenges in the peri-urban through implementation of NBS. The
innovativeness & comprehensiveness of the project can be further seen as represented by the 3 dimensions within which it operates: i)
academic; ii) spatial; & iii) socio-political.
NATWIP will contribute for closing the water cycle gap in the peri-urban areas, tackling themes 2 and 3 of 2018 Joint Call (“Strengthening
socio-economic approaches to water management” and “Supporting tools for sustainable integrative management of water resources”,
respectively). NATWIP will strengthen socio-economic approaches to water management by developing and sharing knowledge on NBS in
peri-urban areas; proposing management tools and best practices guidelines regarding this theme; & raising social awareness about NBS;
and defining ways and means for enhancing their acceptance and incorporation within policy and action instruments, & social acceptance of
the new practices. It will also develop supporting tools for sustainable integrative management of water resources by establishing networks
and knowledge sharing among partner institutions and by creating a framework for assessing and verifying different aspects of NBS. Lastly,
case studies in various countries will provide information that could possibly be adapted to regions beyond the study areas.
The results of the project are primarily targeted to impact policymakers, planners, public sector and civil society practitioners as well as endusers
in the community at large. Also, the industry – particularly consultancy firms, will be benefited through the framework and narratives.
Another important user group of particularly the results of the international review would be researchers and students in the field.