Description
Wastewater treatment systems have been designed to minimise the environmental impacts of discharging untreated wastewater. Different options for wastewater treatment have different performance characteristics and also different direct impacts on the environment. Some systems have high energy usage, some use materials that have a high embodied energy (e.g. plastics) others occupy a lot of land. If minimisation of environmental impacts is one of the main functions of wastewater treatment systems then they should be designed so that their total impact on the environment is reduced; the whole life cycle of the system must be considered. Ecological connectivity can be defined as the degree of connection between the various natural environments present within a landscape, in terms of their components, spatial distribution and ecological functions. The landscape is composed of a dynamic mosaic of natural and humanized patches. Over the years, the landscape has been modified and fragmented by development. To offset the negative effects of fragmentation of natural habitats, conservation biologists have advised increasing connectivity between habitats. The conservation of natural corridors between habitats is essential to sustain biological diversity in a changing climate and to ensure the maintenance of ecological services to the community.
Type of NBS
Better use of protected/natural ecosystems
Level
Protection and conservation strategies in terrestrial (e.g. Natura2000), marine (e.g. MPA), and coastal areas (e.g. mangroves) ecosystems
Approaches
- 1 Community based adaptation
- 2 Ecosystem based adaptation
- 3 Ecosystem based management
- 4 Ecosystem based mitigation
- 5 Ecosystem based disaster risk reduction
Challenges
Key Performance Indicators
| Recommended Indicators | Units | Class |
|---|---|---|
| 17.1 Openness of participatory processes | ||
| 17.1.1 Openness of participatory processes: proportion of citizens involved | % | Process focused |
| 17.2 Sense of empowerment: perceived control and influence over decision-making | Outcome-based indicators | |
| 17.3 Adoption of new forms of participatory governance: Public-private partnerships activated | No. | Outcome-based indicators |
| 17.4 Policy learning for mainstreaming NBS: Number of new policies instituted | No. | Structural indicators |
| 17.5 Trust in decision-making procedure and decision-makers | Number (1-5) | Outcome-based indicators |
| Additional Indicators | Units | Class |
|---|---|---|
| 18.1 Community involvement in planning | ||
| 18.1.1 Citizen involvement in co-creation/co-design of NBS | No. | Process focused |
| 18.1.2 Stakeholder involvement in co-creation/co-design of NBS | No. | Process focused |
| 18.2 Community involvement in implementation | Number (0-5) | Process focused |
| 18.3 Involvement of citizens from traditionally under-represented groups | Number (0-5) | Process focused |
| 18.4 Active engagement of citizens in decision-making | % | Process focused |
| 18.5 Consciousness of citizenship | Number (0-5) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 18.6 Number of governance innovations adopted | Number (0-5) | Structural indicators |
| 18.7 Adoption of new forms of NBS (co-)financing | Number (0-5) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 18.8 Development of a climate resilience strategy (extent) | Number (0-7) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 18.9 Alignment of climate resilience strategy with UNISDR-defined elements | Number (0-5) across 117 categories | Outcome-based indicators |
| 18.10 Adaptation of local plans and regulations to include NBS | Number (0-5) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 18.11 Perceived ease of governance of NBS | Number (0-5) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 18.12 Diversity of stakeholders involved | % | Process focused |
| 18.13 Transparency of co-production | Number (1-5) | Process focused |
| 18.14 Activation of public-private collaboration | No. | Outcome-based indicators |
| 18.15 Reflexivity: identified learning outcomes | No. | Process focused |
| 18.16 Facilitation skills for co-production | Number (1-5) | Process focused |
| 18.17 Procedural fairness | Number (1-5) | Process focused |
| 18.18 Strategic alignment | Number (1-5) | Process focused |
| 18.19 Reflexivity: time for reflection | No. | Process focused |
Sustainable Development Goals
Zero hunger. End hunger, achieve security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Target 2.3
By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment.
Indicator 2.3.1: Volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size
Target 2.4
By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture
Target 2.a
Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
Indicator 2.a.1: The agriculture orientation index for government expenditures
Clean water and sanitation. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Target 6.1
By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
Target 6.3
By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
Target 6.4
By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time
Indicator 6.4.2: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources
Target 6.5
By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate
Indicator 6.5.1: Degree of integrated water resources management implementation (0-100)
Indicator 6.5.2: Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation
Target 6.6
By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
Indicator 6.6.1: Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time
Target 6.a
By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
Indicator 6.a.1: Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan
Target 6.b
Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management
Indicator 6.b.1: Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management
Responsible Consumption and Production. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Target 12.8
By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
Indicator 12.8.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
Climate Action. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Target 13.3
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning into primary, secondary and tertiary curricula
Indicator 13.3.2: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer, and development actions
Target 13.b
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
Indicator 13.b.1: Number of least developed countries and small island developing States that are receiving specialized support, and amount of support, including finance, technology and capacity-building, for mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change-related planning and management, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
Life below water. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, sea and marine resources for sustainable development
Target 14.c
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want
Indicator 14.c.1: Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources
Life on land. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Target 15.2
By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management
Target 15.3
By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area
Target 15.5
Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index
Target 15.9
By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
Indicator 15.9.1: Progress towards national targets established in accordance with Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020
Target 15.a
Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
Indicator 15.a.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems
Target 15.b
Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
Indicator 15.b.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems
Key Performance Indicators
| Recommended Indicators | Units | Class |
|---|---|---|
| 21.1 Level of outdoor physical activity | Outcome-based indicators | |
| 21.2 Level of chronic stress (Perceived stress) | Number (0-4) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 21.3 General wellbeing and happiness | Number (0-7) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 21.4 Self-reported mental health and wellbeing | Number (1-6) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 21.5 Cardiovascular diseases (prevalence, incidence) | %, % per year | Outcome-based indicators |
| 21.6 Morbidity, mortality due to cardiovascular disease | No./y | Outcome-based indicators |
| 21.7 Quality of Life | Number (1-5) | Outcome-based indicators |
| Additional Indicators | Units | Class |
|---|---|---|
| 22.1 Self-reported physical activity | Minutes per week | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.2 Observed physical activity level within NBS | % over 3 levels of physical activity (sedentary, walking, or vigorous) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.3 Encouraging a healthy lifestyle | Number (1-5) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.4 Incidence of obesity | % per year | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.5 Heat-related discomfort: Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) | oC | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.6 Hospital admissions due to high temperature during extreme heat events | No. per 100 000 | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.7 Heat-related mortality | No. per 1 000 000 per year | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.8 Exposure to noise pollution | % | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.9 Perceived chronic loneliness | Number (1-3) across 3 categories | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.10 Somatisation | Low, Moderately high, Very high | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.11 Mindfulness | Number (0-4) across 12 categories | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.12 Visual access to green space | Number (0-4) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.13 Time spent viewing green space from residence each day | Number (0-3) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.14 Perceived restorativeness of public green space/ NBS | Number (0-10) across 4 categories | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.15 Perceived social support | Number (0-4) | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.16 Connectedness to nature | Number (1-5) across 14 categories | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.17 Prevalence of attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) | % | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.18 Exploratory behaviour in children | Outcome-based indicators | |
| 22.19 Self-reported anxiety | Mild, Moderate, Severe | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.20 Prevalence, incidence, morbidity and mortality of respiratory diseases | %, %per year, No./y, No./y | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.21 Morbidity, Mortality and Years of Life Lost due to poor air quality | No./y, No./y, No. of years | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.22 Prevalence and incidence of autoimmune diseases | %, % per year | Outcome-based indicators |
| 22.23 Prevalence, incidence and morbidity of chronic stress | %, % per year and No./y | Outcome-based indicators |
Sustainable Development Goals
Zero hunger. End hunger, achieve security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Target 2.3
By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment.
Indicator 2.3.1: Volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size
Target 2.4
By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture
Target 2.a
Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
Indicator 2.a.1: The agriculture orientation index for government expenditures
Clean water and sanitation. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Target 6.1
By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
Target 6.3
By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
Target 6.4
By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time
Indicator 6.4.2: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources
Target 6.5
By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate
Indicator 6.5.1: Degree of integrated water resources management implementation (0-100)
Indicator 6.5.2: Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation
Target 6.6
By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
Indicator 6.6.1: Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time
Target 6.a
By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
Indicator 6.a.1: Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan
Target 6.b
Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management
Indicator 6.b.1: Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management
Responsible Consumption and Production. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Target 12.8
By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
Indicator 12.8.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
Climate Action. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Target 13.3
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning into primary, secondary and tertiary curricula
Indicator 13.3.2: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer, and development actions
Target 13.b
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
Indicator 13.b.1: Number of least developed countries and small island developing States that are receiving specialized support, and amount of support, including finance, technology and capacity-building, for mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change-related planning and management, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
Life below water. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, sea and marine resources for sustainable development
Target 14.c
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want
Indicator 14.c.1: Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources
Life on land. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Target 15.2
By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management
Target 15.3
By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area
Target 15.5
Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index
Target 15.9
By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
Indicator 15.9.1: Progress towards national targets established in accordance with Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020
Target 15.a
Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
Indicator 15.a.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems
Target 15.b
Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
Indicator 15.b.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem Service Categories
- Maintaining populations and habitats
Ecosystem Service Categories
- Recreation
- Intellectual and aesthetic appreciation
- Spiritual and symbolic appreciation
Real case example of applied NBS
There are no available real case examples at the moment