Knowledge and experience of NBS for urban issues. A literature review

The work is part of a broader research project, with the main aim of defining a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS), consisting of an integrated set of models, capable of systematically addressing issues relevant to urban and metropolitan areas: energy consumption, climate and water regulation, lack or unequal distribution of urban functions, quality of the urban environment and urban regeneration. This contribution describes the first phase of the project, which involves a review process to gather information about implementations and best practices of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), analyzing it and converting it into knowledge for decision making addressing the identified urban challenges. The results of the review are intended to be used in the SDSS to be defined in the subsequent phase of the research project. The review is conducted through a critical synthesis of the literature reviews already existing on the topic, given their numerousness. Furthermore, an analysis of the Italian regional urban planning regulations is carried out, revealing whether and to what extent the concept of NBS is currently implicitly or explicitly included in territorial governance laws.