Recommendations
We consider the following key aspects for the implementation of NbS and complementary measures:
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Develop an education and awareness program. There is a need for an ongoing educational and awareness program that allows the community and other stakeholders to understand the risks they are facing and how to address them. This is especially relevant for the migrants from other cities, who might not understand the landscape and the risks they are facing.
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Communicate the benefits of NbS in terms of the direct impact they have on people’s lives. E.g. Instead of referring to flood reduction, translate that into the reduction of damage costs; instead of urban agriculture to improve rainfall infiltration, refer to the reduction in the expenses per household.
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Strengthen the institutional network. Extend the mandate of the RF2 and assign them as the organization responsible for NbS for water safety and security. By relying on a community-based small-scale organization such as this one, the implementation of small-scale interventions can be more direct. Also, the RF2 is more likely to have a better understanding of the community and their needs. As an organization, the RF2 could collaborate with other relevant organizations, strengthening the institutional network with a bottom-up approach.
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XS measures, XL strategy. Start small, thinking big. Follow a city-wide strategy for the integration of NbS and disaster evacuation for flood risk reduction and their implementation, keeping the lifecycle of NbS in mind. Floods do not happen on the household scale, they happen in the landscape. You can manage water locally, but only up to a certain degree. A comprehensive strategy is needed so that all the small-scale interventions create synergies between each other, as opposed to trade-offs.
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Define stages for the implementation of measures. You can start small, with community-driven NbS. If successful, the measures implemented could be replicated at other locations in the same neighborhood, growing along with the education and awareness capacity of the community. This not only results in more robust interventions but also allows you to phase implementation and maintenance costs of the measures.
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Transfer skills and knowledge about NbS, disaster evacuation, and flood risk reduction, so that the lessons learned in one case can be used by others.
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Multifunctional and resilient spaces should be considered when designing any intervention. The challenges and lifestyle from today are not necessarily the ones of tomorrow. Climate change and migration are only some of the variables that will shape the future. It is important that interventions take this into account, and provide resilient and multifunctional spaces, so they can withstand disasters.