News from Aqua-NbS

Second Retreat of AquaNbS Team at  the Svanninge Bjerge

On 11th and 12th of June the AquaNbS Centre team met at the Svanninge Bjerge for one half day retreat. During the meeting the team got the chance to present updates regarding the project development and achievements.  The team also had the chance to plan future tasks and to share ideas regarding new projects and initiative for the future of the Centre.

 

First set of Multi-Actor Lab (MAL)

Last week, as part of the Elite Research Centre of Aquatic Nature-based Solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation  we organized the first set of Multi-Actor Lab (MAL). We discussed the opportunities and barriers in implementing aquatic nature-based solutions for climate adaptation, mitigation, and biodiversity preservation.

On May 30th, we held the international meeting with stakeholders participating from North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, representing academic, governmental, and professional sectors. The meeting provided insights into the technical, social, legal, economic, and governance aspects of NbS in practice.
On May 31st, we had a national meeting where stakeholders from various regions of  Denmark discussed their challenges and shared their experiences in the practice of NbS.

If you work with aquatic NbS and want to be a part of our NbS database and be invited to the next Aqua-NbS expert meetings, click here:

 

Invitation to National Multi Actor Lab (MAL)
Elite Research Centre of Aquatic Nature-based Solutions (Aqua-NbS)
University of Southern Denmark

Aqua-NbS

Aquatic nature-based solutions (NbS) are methods based on ecosystem restoration and/or in combination to soft engineering interventions to tackle climate change. Aquatic NbS work with people and nature to foster climate adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity enhancement, and socio-ecological resilience building. Despite the growing number of aquatic NbS, they are often uncoordinated and small-scale, focusing on one habitat or engineering solution, having limited impact on wide-scale ecosystem restoration.

In this context, the Elite Research Centre of Aquatic Nature-based Solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation (Aqua-NbS) was established at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) under SDU Climate Cluster, which is a mission-driven climate research cluster tasked with promoting cutting-edge climate research across all of SDU’s faculties, to expand the provision of ecosystem services by moving from small-scale to integrated and large-scale aquatic NbS to achieve improved societal and ecological resilience. Aqua-NbS is also endorsed by the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) as part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (the Ocean Decade).

Aqua-NbS applies a cross-disciplinary approach and involves various researchers from the Department of Biology, the Department of Business and Sustainability, the Department of Economics and the UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience, spanning the full land-sea continuum and incorporating various technological, institutional, and socio-economic settings.

Multi-Actor Labs

Aqua-NbS will develop its activities utilizing Multi-Actor Labs (MALs). MALs are collaborative workshops engaging diverse stakeholders - scientists, practitioners, policymakers and community representatives. The overall aim of the MAL is to co-define and implement a research and development agenda, and specific collaborative activities, for Aqua-NBS in Denmark and internationally.

Aqua-NBS organizes three MALs at national and in parallel three MALs international level whereas:

• MAL1 (May 2024) discusses knowledge and operationalizations gaps in practice of aquatic NbS, and aims at identifying key relevant stakeholders and best practices of Aquatic NbS to develop Aqua-NbS Atlas of best practices in Denmark and internationally.
• MAL2 (Spring 2025) will address narratives of change (success/failures), drivers of aquatic NbS, Willingness to Pay (WTP) vs Willingness to Accept (WTA), trade-offs, policy constraints at local stakeholder level (communities/citizens), and
• MAL3 (Spring 2026) will define future scenarios of obtained ecosystem services results and final co-creation of cost-effective and resilient solutions of aquatic NbS.

In this regard, you are invited to participate in Aqua-NbS MAL1 due to your expertise and/or knowledge you can contribute to the further development and easier practice of aquatic NbS. Your participation in the MALs and your contribution can play a key role in the development of a resilient aquatic NbS framework that can be upscaled and disseminated at the academic and policy-makers levels. By participating in this event, you also get the opportunity to learn about ongoing aquatic NbS projects, to exchange knowledge and expand your network.

National MAL1 will be held at the University of Southern Denmark on 31 May, from 10:00 to 15:00.

Write to Sara Gentilini at sage@sdu.dk if you have any questions or need more information about the programme.

Please register here (registration is compulsory)

 

UNESCO IOC Endorsement for the Ocean Decade Projects! 

We are thrilled to announce that Aqua-NbS been recognised with an endorsement Ocean Vision's Global Ecosystem for Ocean Solutions (GEOS)  as part of the Ocean Decade projects. This endorsement is not just a recognition for us; it represents a global acknowledgment of the importance of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in addressing some of the most pressing challenges our planet faces. We extend our gratitude to UNESCO IOC for this endorsement, our incredible team for their hard work and innovation, the SDU Climate Cluster and to all our partners and supporters and the who share our vision.

 

New video!

PI Cintia Organo Quintana shared an overview of the Aqua-NbS Elite Center, with a special appearance by PhD student Gry!

 

NEW DATE

Joint Guest Lecture by Aqua-NbS Scientific Advisory Board member Ana Queirós and Cintia Organo Quintana

15 November, 11.15-12.15

Ana Queirós: Seaweed blue carbon, or is it?

Nature-based solutions for climate change are much sought after strategies to use nature to address the causes and impacts of changes in our global climate system. Within this scope, seaweed conservation and farming have been placed in the spotlight as potentially important strategies. However, large questions remain around the potential carbon value of these habitats, and their broader effects our ability to limit climate change.

In this talk, I will explore recent, promising findings of the seaweed blue carbon research community, and major data gaps in our current understanding of the value of these strategies as nature-based solutions for climate change.

Cintia Organo Quintana: Climate regulation services of coastal vegetated ecosystems

Coastal vegetated ecosystems, such as seagrasses and salt marshes, are well-known for their ability to store carbon, commonly referred to as "blue carbon." Despite decades of research focused on quantifying carbon storage in these ecosystems globally, little attention has been given to the losses of carbon through mineralization and export.

During my presentation, I will explore the climate mitigation potential of seagrasses and salt marshes while addressing the knowledge gaps in carbon cycling and greenhouse gas emissions of these vital ecosystems. It is crucial to verify carbon budgets and accounting in blue carbon ecosystems to provide evidence-based knowledge to inform decision and policy-making at the local, regional, and national levels.

Live stream it at youtube.com/@danish-ias

• Place:DIAS Auditorium
• Address: Fioniavej 34, 5230 Odense M
• Contact Email:  vip@sdu.dk
• Add to your calendar: https://eom.sdu.dk:443/events/ical/76680089-d830-41ff-a72f-9bb1b2e4f7d9

 

 

SDU Climate Thursdays

Sign up

Cintia Organo Quintana will give a lecture on scaling up aquatic nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation

 

 

 

Vandet bliver varmere i byområderne

 

"Varmere vandløb er aldrig godt", siger forskningsleder Sara Egemose, der står bag nyt studie af vandløb i byområder. De er generelt varmere end uden for byerne.

Af Birgitte Svennevig,birs@sdu.dk, 18-04-2023

Byområder har en tendens til at være varmere end det åbne land, og forskellen kan være flere grader. Dels findes der flere mørke overflader i byerne, og dels holder befæstede områder som fortove, veje, osv. mere på varmen end f. eks. græs og jord. Fænomenet kaldes Urban Heat Island Effect.

Det kommer derfor ikke som nogen overraskelse, at det vand, der løber gennem byområder, også kan være varmere end uden for byerne.

Det konstaterer biologerne Anja Svane Kolath og Sara Egemose, der står bag en undersøgelse af temperaturen i vandløb i et byområde. Anja Svane Kolath er ph.d. studerende, og Sara Egemose er forskningsleder på Biologisk Institut. Deres undersøgelse er publiceret her. 

Der er den fynske landsby Årslev, der har lagt vand og fortove til undersøgelsen. Vindinge Å løber gennem Årslev, og forskerholdet har målt åvandets temperatur på en 5,2 km lang strækning før, i og efter Årslev.

Kan have uheldige konsekvenser 

- Temperaturen stiger på vandets vej igennem byen pga. byens varmeeffekt, siger Sara Egemose.

Hvor meget og hvornår, effekten indtræder, varierer i takt med fx luftens temperatur og antal solskinstimer. Men uanset forholdene kunne forskerne konkludere, at vandets temperatur var højere, efter vandet var løbet gennem byen. Efter byen var vandtemperaturen i november-april fx 0,1 – 0,4 grader varmere. I perioden maj-oktober var vandet 0,1 – 0,8 grader varmere.

- Det kan potentielt have nogle uheldige konsekvenser. Varmere vand i vandløb er aldrig godt. Dels kan varmere vand indeholde mindre ilt, og dels øger en højere temperatur omsætningen af organisk stof i systemet, og væksten af f.eks. trådalger kan øges. Alt i alt effekter, som kan have negative konsekvenser for dyrelivet i vandløbet, siger Sara Egemose.

Ligesom insekterne, der aldrig rammer bilruden mere

I Danmark er ca. 14% af arealet dækket af byer, veje og andre såkaldt impermeable overflader. Samtidig bidrager klimaforandringerne også til generelt højere temperaturer. Det betyder iflg. Sara Egemose, at flere og flere vandløb potentielt oplever en påvirkning.

Spørgsmålet er, om vi skal eller kan forhindre det?

- Vi skal i hvert fald være bevidste om, at det sker, og vi skal blive klogere på, hvad det konkret betyder for dyrelivet. Det er ligesom med insekterne, som nu aldrig rammer bilruden mere; Det er ikke én påvirknings skyld – det er summen af mange påvirkninger igennem de seneste årtier, som gør, at vi nu står i en biodiversitetskrise. Det er det samme i vandløbene: der er rigtig mange lokale og globale påvirkninger, som samlet set giver en større eller mindre cocktaileffekt de enkelte steder. Men i denne artikel har vi nu dokumenteret, at det sker og også, at det sker i en relativt lille by som Årslev og over en relativt kort strækning, siger Sara Egemose (saege@biology.sdu.dk). 

 

 

The Danish Pavilion 

 

Aqua-NbS Cintia Organo Quintana contributed to The Danish Pavilion curated by Josephine Michau at La Biennale Di Venezia this year. It was a great interdisciplinary exercise!

Under the heading “Coastal Imaginaries” the exhibition highlights and discusses climate adaptation of coastal landscapes through nature-based design solutions. 

Pavillonens udstilling Coastal Imaginaries udforsker naturbaserede designløsninger for fremtidens kystlandskaber og giver konkrete løsninger på at leve med stigende havniveauer og stormfloder forårsaget af klimaændringer.

Kurator for Danmarks bidrag, Josephine Michau, kalder Coastal Imaginaries for ”et laboratorium for håb i en verden af viral håbløshed” med reference til den samlede biennales overordnede titel ”The Laboratory of the Future”, som er givet af hovedkurator Lesley Lokko.

Dansk Arkitektur Center er udpeget af Kulturministeriet som kommissær for det officielle danske bidrag til den 18. arkitekturbiennale i Venedig. Bidraget er skabt i samarbejde med Realdania, Kulturministeriet og Statens Kunstfond Legat- og Projektstøtteudvalg for Arkitektur.

 

 

 

The official Aqua-NbS kick-off event took place  on Tuesday 28 March.