This article summarizes a peer-reviewed systematic review of how nature-based solutions are being used for climate adaptation in small island developing states (SIDS), which face disproportionate climate impacts.
It reports that most reviewed interventions showed positive social, ecological, and economic outcomes, while noting limitations to the interventions (e.g., limited attention to equity) and to the review (e.g., inclusion of articles in English only).
Use this article as an introduction to reading academic papers, helping students identify the different parts of a research study (introduction, methods, results, discussion, limitations, conclusion).
Introduce what a systematic review is and how it differs from a single study, so students understand why this kind of evidence synthesis matters for decision-making.
Ask students to summarize each section in 1-2 sentences to foment reading comprehension and synthesis.
Use the concept of a "triple win" (climate, biodiversity, people) to frame a discussion of why some solutions are preferred over conventional built infrastructure.
Extensions:
Choose 4-5 articles included in the review, assign one per small group of students, and ask students to summarize the intervention, research methods, and conclusion of their article in a poster or presentation.
Engage in the engineering design process to develop a nature-based solution to a local challenge, developing and evaluating criteria to define the intervention's impact on climate, biodivesity, and people.
Related Resources:
Use this 5-minute video to introduce the challenges that SIDS, such as the Marshall Islands, are facing due to climate change, how people are building resilience, and how researchers engage with communities to document climate adaptation.
Complement the discussion about equity in climate change with this 10-minute video, which explores what countries emit the most carbon dioxide and who should carry the responsibility of mitigating climate change.
