Nature-Based Solutions as a Way to Adapt to Climate Change in the Steppe Zone of the Ukrainian Part of the Danube River Basin

Abstract

Today, the concept of nature-based solutions (NBS) is included in the main objectives of national development strategies of EU countries in the f ield of research and policy innovation. The aim of the study is to analyze the vulnerability of part of the Danube River basin, located in the steppe zone of Ukraine, to climate change and the possibility of adaptation to these changes through the implementation of nature-based solutions. The article shows the current characteristics of the temperature regime in the study area and their trends. There is a change in temperature conditions towards hotter and drier ones, which is clearly seen in the predominance of positive anomalies in mean monthly surface air temperature in recent decades, especially in the warm season. Heat waves have also become more frequent, with their frequency increasing sharply since the early 2000s. The main ways to reduce the risks caused by changes in climatic conditions towards hotter ones in urban areas, is the implementation by city authorities and local residents of the NBS, reducing the impact of heat stress, which will also have a positive impact on air quality and the aesthetics of the city, and will also contribute to improving public health and well-being. In rural areas, the implementation of the NBS, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing sustainability in agriculture, will help mitigate damage associated with climate change.