Boosting co-creation of Nature-based Solutions within Living Labs: Interrelating enablers using Interpretive Structural Modelling

Co-creation is at the intersection of Nature-based Solutions and Living Lab concepts, which adopt collaboration and innovation amongst different stakeholders to address complex issues such as climate change. Nature-based Solutions have been increasingly recognized for their potential to address diverse societal challenges in a multifunctional, action-oriented, and contextualized manner. Living Labs have proliferated as a participatory approach for the co-development and co-testing of Nature-based Solutions, particularly in Europe. Nevertheless, there is a persistent challenge regarding enhancing stakeholder engagement, which is recognized as crucial for the implementation of Nature-based Solutions. In this article, we examined ten empirical cases of Living Labs applying Nature-based Solutions to increase climate resilience in European coastal cities. We conducted an Interpretive Structural Modelling and Cross-impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification analysis methodology to systematically analyse and interrelate co-creation enablers. We have identified fifteen enablers to co-create Nature-based Solutions in Living Labs across five levels of influence among each other. A key finding is that ‘sharing and learning from real-life examples’ and ‘opening opportunities for informal inputs’ have the most driving power among the studied enablers. Having a robust engagement toolbox also appears to be a crucial point in enhancing co-creation. Exploring the potential of such enablers seems vital to fostering the co-creation of Nature-based Solutions within Living Labs. By understanding how enablers are interlinked and can be prioritized based on their driving and dependence powers, environmental managers can better use their resources and engage with their key stakeholders more successfully.