Understanding Nature-Based Solutions:

Beyond Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction in Dar es Salaam In the literature, nature-based solutions have predominantly been categorised into green, grey, blue, and hybrid types based on physical ecological attributes, with little attention paid to non-physical, integrated, beneficial aspects. This categorisation however does not fully capture the plural and socio-economic realities of NbS particularly in urban low-income communities. In this paper we build on the contestation surrounding the NbS categorisation, through a rapid assessment, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, we question solutions to what and how to profile NbS, as understood by communities and stakeholders. The findings of NbS in Dar es Salaam city demonstrate the role of nature and community leadership in addressing not only the climate change risks but also serve as solutions to meet local communities’ social, ecological, and economic needs. Understanding and appreciating these typologies in their multiple dimensions provides critical entry point for academic discourse, for stakeholders in the co-designing, assessment, and scaling-up nature-based solutions beyond hitherto dominant ecological principles.