An ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction: The challenges of multilevel governance

In response to the increasing frequency of extreme disaster events across the world, scholars of disaster risk reduction (DRR) are showing interest in the opportunities presented by ecosystem-based approaches. Recent research has highlighted the effectiveness of ecosystem functions and services for reducing disaster risks, including coastal and urban flooding, tsunami, and storm surges. However, in addition to the importance of physical ecosystem functions for providing risk reduction benefits, we must also understand how an ecosystem-based approach can be better implemented and governed across different spaces and scales to yield more effective disaster risk reduction policies and actions.