The Critical Zone (CZ), the dynamic near-surface layer of the Earth extending from the top of vegetation through the soil and regolith to the groundwater and bedrock, plays a pivotal role in regulating hydrological, biogeochemical, and ecological processes of earth. It is within this zone that water, soil, air, and living organisms interact to sustain terrestrial life. However, growing pressures from climate change, land-use modification, pollution, and resource overexploitation are pushing the Critical Zone beyond its natural resilience thresholds. Water-related issues such as soil moisture decline, groundwater depletion, contamination, salinization, and intensifying floods and droughts are becoming increasingly severe and interconnected. This session aims to explore how Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) can address these multifaceted water challenges in the Critical Zone beyond conventional climate change adaptation frameworks. While NBS have gained prominence as tools for adaptation and mitigation, their potential extends far deeper: they can regenerate degraded ecosystems, restore hydrological functions, and sustain environmental balance in the face of complex, multi-driver changes. By integrating natural, engineered, and social dimensions, this session provides a cross-disciplinary platform to share scientific advances, practical innovations, and policy insights on NBS as transformative approaches for managing water and ecological resilience within the Critical Zone. We invite contributions that bridge hydrology, soil science, ecology, energy systems, and environmental management, focusing on the design, monitoring, and governance of NBS for long-term sustainability.

The Critical Zone (CZ), the dynamic near-surface layer of the Earth extending from the top of vegetation through the soil and regolith to the groundwater and bedrock, plays a pivotal role in regulating hydrological, biogeochemical, and ecological processes of earth. It is within this zone that water, soil, air, and living organisms interact to sustain terrestrial life. However, growing pressures from climate change, land-use modification, pollution, and resource overexploitation are pushing the Critical Zone beyond its natural resilience thresholds. Water-related issues such as soil moisture decline, groundwater depletion, contamination, salinization, and intensifying floods and droughts are becoming increasingly severe and interconnected. This session aims to explore how Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) can address these multifaceted water challenges in the Critical Zone beyond conventional climate change adaptation frameworks. While NBS have gained prominence as tools for adaptation and mitigation, their potential extends far deeper: they can regenerate degraded ecosystems, restore hydrological functions, and sustain environmental balance in the face of complex, multi-driver changes. By integrating natural, engineered, and social dimensions, this session provides a cross-disciplinary platform to share scientific advances, practical innovations, and policy insights on NBS as transformative approaches for managing water and ecological resilience within the Critical Zone. We invite contributions that bridge hydrology, soil science, ecology, energy systems, and environmental management, focusing on the design, monitoring, and governance of NBS for long-term sustainability.