CCG103: Nature-based solutions for sustainable, climate-compatible development

Program overview

Assesses the opportunities for nature-based solutions to protect, complement or substitute grey infrastructure service delivery in order to underpin global development agendas.

What you will learn

• The role of nature-based solutions in sustainable development and infrastructure
• Different nature-based solutions to manage climate risks
• Integration of nature-based solutions with built infrastructure

Courses in this program

• Lecture 1: Nature-based solutions (NbS) underpinning global development agendas

  This lecture provides an introduction to the concept of nature-based solutions (NbS) and explores how NbS underpin global and national development agendas. The lecture specifically looks at the role of nature in underpinning the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement and the functioning of traditional engineered ‘grey’ infrastructure systems.

• Lecture 2: Nature-based solutions for climate risk adaptation

  This lecture focuses on how different nature-based solutions can be used for climate risk adaptation. We provide portfolios of natural solutions for water regulation, coastal protection, landslides, soil erosion and urban cooling.

• Lecture 3: Integrating NbS with built infrastructure in different core infrastructure sectors

  This lecture focuses on how nature-based solutions (NbS) can be strategically integrated in different infrastructure sectors in order to deliver benefits for the sector as well as wider co-benefits for society, the economy and the environment.

• Lecture 4: Methods for integrating NbS in planning, implementation and governance

  This lecture focuses on methods and approaches to designing, implementing and governing nature-based solutions (NbS) in order to maximise potential benefits and ensure long-term project success. This includes decision-making approaches, data requirements, which stakeholders should be engaged, and the need for an adaptive management approach.

• Lecture 5: The role of governance and financing in resilient infrastructure development

  This lecture block introduces the ideas of governance, management, and finance to demonstrate how their strategy and implementation change across infrastructure lifecycle phases and at different management levels. The block also examines case studies of burgeoning national infrastructure planning units.