Sessions
AN1: Soil and water conservation for sustainable land management
Description
Viable measures for sustainable land management in agricultural and forest areas can only be designed and implemented if the ecological and productive roles are well understood simultaneously with land degradation processes. This is only possible when the major processes regulating these three spheres are, measured, described and their interactions properly evaluated and modeled. Land degradation, in particular soil erosion due to water and wind, occurs in many parts of the world and it is usually associated to cropping, grazing or forest areas. Soil and water conservation measures are only viable and sustainable if local environmental and socio-economic conditions are taken into account. In this challenge, harmonizing need for increasing land productivity with soil conservation seem key, and with most of the world degraded lands in arid and semiarid areas both are bounded to water conservation. Land degradation is increasingly associated to accelerated changes in land use, and farming systems in a context of rapid environmental and socio-economic changes. L. In broader perspective, soil and water conservation must be improved if food security and environmental stability is to be achieved locally and globally. This session is aimed to bring together specialist from different background with interest in sharing their experiences, expertise and challenges on optimizing yield, water and soil use in a changing world. Since land degradation affects least developed countries most, we especially encourage people from developing countries to submit their abstract to this session. The EGU has travel bursaries available to support some applicants (requires an early abstract submission) for whom we can also try to get funding for travel and registration costs. We are especially encouraging researchers working on the following topics to submit their abstract to our session:-
- Systemic approaches to improve soil and water conservation in crop (rainfed or deficitly irrigated), grazing and forest areas.
- Basic and applied studies on land degradation on a variety of scales; from the field and farm level to the watershed and village level.
- Development of tools to predict or monitor impact of land degradation on yield and other ecosystem goods and services.
- Incentives/barriers to changes related to SLM by farmers and other stakeholders under changing social or environmental conditions.
- Land conservation and enhancement of biodiversity, especially in areas of high natural values.
- Bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and its successful implementation by stakeholders and decision makers (e.g. government).
- Tools to identify priority hot spots for SLM adaptation practices.
AN2: Grazing as a management tool to build cultural landscapes
Description
Grazing is a widespread human activity with profound impacts on landscapes globally. Throughout history, it has played a significant role in shaping ecosystems, from clearing forests and shrublands to contributing to various land degradation processes. The environmental effects of grazing are highly context-dependent, influenced by factors such as climate, topography, and crucially, land management practices. These practices are shaped by a complex interplay of local physical conditions (rainfall, soil type, slope) and dynamic socio-economic factors (cultural traditions, economic pressures, and political influences). This session seeks to enhance our understanding of diverse grazing systems, ranging from traditional subsistence practices to modern, market-driven approaches. We aim to investigate how conservation measures (e.g., agri-environmental schemes) and restoration initiatives (e.g., exclusion fencing) have influenced, or are currently influencing, grazing practices and their environmental outcomes across different regions and biomes. We welcome research and management experiences from around the world where grazing is a key driver of environmental change. This session encourages multidisciplinary contributions from various fields, including history, economics, sociology, policy, land planning, cultural studies, animal welfare, ecology, and geomorphology. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, we aim to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between grazing, landscapes, and human societies.AN3: Climate-Resilient Land Management: Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Land Use in a Changing Climate
Description
"In the face of accelerating climate change, land systemsspanning urban areas, agriculture, and forestsare under increasing pressure from extreme weather events, land degradation, and ecosystem shifts. Equally, unsustainable land management is a key driver of climate change and climate-related disasters. Thus, the Land-System Change and Climate Change planetary boundaries are deeply interrelated, so are the solutions. This session will explore how Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for Land Management can be better planned and implemented, as well as associated benefits can be delivered more effectively, with a climate-informed approach. By integrating climate change considerations into land management, NbS can address critical issues in these two boundaries, such as soil degradation, land-use change, ecosystem shifts, and climate risks. Through real-world examples and policy insights, this session highlights the role of NbS in shaping climate-resilient landscapes. This includes showcasing innovative NbS for land management that mitigate climate-induced pressures and adapt to evolving climate risks, as well as gaining understanding of how accounting for climate change can improve the ways to restore, reduce, and avoid land degradation. Sub-topics- NbS in Land systems (forestry, agriculture, cities) mitigating climate-induced pressures, such as ecosystem health decline, changes in forest composition, heat stress, reduced crop yield, and declining soil fertility.
- Climate-resilient NbS for land restoration (e.g., ecosystem restoration tailored to anticipated climate shifts, rewilding initiatives accounting for future climate scenarios, and recovery of agricultural degraded lands with climate-smart farming systems)
- NbS and adaptive land management (i.e, NbS examples that adjust to evolving climate conditions such as increased flooding, prolonged droughts, accelerated soil erosion, and shifting ecosystems, through e.g. adaptive practices like dynamic conservation planning, climate-resilient forestry, and flexible agricultural systems designed to respond to changing seasonal patterns and extreme weather events).
- Policy innovations integrating NbS into land use regulations for climate adaptation (e.g., incentives for farmers practicing drought-tolerant agriculture, zoning regulations that prioritize green infrastructure in urban heat hotspots, and legal frameworks that support wetland restoration for flood protection).
- Using climate modeling to support planning, implementation and monitoring of NbS for Land Management (e.g., climate data helping identify areas that are most vulnerable to climate-induced degradation, use of climate projections to adjust land management practices of NbS, climate models simulating NbS effectiveness in preventing land system change or improving ecosystem resilience)
- Duration: 60-75 minutes
- Number of Talks: 6-8 speakers, each with a 5-7 minute lightning talk.
- Audience Interaction: 15-20 minutes of Q&A and discussion at the end.
- Associated Planetary Boundary: land-system change and climate change
AN4: Human impact on erosion and connectivity in agricultural land
Description
Different types of human impacts (incl. climate change) can have detrimental effects on terrestrial and aquatic (eco)systems. These include changes in land use and different types of river engineering activities causing soil erosion, flooding and river channel degradation. Sustainable river and catchment management (incl. restoration efforts) require nature-based options to mitigate (or even reverse) the effects of different types of human interference and climate change. These, for example, include reforestation or the installation of different water retention measures such as riparian vegetation/buffer strips, soil conservation, erosion and flood control measures, the elimination of river bank protection, or other activities such as the removal of dams. Connectivity has emerged as an important conceptual framework for understanding and managing the transfer of surface water, sediment, nutrients and biota through landscape systems. (Dis-)connecting features can have large spatial and temporal implications on ecological, geomorphic, hydrological and biogeochemical processes through buffering water and material fluxes, thus forming neuralgic points for river and catchment management (incl. restoration) actions. Here we aim to create a diverse interdisciplinary session that reflects a broad range of research seeking to illustrate the role of nature-based solutions in managing hydro-geomorphic and ecological connectivity in a river and catchment management (incl. restoration) context.AN5: Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Andalusian Agriculture: Showcasing AEI Operational Groups
Description
This session will focus on the achievements and advancements of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability Operational Groups in Andalusia. We invite researchers, companies, and other key stakeholders to present their innovative projects addressing the current challenges of Andalusian agriculture. We particularly welcome technological and nature-based solutions that contribute to improving resource efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and increasing the resilience of agricultural systems. Presentations may address topics such as sustainable water management, precision agriculture, agroecology, biodiversity, and climate change adaptation.AN6: Nature-based solutions for Agriculture Managed Aquifer Recharge
Description
The report on Nature-based solutions for Water, conducted in 2018 by the UN, highlighted the need to seek new solutions for water management based on the use of ecosystems and the physical environment through which it transits. In this sense, aquifers, the main freshwater reservoirs of our planet, are essential to store and provide water supply, to help its natural purification and to provide a large number of environmental benefits. The current scenario of population growth and global warming necessitates the enhancement of the ecosystem services that groundwater and subsoil provide. The remarkable advances in technology and scientific knowledge in the field of hydrogeology and agronomy give rise to a wide variety of solutions to improve groundwater management, in terms of quality, quantity and regulation. Among these techniques, the agricultural managed aquifer recharge (Ag-MAR), in which the managed recharge of aquifers is carried out through irrigation canals, flood irrigation and winter irrigation, can be a tool with great potential to recover the return flows produced by the irruption of localized irrigation or the abandonment of croplands. In this session on Agri-MAR we want to make known the potential of these SbN, sharing a series of experiences that are already being developed and creating a necessary debate so that this type of solutions has more and more prominence.AN7: Restoration of agricultural land. Strategies, constraints, and benefits. A scientific and stakeholder approach
Conveners
Description
Land ecosystems have been degraded due to grazing, agriculture, mining, fire, and industrial and commercial use. Land degradation, desertification, and climate change are threatening the sustainability of agricultural land. The use of restoration and rehabilitation strategies will contribute to a recovery of the ecosystem services of the land and will contribute to sustainable agriculture production. Agriculture is considered a threat to the ecosystems' sustainability, but proper agriculture management is also seen as part of the solution to achieve sustainability. We propose a scientific session where the rehabilitation strategies, the economic investment and the policies to be applied to degraded land will be under debate. This scientific session will show examples of degraded land and their restoration. This will show the recovery of the ecosystem and the benefit for humankind. The view of the stakeholders will be shown. A biophysical, social, and economic perspective is shown in the scientific session. Field experiments and measurements, modeling, restoration plans, living labs, policies, and stakeholders views will be shown. Join us in this multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to understanding forest fire restoration strategies.MET1: Advances in land ecosystem restoration monitoring using remote sensing and machine learning
Description
Today, land ecosystem restoration actions are among the proven solutions to reverse anthropogenic and climate-driven land degradation and desertification. Such actions have multiple advantages such as supporting ecosystem resilience (Ellison & Ifejika Speranza, 2020; Sacande et al., 2021), increasing carbon sequestration (Dixon et al., 2016), restoring hydrological catchment characteristics (Anderson et al., 2010; Carrick et al., 2019), etc. Thus, ecosystem restoration actions are a global priority (Robinson et al., 2023). Indicative of this is that UN named years 2021-2030 as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (Waltham et al., 2020), while the EU incorporates such policies in the Green Deal (Gann et al., 2019) and has announced action like the 3 billion additional trees pledge. Although restoration actions do take place, too few of these are monitored thereafter (Nadal-Romero et al., 2023). Monitoring methods based on remote sensing could be a viable alternative to high-cost and labor-intensive conventional ones (de Almeida et al., 2020). Meanwhile, Machine Learning has a great advantage in dealing with the nonlinear ecological relationships (Guo et al., 2023). In this session we aim to explore:- State of the art and advances in land ecosystem monitoring using RS
- Artificial intelligence and automated monitoring for assisting conservation and restoration of land ecosystems
- Decision support tools for land ecosystem restoration
- Bridging space-time scale gaps and tackling uncertainties
- Novel datasets and indicators from RS and/or for training AI systems
- Ground truthing methods for RS
MET2: Best Practices for In Situ Remediation Technologies of Contaminated Soils, Waters & Groundwater
Description
The purpose of this course is to present the current best practices for applying bioremediation and reductive technologies to treat common environmental contaminants of concern. The potential audience includes engineers and scientists who are interested in learning about fundamentals and some advanced concepts from industry experts. This short course will provide fundamental overviews by consolidating decades of experience in applying enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD), in situ chemical reduction (ISCR) and biogeochemical reduction (BGCR) technologies. The course is intended to benefit experienced practitioners but is primarily intended for those who are less experienced using in situ remediation techniques. The course will be divided into four sections each intended to last for 1 hour. At least 15 minutes will be allocated for discussion during each section. This will be accomplished by focusing on key topics of fundamental science, design considerations, application methods, and using case studies to illustrate how all of these can come together successfully. These will include a presentation of: Fundamental science including oxidative versus reductive pathways, abiotic versus biotic processes, the various types of microbes that are commonly used in bioremediation, bioaugmentation, abiotic versus biotic degradation pathways, biogeochemical chemistry, types of electron donors, contaminants commonly treated with reductive technologies and their various reduction potential. A basic understanding of site geology and hydrology will be assumed. Design considerations will discuss critical design parameters, dosage strategies for different electron donors, lessons learned of when and where to use different technologies, modifications made due to site constraints, monitoring programs, strategies to achieve various remedial goals, and process optimization. Field applications would describe the various commonly used application strategies and equipment as well as outlining the differences between a field pilot study and full-scale efforts. Case studies will be presented illustrating these thoughts and processes and how they have been successfully combined for ERD, ISCR and BGCR.MET3: Social Innovation Labs: A Collaborative Space for Co-creation and Social Transformation
Description
Join us for a panel discussion exploring the pivotal role of social innovation labs in driving positive change within our communities. This session panel brings together representatives from a diverse range of social innovation labs to share their unique approaches, methodologies, and impactful results. We will delve into: Innovative methodologies: From participatory design and action research to prototyping and more. Tangible impacts: How social innovation labs are creating positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes. Policy influence: The potential of living labs to shape inclusive and effective public policies. Challenges and opportunities: Overcoming obstacles and seizing new opportunities in the field of social innovation. The future of living labs: Emerging trends and the potential for future collaborations. We invite representatives from social innovation labs worldwide to share their experiences and insights. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner, a budding social entrepreneur, or a policymaker eager to learn more, this panel offers a unique opportunity to: Connect with like-minded individuals and organizations. Learn about innovative approaches to addressing social challenges. Collaborate on future projects and initiatives. Shape the future of social innovation. Through presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, this session panel aims to foster a vibrant and collaborative community dedicated to creating a more just and equitable world.MET4: Leveraging Remote Sensing Methods for Monitoring Health Environmental Indicators
Description
Recently, land ecosystems have been increasingly threatened by land degradation, desertification, and climate change. Considering the abovementioned issues, restoration actions can provide a promising solution through a holistic and sustainable approach by enhancing soil and landscape functions, supporting ecosystem services, and aligning with global sustainability goals suggested by the UN. The multiscale capabilities of remote sensing technologies have proven to be highly effective in offering comprehensive and real-time data crucial for monitoring rehabilitation and restoration actions that could be a viable alternative to high-cost and conventional ones. Spectral diversity metrics derived from remote sensing platforms (e.g., satellites, airborne, drone sensors) have exhibited their rehabilitation status of ecosystems, providing insights into biodiversity recovery in mining-affected areas. Environmental health indicators derived from remote sensing data play a crucial role in shaping restoration and rehabilitation strategies across various ecosystems. More specifically, these technologies are particularly effective in monitoring vegetation, biomass production, water quality, organic matter content, soil conditions and in general, estimating environmental quality. By providing accurate, real-time assessments of environmental conditions, these indicators facilitate informed decision-making and enhance the effectiveness of restoration efforts. This session will leverage the power of following a top-down approach based on environmental health indicators.MET5: Transformative Nature-Based Solutions for building climate resilience and addressing environmental challenges
Description
Climate change is exerting profound and far-reaching effects on socioecological systems worldwide. This global phenomenon affects various ecosystems, from terrestrial to aquatic, with significant consequences for biodiversity, natural resource availability, and the well-being of human societies. The challenges posed by climate change are multifaceted. They include rising global temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, more frequent and severe weather events (such as floods, heatwaves, droughts, wildfires), shifts in species distributions, and disruptions to ecosystem services. These changes not only jeopardize the ecological integrity of natural systems but also have cascading effects on societies that rely on these systems for food, water, and livelihoods. Moreover, current risks are on a trajectory of escalation, with projections indicating not only a further increase in intensity and frequency, but also the emergence of new ones. In this evolving landscape, a systemic transition to increase climate resilience is imperative. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) offer innovative and holistic approaches for mitigating and adapting to climate change, fostering sustainable socio-ecological systems, and enhancing the well-being of different communities. In this context, we explore the transformative potential and enabling conditions for NBS in building climate resilience and simultaneously benefiting the society, environment and economy. In this setting, this session invites presentations that explore innovative approaches and applications highlighting the integration of NBS in pathways towards climate resilience. By leveraging cutting-edge digital tools and models to evaluate and predict the multi-hazard risk mitigation role and effectiveness of NBS across scales, this session embraces a holistic perspective that considers both the natural and societal dimensions of the analysed environments. This session is looking for examples to foster discussions that advance our collective understanding on effective and sustainable adaptation practices in socio-ecological systems.MET6: Nature-based solutions for transformation journeys
Description
We invite submissions for our upcoming scientific session focused on ""Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for Transformation Journeys."" As the world grapples with pressing environmental challenges, NbS emerge as a vital strategy for enhancing resilience, promoting sustainability, and fostering socio-ecological transformations at regional level. This session aims to explore innovative applications of NbS across various contexts, including urban development, agriculture, water management, and biodiversity conservation. We encourage contributions that examine the effectiveness of NbS in addressing climate change impacts, improving ecosystem services, and enhancing community well-being. We are particularly interested in interdisciplinary approaches that integrate scientific research, policy frameworks, and community engagement to showcase successful case studies and lessons learned. Topics may include, but are not limited to:- The role of NbS in climate adaptation and mitigation.
- Assessing the socio-economic benefits of implementing NbS.
- Policy frameworks that support the scaling of NbS.
- Collaborative governance models for effective NbS implementation.
- Challenges and barriers to adopting NbS in various sectors.
NH1: Innovative solutions for increasing resilience to water-related hazards and soil erosion in agricultural areas
Description
Natural hazards, such as slope instabilities, floods and droughts continue to pose significant threats to communities worldwide, especially in agro-ecosystems. These processes, exacerbated by the current soil management practices, are particularly relevant in semi-arid zones such as the agricultural areas (e.g. olive groves and vineyards) under Mediterranean climatic conditions. Since climate changes are increasing the frequency and intensity of these events, it becomes necessary to explore innovative and sustainable approaches to mitigate their impact on the environment. This proposed session is under the frame of the PNRR-NODES project (funded from the Italian MUR) and aims to shed light on the fundamental role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in mitigating the impact of water-related hazards in agroecosystems. The session invites contributions in the context of agronomical, geological, engineering and hydrogeological topics. Furthermore, any contribution about the different applications of NbS and sustainable practices to water-related hazard and soil erosions reduction with multidisciplinary approaches is welcome: a) proximal and remote sensing for measurement and monitoring the effects of NbS in agro-ecosystem (e.g. satellite observation, in-situ meteorological, hydrological, agronomical measurements, geophysical surveys, laboratory samples-test); b) numerical and physical (e.g. machine learning models) simulation of the effects of NbS and climate changes in different agro-ecosystems. Scientific applications include earth and environmental sciences topics such as climate changes, landslide hazards, soil water content measurements, water management, early warning systems and atmospheric circulation, as well as the influences of agricultural management on slope instabilities and plant health (e.g. NDVI correlations). By the end of this session, farmers and policymakers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the potential of nature-based solutions in building resilience against water-related hazards agro-ecosystems.The session will conclude by discussing the implications of integrating nature-based solutions into water-related disaster risk reduction strategies e.g. the use of innovative management strategies of ground covers or cover crops in vineyards to avoid soil erosion.This conference session proposal is part of the project NODES which has received funding from the MUR M4C2 1.5 of PNRR funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU (Grant agreement no. ECS00000036).NH2: Forest fires: Their impact on land and their restoration strategies. A scientific and stakeholder approach
Conveners
Description
Land ecosystems have been increasingly threatened by land degradation, desertification, and climate change. Forest fires are considered a threat to the ecosystems' sustainability, but fire is also regarded as part of the terrestrial ecosystems. After a forest fire the strategies to restore (or not) the fire-affected land is under discussion. Moreover, the rehabilitation strategies, the economic investment and the policies to be applied to fire-prone areas are increasingly under debate. This scientific session will show examples of the impact of forest fires and their restoration strategies to recover the ecosystem functioning in different Earth ecosystems. Field experiments and measurements, modeling, restoration plans, living labs, policies, and stakeholders views will be shown. Join us in this multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to understanding forest fire restoration strategies.NH3: Scaling Up Nature-Based Adaptation Solutions: Frameworks for Classification and Prioritization
Description
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have gained widespread recognition as essential strategies for climate change adaptation, actively promoted by international organizations such as the IUCN, EC, and the broader scientific community. While NbS are increasingly integrated at both EU and national levels, a critical challenge remains: translating these international principles into place-based, actionable strategies that effectively address local adaptation needs. To bridge this gap, it is vital that local technicians, decision-makers, private enterprises, and citizens are equipped with the knowledge and skills to implement NbS in diverse environmental and social contexts. This session will showcase the Nature-based Adaptation Solutions classification system and prioritization approach, developed in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of experts to support Spain's National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNACC-2). The classification system standardizes and organizes NbS approaches, providing a unified framework across diverse marine and terrestrial disciplines to address contextual territorial vulnerabilities. We invite contributions from initiatives and projects across Europe and beyond to showcase their NbS classification systems, frameworks, and databases to facilitate the integration of NbS into municipal climate agendas and grassroots community initiatives. Through presentations and discussions, we seek to identify shared challenges, explore opportunities for alignment, and outline actionable next steps for advancing NbS as a cornerstone of climate adaptation strategies. Join us to share your expertise, discover new perspectives, and contribute to the development of robust NbS frameworks.NH4: Integrating Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) into Climate Action: Strategies for Mitigation and Resilience
Description
This session is dedicated to advancing the integration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) into comprehensive climate action plans, focusing on both mitigation of climate change impacts and enhancement of community resilience. As climate change continues to pose significant challenges worldwide, developing robust climate action plans that effectively incorporate NBS is increasingly recognized as essential. Such plans are crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the adaptive capacities of both urban and rural environments to withstand and thrive amidst climate adversities. The session will explore how NBS can be strategically deployed to complement traditional technological and infrastructural responses to climate change. By emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between natural ecosystem services and human urban planning, the session aims to showcase how cities and communities can transform their landscapes into resilient, sustainable systems that provide essential environmental, economic, and social benefits. Participants will examine the integration of NBS into existing climate action plans, looking at both the challenges and opportunities that this approach presents."SB1: Harnessing Awareness and Partnerships for Sustainable Nature-Based Solutions
Description
The role of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in addressing climate, water, and land challengessuch as floods, droughts, water scarcity, land degradation, soil restoration, and pollution controlis increasingly recognized within both scientific and professional communities. Despite growing evidence of the benefits of NBS, effective implementation requires a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach. This session will feature case studies that demonstrate how NBS can be integrated into water and land management, highlighting successful collaborations among decision-makers, civil society, researchers, academia, and the private sector, including landowners. Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., Target 6.6) and supported by the IAHS ""Helping Decade"" (Working Group 2.5), this session emphasizes the critical importance of stakeholder engagement, cross-sector partnerships, and the integration of NBS principles into educational curricula to scale sustainable water and land management solutions globally. In this session, we invite:- Studies showcasing successful applications of NBS in mitigating hydrometeorological extremes, such as floods and droughts;
- Studies combining NBS with cross-sectoral collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and transdisciplinary approaches that bridge academia and civil society;
- Studies incorporating social science perspectives on NBS, including public perception surveys and citizen science to assess NBS effectiveness, legitimacy, and acceptance;
- Studies exploring NBS concepts in (higher) education through hands-on learning approaches;
- Studies examining NBS and other sustainable practices for soil and water conservation and restoration;
- Discussions on integrating diverse disciplines in NBS development, addressing both challenges and benefits of this approach;
- Overviews of current policies, incentives, and regulations that affect NBS implementation, including recommendations for policy changes to support NBS.
SB2: Inclusive Governance of Nature-Based Solutions: Environmental Justice and transectoral dimensions
Description
This session will discuss three interrelated aspects of NbS governance: i) transectoral governance, ii) inclusive governance and iii) environmental justice. Nature-based Solutions can produce several types of co-benefits: climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, risk management, sustainable agriculture, water quality preservation, etc. At the city scale, or at a given territory, these co-benefits are managed by distinct policy sectors, with different departments or institutions, services, agents with different working cultures and procedures, etc. This transectoral aspect of Nature-based Solutions, given the sectoral organization of territories, are usually seen as an obstacle to define, implement and maintain effectively Nature-based Solutions. This session aims at discussing this transectoral aspect of NbS: what are exactly the obstacles produced by the transectoral aspects of NbS, how are they materializing in practice? What are the trade-offs between stakeholders when designing, implementing and maintaining NbS? How are these obstacles overcome by actors on the ground? Are there governance mechanisms or innovations actors develop in practice to work together beside the so-called policy siloes? Nature-based Solutions are also supposed to enable inclusive governance, by including stakeholders that are outside the classical policy-making boundaries: associations, inhabitants, even non-humans ? But in practice, are NbS really inclusive? How is this inclusiveness materializing on the ground? Who is included when defining, implementing and maintaining NbS and who is not? How is this inclusivity of governance being used by stakeholders to politicize or depoliticize NbS? Research on NbS has shown that participatory processes are essential for achieving more just and equitable outcomes. Recognizing that transfer of power occurs at higher levels of participation is crucial for understanding the role of nature and ecology, and is vital for creating more equitable and effective environmental policies and practices. In this sense, Environmental Justice (EJ) examines distributive justice (regarding where are NbS allocated), recognition justice (whose values are articulated in NbS) and procedural justice (how decision-making processes take place and who participates). Often, NbS are considered in terms of distributive justice, overlooking dimensions of procedural and recognition justice. Therefore, designing NbS for all imply integrating the equitable allocation of NbS, inclusive participation in the governance process of NbS, and the integration of values and capabilities of different silos and stakeholders in the co-production of NbS. This session will incorporate discussions on the topic including (but not excluding): how do power relations take place in negotiation processes involving NbS? Who are the winners and losers in NbS implementations? Whose values and possible benefits of NbS are considered? What are the methods for assessing EJ in NbSs framework and practices? We invite contributions from all disciplines discussing governance issues related to NbS to send a summary stating the research questions, giving their theoretical framework but also empirical aspects of the research, and presenting some highlights. Contributions should state if they wish to contribute to a specific angle of the session (Transectoral; Inclusivity; Environmental Justice).SB3: Socio-ecological, socio-cultural, socio-political and socio-economic aspects of NBS
Description
"The concept of Nature based solutions (NBS) aims to simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits for more sustainable communities. A key success factor in the implementation, acceptance, and appropriation of NBS is ensuring that interventions address the needs and ambitions of the communities where they are established, while distributing benefits fairly and equitably among stakeholders and citizens. To foster this buy-in of the communities, citizens and stakeholders can play active roles in the co-design, co-development, co-monitoring, and co-evaluation of NBS, enabling them to contribute their own interests and needs. This participatory approach unveils the full range of potential NBS benefits, encompassing socio-ecological, socio-cultural, socio-political, and socio-economic dimensions. Thus, NBS can serve as a valuable tool for fostering more inclusive communities through participative and collaborative practices in local governance. However, particularly in terms of societal benefits, there remains a need for more scientific evidence and examples of good practices to inspire, replicate, and upscale NBS implementation. However, especially in terms of benefits for the society, there is still need for more scientific evidence and good practice examples for inspiration, replication and upscaling to adopt NBS to a larger scale and to mobilise stakeholders and the civil society. The session aims to gather insights and evidence from current research and practical applications. Together, we will reflect on promising pathways and strategies for mainstreaming NBS across diverse fields and communities."SB4: The institutionalisation of nature-based solutions: policy tools and approaches
Description
This session will delve into the institutionalisation of nature-based solutions (NbS), focusing on the policy tools, governance approaches, and key actors driving their adoption. Participants should explore how NbS are being integrated into policy frameworks at various scales, examining case studies highlighting successes and challenges through which institutionalisation is achieved. The discussion will address how NbS are inserted in climate, environmental and spatial planning laws, regulations, and spatial plans. It may also explore how the roles of government, private sector, and civil society are foreseen in policy tools as drivers for fostering cross-sectoral collaboration alongside mechanisms to ensure equity and sustainability. By identifying best practices and innovative strategies, the session aims to equip policymakers and practitioners with insights to scale up NbS for climate resilience and biodiversity conservation.SB5: Open session for Science Brokers for Transitioning to a Climate Resilient and Circular Society
Description
"We invite submissions for sessions exploring the vital role of science brokers in facilitating the transition to a climate-resilient and circular society. As the impacts of climate change intensify, innovative approaches are essential to bridge the gap between scientific research, policy implementation, and community engagement. Science brokers serve as critical intermediaries, translating complex scientific knowledge into actionable insights that empower stakeholders across sectors. This session aims to investigate the mechanisms, challenges, and successes of science brokerage in promoting sustainable practices including nature based solutions and circular economy principles. We encourage contributions that address a range of topics, including:- The role of science brokers in fostering collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and communities.
- Strategies for effectively communicating scientific findings to diverse audiences.
- Case studies highlighting successful science brokerage initiatives in climate adaptation and circularity.
- Tools and methodologies for enhancing stakeholder engagement in sustainability efforts.
- The impact of science brokerage on policy development and implementation.
UR1: Nature-based solutions for air quality improvement and temperature reduction in urban areas
Description
Urban areas are currently facing challenges associated with densification and climate change, namely air pollution and urban heating. Air pollution is considered by the World Health Organization to be the greatest environmental risk to human health, causing the loss of healthy years of life and, in the worst cases, preventable deaths. Heat-related mortality is also been increasing due to climate change, escalating urbanization and a progressively ageing population. Nature-based solutions (NBS) are presented as a sustainable way to address current and future environmental challenges. This session welcomes field studies and modelling studies across micro, local or urban scales, using numerical or physical models that quantify the impact of NBS in the atmospheric environment. This session seeks to discuss innovative methods to assess NBS benefits and co-benefits in the context of climate change adaptation; particularly its effectiveness in reducing air pollution and/or urban heat.UR2: Upscaling small nature-based solutions for large scale green frameworks in urban regions and metropolises
Description
There is an urgent need to create nature-based solutions both in rural and in urban conditions. The way we accelerate these solutions is often a weak point in policies and specifically in practice. In many cases the pilot project or experiment is also the end-point, while it should be and was supposed to be the starting point of a more fundamental change towards a nature-based development. In this session we would like to put this question on the table: how can we make it happen that small-scale nature-based solutions can be upscaled to green urban metropolises and regions? This session aims to bring together best practices from different parts of the world, and is open for a selection of presentations to be submitted by participants. To start the session we will present two case studies: one from Monterrey, Mexico and one from Randstad, the Netherlands. Both cases are very different and therefore we hope to draw common lessons about the strategic dos and donts. The case study from Mexico (presented by Tecnológico de Monterrey) will share specific context of Latin America with a strong emphasis on inequity when it comes to health implications of access to nature-based solutions and green spaces. Nature is not for everyone evenly close. The Randstad case is presented by Delft University of Technology and emphasizes the small scale urban ecology approach on its campus and how this can be scaled up to an urban level, given current problems in agriculture, biodiversity and housing and the Dutch planning doctrine. The session is open for three more short presentations, which we would kindly invite to propose by submitting an abstract for our session. We are seeking case studies and research from additional perspectives to the Mexican and Dutch one, which illustrate the connection of smaller nature-based solutions into large scale green infrastructure frameworks at regional or metropolitan scale. After these (max 5) presentation we aim to organize a discussion with the audience to distillate successful design principles for upscaling nature-based solutions in urban regions. In order to create a kick-start of the session we ask each speaker to, at least, identify their three most important or successful design principles.UR3: Nature based solutions for restoration of urban water cycle
Description
Urban areas have become increasingly vulnerable to climate change. Having covered by impermeable surfaces to provide public services such as buildings for schools, hospitals, houses, or roads and having decreased amount of green areas to provide area for increasing population are considered as the main reasons. As a result, infiltration is reduced leading to interruption of urban water cycle. Consequently, the probability of floods or drought and water scarcity are increased and posed risk on urban ecosystem. Nature based solutions are proposed to provide sustainable solutions for many problems. Restoration of water cycle is one of the most important benefit that nature based solutions can support in addition to many other advantages such as water treatment, air quality improvement, biodiversity enhancement, and social engagement. So it is crucial to compile and present studies about nature based solution applications to improve water cycle in urban areas at any scale.UR4: Nature-based solutions for urban water-scarce environments
Description
Water security, a critical factor for human well-being and socio-economic development, is under immediate threat from increasing water scarcity in cities worldwide. This scarcity, caused by factors such as population growth, unsustainable practices, and global warming-driven droughts, occurs when local demand exceeds availability. Future projections indicate that this threat will only intensify, expanding to more cities and particularly affecting socially or economically disadvantaged population sectors. Nature-based solutions (NbS) are particularly well-suited to addressing urban water-related challenges. A substantial body of literature, primarily developed in cities with high rainfall, indicates that implementing NbS can mitigate groundwater depletion, peak runoff volumes and diffuse pollution in receiving water bodies. However, fewer studies have assessed the performance of NbS in cities already facing water scarcity, such as those in arid or semi-arid regions. In such environments, we believe that NbS can contribute to water security if they are innovatively and inclusively planned and implemented through multi-level governance. Furthermore, there are unexplored opportunities to extend their benefits to the population, such as the use of eco-friendly materials for their construction. It is also essential to conduct long-term evaluations from a climate resilience perspective, employing modeling tools and probabilistic analyses.Workshops
ANW: Planetary boundaries, circular society, soil use within nature-based solutions, high-quality use of soil and land
Conveners
Fred Mudde
Simone Houtman
Description
Soil is the most important raw material and one of the largest material flows in general and specific in civil engineering. In the coming decades, we as a government will use a lot of soil and land for social tasks, such as dike reinforcement of coastal lines an river basins, road and housing construction and nature development and restoration. Yet, we are reaching our planetary boundaries and soil scarcity is looming all over the world.
To achieve our goals of living within the planetary boundaries and achieve a circular society, we must handle the soil carefully, sensibly and prevent scarcity. This means disrupting the soil as little as possible and using the land as high-quality as possible. High-quality use of land means that we preserve and utilize the physical properties (e.g. carrying capacity), chemical properties (e.g. acidity) and biological properties (e.g. soil life) of soil as much as possible. This way we do not lose sight of the vital importance of soil and we maintain the quality of the soil, also for future generations.
Who are we?
Buyer Group Groundworks is a collaboration national and regional government organizations such as ministries, municipalities, waterboards and provinces, which work together with the market and NGOs. We as Buyer Group Groundworks want to make high-quality use of land and soil the norm. This requires broad cross-project collaboration in the chain and the timely linking of projects at local, regional, national and even international level. This requires effort from policy to implementation. To this end, we work together with chain partners to expand knowledge about the soil and land-use.
The Buyer Group Groundworks works towards a circular Netherlands in 2050 together with supply chain partners in implementing the Water and Soil steering policy letter. We encourage supply and demand of soil (within the region) to come together and develop a number of instruments together with the market. So that together we work efficiently and effectively with land and soil: high-quality, circular and cost-conscious.
We hope to spread our ambitions to make high-quality use of land and soil, and spread it even internationally. International collaboration is essential to achieve our goals of living within our planetary boundaries and creating circular societies. By facilitating shared-learning experiences and collaboration amongst stakeholders, shared strategies on an international level can be formed.
What are we going to do during this session?
During this workshop session we will work together on a plan to tackle the challenges associated with high-quality land and soil use, and position this in an international context. We do this in the following steps:
1. Introduction
We start to present recent examples of good practices in the Netherlands such as form the province Fryslân and collaboration of Belgium and Netherlands.
2. Example projects and barriers:
Most important we start an active session by making a brief inventory of projects that are currently underway and provide examples of how it can be done and what problems are involved. We also discuss what barriers exist in an international context. Are there regional differences? What approaches currently exist in an international context?
3. Formulate goals and ambitions:
Together we set clear goals for a circular and sustainable approach for using soil within nature-based solutions.
4. Develop strategy:
We discuss concrete ideas and solutions with the participants for a joint purchasing strategy and approach on different levels (local, national, international).
5. Feedback:
At the end of the workshop we bundle all the input together and conclude key insights and future action steps. Opportunities to join our international movement will be discussed.
SBW1: Art-Based Research for Envisioning a Transition Toward a Safe Future Within the Planetary Boundaries
Conveners
Marco Casazza
Description
I will propose a traditional session (I think that it will be focused on environmental accounting in relation to the use of ecosystem services as natural-based solutions)
The workshop “Art-Based Research for Envisioning a Transition Toward a Safe Future Within the Planetary Boundaries” seeks to explore the innovative integration of arts within environmental sciences, centred on the use of arts (i.e., art-based research) to envision and facilitate the adoption of nature-based solutions (NbS) for triggering a transition toward a safer life within the planetary boundaries.
Starting from the discussion of original artworks, proposed by the participants, and by leveraging various artistic languages—including visual arts, performing arts, and digital multimedia—participants will examine different arts can become the key instruments for research and envisioning a sustainable living, considering, on the other side, what we currently know on the planetary boundaries and the other biophysical limits for a safe preservation of the biosphere.
This interdisciplinary session invites original contributions from artists, researchers, policymakers or stakeholders, who are interested or employ art-based research to address environmental challenges. In particular, the workshop aims to:
• Showcase diverse artworks generated through art-based research methods, that illuminate the potential of NbS in fostering sustainable transition roadmaps;
• Facilitate discussions on the role of art in shaping societal perceptions and behaviours toward environmental sustainability.
• Encourage collaborative exploration of creative approaches that integrate art and science to envision and promote living within planetary boundaries.
We welcome submissions of original artworks and papers, that demonstrate innovative art-based research related to NbS and sustainable futures. Selected contributors will present their work during the workshop, engaging with an international audience dedicated to interdisciplinary collaboration for environmental sustainability. In particular, submissions should xplore the intersection of art and environmental science, particularly focusing on:
• Innovative art-based research methods applied to envisioning and promoting NbS.
• Case studies demonstrating the impact of art in facilitating sustainable transitions.
• Theoretical explorations of the role of art in environmental sustainability.
• Artistic works that engage with themes of planetary boundaries and NbS.
Workshop Programme (2.5 hours):
Introduction (10 minutes):
Welcome and overview of the workshop’s objectives and structure.
Presentations (70 minutes):
Seven selected artists/researchers (10 minutes each) showcase their artworks or projects, emphasizing the integration of artistic methods in environmental envisioning.
Interactive Breakout Sessions (30 minutes):
Participants divide into small groups to discuss specific themes:
• The impact of art on public engagement with NbS.
• Challenges and opportunities in interdisciplinary collaborations between artists and environmental scientists.
• Strategies for effectively communicating complex environmental issues through art.
Group Discussion and Q&A (30 minutes):
Reconvene for groups to share insights from breakout sessions.
Open floor for questions and broader discussion.
Conclusions (10 minutes):
Summarize key takeaways from the workshop.
SBW2: Outdoor painting workshop
Conveners
Stacy Levy
Description
This session seeks to discuss innovative methods to assess NBS benefits and co-benefits in the context of climate change adaptation; particularly its effectiveness in reducing air pollution and/or urban heat. To be discussed further
SBW3: Workshop Transition towards Circular Land and Soil Management; Building networks, bringing together interests and coping with friction in regulation
Conveners
Margot De Cleen
Description
In the Netherlands the executive agency of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rijkswaterstaat, set up a national network with local authorities, industries, farmers and knowledge institutions on circular land and soil management. Within this network partners exchange knowledge and experiences, start projects together and develop tools to communicate and understand the drivers behind collaboration or the inhibitions to collaborate. These instruments help to find pathways towards cooperation fitting all the partners. An example of such a tool is the Social Readiness Level Instrument.
Within this workshop we will share our experiences and show the working of the Social Readiness Level instrument.
We invite you to join us if you want you to learn about building a network with stakeholders, to find out about tools to share interests and prioritize joint activities. You are invited to try out some of the tools we developed and you get to know the dos and donts in match making. We want to discuss with you how to overcome differences in interests and frictions in regulation in the field of circular land and soil management.
If you have experiences in circular land and soil management yourself, we invite you to share your results or case study with us in a poster. We will share your insights and discuss your results in this workshop
URW1: Working Backwards towards a Theory of Change for a massive upscaling of NBS in cities
Conveners
Thami Croeser
Description
This workshop session aims to develop a Theory of Change for scaling up nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas. It begins with a five-minute introduction to the panel and workshop concept, followed by a 20-minute panel discussion where four experts present their theories of change, emphasizing 1-2 crucial steps needed to scale NBS in cities. Participants then engage in a “”Working Backwards”” exercise, using ChatGPT in teams to envision a 2050 news story celebrating a citys greening success, highlighting key initiatives from 2025-2035 that made the difference. A 10-minute feedback session follows, where teams share their news releases, exploring how these stories shape theories for scaling NBS. The session concludes with a 10-minute panel discussion on how large institutions can support NBS expansion in cities.
Workflow:
- 5 minutes introduction panel and workshop concept
- 20 minutes – panel: 4x 5-minute talks tell us your Theory of Change based on your experiences with NBS. What are 1-2 crucial things we need to do to scale up nature-based solutions in cities?
- 5 minute rundown: Working Backwards exercise: (teams of 6, with chatGPT)
- 30 minutes: write a news story (using ChatGPT) for 2050. This city just won most liveable city of the year for the third time in a row, and the selection panel specifically gave accolades to the citys iconic greening which mostly came about in the years between 2025 and 2035. The citys mayor reflects on the key changes that made the difference, highlighting a few successful initiatives. [users can even generate an image to accompany their story if they get through the release quickly].
- 10 minute report back read us your release
- 10 minute panel discussion what does this do to your theory? what does this mean for the way large institutions might support cities in scaling up NBS rollout?
- 10 minutes contingency we can take questions if we manage to get through on time.
URW2: Cultivating Resilience: Urban agriculture as a nature based solution
Conveners
Greg Keeffe
Description
In a world of rapid urbanisation and increasing climate challenges, urban agriculture stands out as a powerful nature-based solution. By integrating green spaces and food production into urban landscapes, cities can enhance biodiversity, reduce urban heat, improve food security, and foster community resilience. This session will explore innovative approaches to urban farming, success stories from around the globe, and strategies for scaling up these solutions to create cities in line with the green transition.
Submission
To encourage different types of creative communication, we accept a range of submissions, including illustrations, photos, video, audio, 3D models etc.
If accepted, each person will then do a pecha kucha style presentation on their chosen submission. This will be split up into 2-3 sessions with Q+A afterwards.
Session Objectives
Participants will:
1. Understand the role of urban agriculture as a nature-based solution (NbS) to address urban challenges.
2. Learn about successful models and technologies in urban agriculture, from vertical farms to community gardens.
3. Explore policy frameworks and multi-stakeholder approaches that enable sustainable urban farming.
4. Engage in a discussion about barriers, opportunities, and innovative strategies for scaling urban agriculture globally.
Target Audience
Urban planners and policymakers
Designers / Architects
Environmental and sustainability professionals
Academics and researchers
Community leaders and social entrepreneurs
Farmers, food system advocates, and urban residents