Wetland solutions to protect against droughts and floods

Employing Nature-based Solutions to support disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation

This interactive webinar on Nature-based Solutions to protect against droughts and floods is organised on the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR, 2023). This year’s theme is on fighting inequality for a resilient future, and we know that healthy wetlands can contribute to leaving no one behind.

Wetlands and healthy freshwater ecosystems provide many essential services to people and nature and are capable of absorbing excess rainfall during flood events, and maintaining higher base flows in times of drought, acting as natural buffers to disasters and mitigating the effects of climate change. Climate change is being experienced through water-related disaster in Europe, and this summer Europe was once again heavily hit by extreme heat, wildfires and floods. This follows a continental drought in 2022 and disastrous floods in 2021 in Western Europe.

This interactive webinar will reflect on the essential role Nature-based Solutions play in reducing disaster risk and adapting to a rapidly changing climate. It will include an extraordinary dialogue with UN and EU representatives and experts in Nature-based Solutions to stress the need for policies, planning and investments in resilient ecosystems. There will be time for questions from participants.

Agenda

Welcoming
Time: 15:00 – 15:05
Moderator: Chris Baker, Director- Wetlands International Europe

Keynote
Time: 15:06 – 15:14
Speaker: Kristin Meyer, Programme Management Officer – United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

Nature-based Solutions for reducing flood and drought risks: What do we need to take into account?
Time: 15:15 – 15:25
Speaker: Dr Ellis Penning, Programme Lead Nature-based Solutions and Aquatic Ecology – Deltares

Natural Sponges- Wetland Solutions protecting against droughts and floods
Time: 15:26 – 15:36
Speaker: Paul Brotherton, Freshwater Manager- Wetlands International Europe

Connecting Nature-based Solutions to climate adaptation
Time: 15:37 – 15:45
Speaker: Willem Jan Goossen, Policy Officer Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change- Directorate-General Climate Action, European Commission

Q&A
Time: 15:46 – 16:25
Moderator: Chris Baker, Director- Wetlands International Europe

Closing remarks
Time: 16:26 – 16:30
Moderator: Chris Baker, Director- Wetlands International Europe

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Disclaimer: Wetlands International Europe is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.