Nature and Climate Nexus Webinar Series: Promoting Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Infrastructures in Asia and the Pacific 15 September to 8 December 2022 Background Nature-based solutions (NbS) can help address challenges in climate change, disaster risk management, water security, biodiversity loss, and food security. These solutions protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems. NbS also address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously benefiting people and nature (IUCN). NbS provides practical and cost-effective approaches for long-term sustainable infrastructure in a changing climate when integrated into traditional construction methods. Furthermore, NbS offer multiple advantages such as reduce project costs and prolong infrastructure lifespan. NbS also provide co-benefits to ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, recreational opportunities, employment, and livelihoods. Applying NbS requires integrated planning and management that are evidence-based and for long-term sustainability. It must be guided by international, national, and local policy frameworks to reach its full potential. Despite the increasing recognition of NbS, there is still a need to provide practical knowledge on its implementation. These factors are just a few that hinder designing and implementing NbS. To address this knowledge gap, ADB hosted the Nature and Climate Nexus Webinar Series: Promoting Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Infrastructures in Asia and the Pacific. This webinar series shares the latest information and benefits from using NbS. The event highlights the integration of NbS into investments for sustainability and resiliency. The webinars feature lectures, trainings, and workshops based on the latest scientific knowledge, case studies and best practices on NbS for infrastructure projects. This webinar series is organized by ADB’s Environment Thematic Group in collaboration with other Sector and Thematic Groups as well as private, government and academic partners. Target Audience The event is designed for ADB officers and consultants, and decision-makers and stakeholders working on infrastructure development. Webinar 1: Nature-based Solutions for Climate Disaster Risk Management Lecture and Clinic This two-day webinar provided the latest information on NbS. It focuses on weather-related disaster management, such as flooding and drought, and presents specific examples to address relevant development issues. The NbS experts provided technical advisory services for improving project design with a combination of green and gray infrastructure. For more information: See Webinar 1 Flyer and Proceedings. Day 1: 15 September 2022 / 2:00–4:00 pm, Philippines (GMT+8) Zoom / Lecture (open session) Resource persons from Deltares and Witteveen+Bos presented the latest information on NbS as well as specific examples to address relevant development issues. The event focuses on weather-related disaster risk management such as flooding and drought. This was followed by a panel discussion and an interactive Q&A session. The NbS Lecture is open to all. Day 2: 21 September 2022 / 2:00–4:00 pm, Philippines (GMT+8) Zoom / NbS Clinic This venue for NbS experts to give project officers technical advice to improve project design by integrating NbS with traditional gray infrastructure. Resource persons discussed selected ADB pipeline projects with potential NbS components. Webinar 2: Putting Nature-based Solutions into Practice through Innovation 13 October 2022 / 1:00–2:00 pm, Philippines (GMT+8) / MS Teams This webinar presented case studies across Asia and the Pacific to illustrate the wide-ranging challenges for which nature can provide a pathway to innovative solutions. For more information: See Webinar 2 Flyer and Proceedings. Webinar 3: Challenges and Approaches in Quantifying Nature-based Solutions Benefit Stream 24 October 2022 / 2:00–3:00 pm, Philippines (GMT+8) / Zoom To enable the uptake of NbS in cities and communities especially in developing countries, key barriers must be addressed including: • Limited examples of application of NbS in developing country context; • The perception that NbS are complex, costly, and uncertain, compared to grey infrastructure; and • Challenges in quantifying multiple benefits of NbS This webinar organized by ADB’s Environment Thematic Group and Urban Sector Group through Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund (UCCRTF) discusses the factors that make it challenging to quantify socioeconomic, ecological, and financial benefits of NbS and illustrates an approach to quantification of such. It draws on UCCRTF’s knowledge product on NbS developed through TA 9217 (UCCRTF’s Sub-Project 2: Resilience Measurement, Capacity Development, and Knowledge Sharing) implemented by a consortium led by Arup. For more information: See Webinar 3 Flyer and Event Snapshot. Webinar 4: Nature-based Solutions Promote Synergy between Addressing Climate Change and Conserving Biodiversity (COP-27 side event) 17 November 2022 / 4:00–7:00 pm / People’s Republic of China (PRC) Pavilion This event demonstrates the critical role of NbS to play in addressing climate change, exploring potential synergies with biodiversity conservation. Global and regional experiences and lessons learned are provided through presentations and panel discussions by experts from a range of organizations, including government agencies, universities and NGOs. ADB’s key NbS initiatives are highlighted with practical examples of operations in PRC and other developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific. The event is co-hosted by the PRC Green Carbon Foundation and Tsinghua University's Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development with support from ADB and other development partners. Webinar 5: Nature: Innovative Pathway towards the Carbon Neutral Future (COP-15 side event) 8 December 2022 / 6:15–7:10 pm / 514A, Montreal, Canada This event highlights the potential contribution of NbS to the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Carbon Neutral Future. It showcases approaches with good practices and lessons learned from global experiences to create synergies between biodiversity conservation and climate change. A joint study focusing on the Asia and Pacific reason is launched with the announcement of call for case studies made. The event is organized by ADB and Tsinghua University in cooperation with the Nature Conservancy and the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate. Program and Learning Materials 15 September 2022 13 October 2022 24 October 2022 17 November 2022 08 December 2022 Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) 15 Sep and 21 Sep 2022 Webinar 1: Nature-based Solutions for Climate Disaster Risk Management Lecture and Clinic More information can be found here. Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) [VIDEO] Webinar 2: Putting Nature-based Solutions into Practice through Innovation Video recording for Webinar 2. Moderator Suzanne Robertson Opening Remarks Tony McDonald Presentation Putting Nature Nature-Based Solutions into Practice through Innovation This presentation is an overview of nature-based solutions from Alluvium perspective. Simon Tilleard Reflections and Commentary Qingfeng Zhang Q&A and Open Discussion Nick Schofield Simon Tilleard Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) [VIDEO] Webinar 3: Challenges and Approaches in Quantifying Nature-based Solutions Benefit Stream Video recording for Webinar 3. Opening Remarks Qingfeng Zhang Moderator Joy Amor Bailey NbS in addressing urban challenges and climate change Safiah Moore Challenges and Approaches in Quantifying NbS Benefit Streams Matthew Savage Reflections and Commentary Lara Arjan Stefan Rau Jos Timmerman How to quantify “resilience” benefits following ADB 2017 Guidelines for Economic Analysis of Projects? Sample from SCTEIIP Aimee Hampel-Milagrosa Q&A Reflections on the Webinar Presentations and Closing Remarks Jingmin Huang Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Keynote Speech Moderator：HOU Yuanqing，Project Director, PRC Green Carbon Foundation Speech SUN Zhen，Deputy Director General，Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Ecology and Environment ZHOU Aiguo, Vice Chair of CGCF, CNPC chief expert of QHSE, CNPC representative of OGCI Executive Committee LI Zheng, Dean, Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development Tsinghua University（ICCSD） Forestry and Grassland Climate Change Actions and Achievements of PRC ZHANG Guobin，Deputy Division Director，Ecological Protection and Restoration Division，National Forestry and Grassland Administration Mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions in Climate Actions Brendan Guy，Director of International Climate, NRDC Strategy in Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation Synergistic of CNPC LIU Jun, Director of PRC National Petroleum Corporation Afforestation Committee Office Practical Implementation of NBS Guidelines and Standards in PRC Angela Andrade, the Chair of the Commission on Ecosystem Management, IUCN The CICC demonstration project of Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation ZHU Yunlai，Consultant, CICC Charity Foundation Global Practice and Outlook of Synergies between Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation John Verdieck, International Climate Change Policy Director，The Nature Conservancy . The Practice and Outlook of Bamboo Forest Sequestration and Bamboo Products life-cycle carbon accounting in PRC ZHOU Guomuo, Former President of Zhejiang A&F University, Professor PRC's Practice of Meteorology-assisted New Energy Development and Climate Ecological Value Transformation SUN Jian, Vice President of CMSA Policy and Perspective of Forestry addressing Climate Change XU Jintao, Professor of Economics and Deputy Dean of National School of Development, Director of PRC Center for Energy and Development, Peking University Global Practice of NBS under the background of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals WANG Binbin，Executive Secretariat General, Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC) Panel Discussion I. Association and Enterprise promote NBS and Synergies between Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation Moderator：GE Le，Climate change and Energy Director，TNC PRC Selim Reza, Program Manager，INBAR FENG Danyun, Vice President of Board and Secretary General, CICC Charity Foundation, Vice President of Board, CGCF WANG Xiangyi, Vice Chair and Executive Director, CANGO ZHANG Ruiying，Director of CEGA Panel Discussion II. NGOs Promote NBS and Synergies between Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation Actions in PRC Moderator：ZENG Nan，Conservation Project Manager, NRDC PRC AN Yaqiang, Secretary General, LAONIU Foundation, Vice President of Board, CGCFYANG Biao, Secretary General, SEE FoundationWANG Limin, Vice President of Board and Secretary General, CCF SHI Xiangying, Executive Director, Shanshui Conservation Center PENG Kui，Program Manager，GEISugar M. Gonzales, Climate Change Officer, ADBXIE Duanduan, Climate Program Manager, WildAid Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Moderator: Lesley Bearman Lahm, Representative, North American Representative Office, ADB Opening Remarks Li Zheng, President of ICCSD Qingfeng Zhang, Chief of Environment, Food, and Rural Development Thematic Groups and Chair of the Environment Thematic Committee, ADB (virtual) Keynote Speech Moderator: Lesley Bearman Lahm, NARO, ADB Global Practices of NbS in the frame of Carbon Neutral Future Binbin Wang, Lead of C+NbS, ICCSD and Executive Secretary General of GAUC Plenary Moderator: Deepak Bahadur Singh, Senior Environment Officer, ADB Climate and Biodiversity Friendly Practices in Infrastructure Karma Yangzom, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, ADB Opportunities to advance biodiversity in the Agriculture Sector Bob Tansey, Global Policy Lead, Degraded Lands and Restoration, TNC Policy study on integrated land use for synergizing biodiversity targets, dual carbon goals and food security in China Dr. Chunquan Zhu, Head of the Nature Initiatives, Great China, Beijing Representative Office, World Economic Forum Comparing top cases of Nature-Based Solutions between the EU and China Dimitri De Boer, Director for Asia and Chief Representative for China, ClientEarth Nature-based Solutions for mitigating the impact of extreme weather events (virtual) Zongxu Xie, Global Youth Ambassador, GAUC, PhD Candidate of Tsinghua and Oxford Call for C+NbS Good practice in Asia ( ICCSD & ADB) Yueyu Zou, Environment Specialist, ADB Closing remarks Lesley Bearman Lahm, NARO Representative, ADB Disclaimer The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Event Coordinator/s Isao Endo ADB Organizer/s Climate Change, Resilience, and Environment Cluster Water and Urban Development Sector Office Read Also Practitioner’s Guide: Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Technical Note: Guidelines for Mainstreaming Natural River Management in Water Sector Investments Case study: Nature-Based Solutions for Flood Risk Management: Revitalizing Philippine Rivers to Boost Climate Resilience and E Explainer: How Nature-Based Solutions Can Help Reduce Flood Risks | Development Asia Brochure: Pakistan’s River Ravi Eco-Revitalization Master Plan: A Road Map to Rescue and Revitalize the River Ravi and Its Tri Webinar: Deep Dive A Science-Based Landscape Approach to Managing Rivers and Coasts Webinar/Training: Bioengineering Nature-based Solutions for Linear Infrastructure Slope Stabilization and Protection. Partner Organization/s Alliance for Global Water Adaptation Alluvium International Deltares Ecoshape Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) Tsinghua University Witteveen+Bos Topics Environment Climate Change Disaster Risk Management Water Urban Development