26th of March 2026, 16.00-17.00 CET
Nature-based Solutions (NbS in short) became popular in the 2010s after the World Bank and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) first proposed the concept. The European Commission also soon recognised their potential, including them in various adaptation strategies and biodiversity-focused regulations, as well as dedicating EU Research and Innovation funding to projects focused on maximising the potential of Nature-based Solutions.
Nature-based Solutions have since been recognised by many international climate actors and bodies (UNEP, UNFCCC, IPBES, IPCC, etc.) for their potential to address climate change and biodiversity conservation. The European Commission defines them as “Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions”.
Intentionally vague in their definition and holistic by nature, encompassing socio-economic and environmental benefits, Nature-based Solutions are intended to be leveraged as a “win-win” approach to climate resilience and climate adaptation, which can explain their increasing success in the last two decades.
One example of a project leveraging the Nature-based Solutions approach is the EU-funded LandShift project, which aims to advance climate-resilient land management by bridging scientific innovation, community engagement, and policy action. In response to the EU’s target of achieving net removals of 310 million tonnes of CO₂ through land-based actions by 2030, LandShift empowers local and regional actors to design sustainable strategies using Nature-based Solutions and cutting-edge digital tools, such as Earth Observation services and AI-powered analytics, in five Living Spaces across France, Greece, Italy, Poland, and Ukraine.
Join us this Thursday as our hosts Geoff Sawyer (EARSC Strategic Advisor and former Secretary General) and Francesca Piatto (Project Officer, EARSC) sit down with Thijn Verburg (Researcher, Metabolic Institute) and Dhouha Ouerfelli (Assistant Researcher, ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence) to explore the concept of Nature-based Solutions, and how they can support sustainable land management, through the lens of the work being carried out under the LandShift project.
Some questions that could be addressed during this EOcafe include:
- What is the LandShift project? What are its aims and how is it supporting sustainable land management?
- What are Nature-based Solutions (NbS)? What is included and what is excluded? What are some examples of NbS projects already being implemented?
- What is the LandShift NbS Library? How is the LandShift project approaching NbS to support sustainable land management?
- How can the impact of NbS be measured? What type of indicators are needed?
- How can EO support NbS? How is LandShift integrating EO and digital solutions to support sustainable land management?
Registration: The webinar is open to all. Registration is free but compulsory.
Please note this is a virtual event!
EOcafe is part of a series of EARSC meetings that offer timely, relevant, and practical information on a broad variety of topics related to the EO sector. Join us every month to discuss and network while enjoying a cup of coffee with friends.
IMPORTANT NOTES!!!
- The use of a video camera is not mandatory but is encouraged to facilitate better interaction between the attendees and the guest speaker(s).
- The EOcafe will stay open after 17:00 in case our guests want to continue the discussion.
- By registering for this event, you accept the terms and conditions (https://earsc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/EARSC_Events_GDPR.pdf).
If you have any questions, and/or you want to know more about the EOcafe, and/or you want to share an idea about a future EOcafe, please contact Tanya Walker (tanya.walker@earsc.org).
