What do you do when a city floods during the monsoon, yet faces water shortages in the dry season? Or when you aim to build resilient infrastructure but are confronted with challenges such as informal settlements? For many cities, climate change is exposing these urban vulnerabilities, particularly in delta and coastal areas. Yet it also presents an opportunity to make cities not only more resilient, but also more liveable. We explored what makes a climate-resilient city, and the experiences of five delta cities on the front line of climate change: Semarang, Thủ Đức, Cartagena, Chennai and Beira.
Climate change poses a direct threat to the wellbeing of billions of urban residents. In all cities, climate-related risks are on the rise. At the same time, urbanisation continues to intensify. By 2050, nearly 70% of the world’s population will live in cities. This growth is putting increased pressure on infrastructure, water, space and public health. Mitigation alone is no longer enough. We must adapt to a climate where extremes are the new normal: too much, too little, or polluted water, as well as heatwaves and droughts.
Without action, damage to urban infrastructure could reach $415 billion per year. The urban poor are hit hardest, often living in high-risk areas without adequate protection. Yet urgency also brings opportunity. By approaching cities as interconnected systems, and working with water and nature, we can build climate-resilient cities that are not only robust, but also greener, healthier and more inclusive.
What is a climate-resilient city?
A climate-resilient city can absorb shocks, adapt to changing conditions, and recover quickly from extreme weather events such as sea level rise, heatwaves, flooding or drought. Resilience goes beyond physical structures – it also applies to institutions, governance systems, and communities. Increasingly, cities are moving from a mindset of control to one of working with change. With smart design, risks can be turned into opportunities: rainwater is captured and reused, urban heat becomes a driver for green and shaded spaces, and nature is integrated as vital infrastructure. Cities that plan ahead and reduce future risks can remain liveable, even under pressure.
Nature-based Solutions and climate-resilient cities
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are approaches to societal challenges that harness natural processes, such as vegetation, soil and water. For cities, they offer an important alternative to traditional ‘grey’ infrastructure such as drainage systems and concrete flood barriers. Because they evolve with changing conditions and deliver multiple benefits simultaneously, NBS are particularly well suited to strengthening urban resilience. Examples include green roofs that reduce heat stress and retain rainwater, or city parks and mangroves that buffer water and slow down flooding. When they are well integrated into urban planning and policy, NBS can create synergy between climate mitigation and adaptation, while also enhancing liveability and biodiversity.
Despite their proven value, NBS are still applied on a relatively limited scale compared to grey infrastructure. Upscaling is essential to ensure cities can withstand increasing pressure from heat, drought and extreme rainfall. Partners for Water works from a systems perspective to maximise the benefits of these solutions, developing sustainable approaches with a strong focus on operation and maintenance.
Five climate-resilient cities around the globe
Semarang
Semarang is a fast-growing coastal city on Java’s north shore that faces some of Indonesia’s most pressing climate challenges. The city’s population has grown from around 1 million to about 1.7 million over the past twenty years. Severe land subsidence – in some areas up to 20 centimetres per year – combined with tidal flooding, flash floods and water scarcity affects residents’ daily lives. Rapid urbanisation and reliance on groundwater extraction further worsen the risks. But the tide is turning: the city aims to become climate-resilient by 2045 through long-term, integrated planning.
To tackle its water challenges, Semarang applies a mix of measures. These include rainwater harvesting in homes and shared spaces to mangrove rehabilitation along the coast, vetiver planting to prevent landslides, and early warning systems for floods and vector-borne diseases. Building on these efforts, the Water as Leverage programme, supported by Partners for Water, pilots integrated, multi-stakeholder solutions that combine NBS with conventional infrastructure and smart data technologies. By bringing together Dutch and Indonesian expertise with strong local involvement, these projects support Semarang towards becoming a climate-resilient city. Read more about Semarang.
Cartagena
Colombia’s historic port city Cartagena is under pressure. The city is growing rapidly but faces rising sea levels, flooding and extreme heat. Most of its one million residents live in low-lying areas, making them especially vulnerable to flooding. By 2050, projections suggest that sea levels around Cartagena – amplified by ongoing land subsidence – could rise by more than 30 centimetres. These predictions put even greater pressure on coastal neighbourhoods. Through the Water as Leverage programme, with support from Partners for Water, residents, local experts and city officials are working together on plans that address both climate risks and socio-economic inequality.
The projects are small in scale but strategically placed, and include water plazas, elevated walkways, mangrove restoration, and improved access to drinking water. This approach integrates all the relevant aspects: design, nature, the social and environmental aspects, as well as the economic and financial ones. By placing local ownership at the heart of the process, the city is building a strong foundation for lasting, inclusive change. Read more about Cartagena.
Thủ Đức City
Thủ Đức City in Vietnam is a city in the making. Today it has just over one million inhabitants, but by 2050 it is expected to grow to around three million residents. Situated between the Saigon and Đồng Nai rivers, the new city is highly exposed to flooding. Extreme rainfall, high river levels, land subsidence and the interaction of these factors make water management a central challenge for its development.
With support from Partners for Water, a blue-green vision has been developed. It combines natural buffers, flood retention zones and smart urban design to better manage excess water. This vision has been translated into spatial plans and policy recommendations focused on working with water, alongside digital systems that support real-time water management. Without adaptation, annual flood-related losses are estimated at nearly USD 67 million and could more than double by the end of the century. By embedding Nature-based Solutions and digital water management systems into its spatial planning, Thủ Đức aims to grow into a resilient metropolis that can withstand both climate pressures and urban pressures. Read more about Thủ Đức City.
Chennai
Chennai is a fast-growing megacity in southern India. It faces a paradox of water extremes: severe flooding during the monsoon followed by extreme drought. Simultaneously, the city is steadily losing its capacity to retain water due to paved-over infrastructure, unregulated urbanisation and polluted waterways. Chennai’s traditional water bodies, known as ‘tanks’, once held around 188 million m³ of water. Urbanisation since the early 1900s has reduced this capacity by about 7%. The remaining 93% is located mostly outside the city and is increasingly threatened by encroachment, pollution and poor maintenance. To reverse this trend, the Water Resources Department aims to triple the city’s storage capacity by 2050.
The City of 1,000 Tanks project, supported by Partners for Water, supports this goal by drawing on the city’s ancient water infrastructure. The project restores these systems and links them to new NBS such as infiltration fields, retention ponds and other green infrastructure. By capturing, filtering and slowly recharging water locally, the project tackles both water scarcity and excess. The approach is modular, scalable and rooted in local collaboration with schools, businesses and communities. Chennai shows that climate adaptation is not only about innovation, but also about reviving and revaluing traditional knowledge. Read more about City of 1000 Tanks.
Beira
Mozambique’s port city of Beira is on the front line of climate change. In 2019, it was devastated by Cyclone Idai, which damaged around 70% of the city’s housing stock. Two years later, Cyclone Eloise in 2021 left another 20,000 homes – roughly 17% – damaged or destroyed. Together, the two storms caused over USD 2.4 billion in losses. But rather than focusing solely on recovery, Beira is pursuing structural transformation. Through the Masterplan 2035, developed with support from Partners for Water, the city is investing in climate-resilient urban development: from improved drainage and wastewater treatment to coastal protection and stronger local governance.
Through public and private partnerships, Beira is building climate-resilient homes with minimal construction costs or rent-to-buy schemes. This makes safe housing accessible to residents for whom home ownership would otherwise be entirely out of reach. Simultaneously, the city is updating its municipal cadastre to improve property registration and enable the collection of property taxes. This is a long-term strategy, focused on system change in order to become a truly climate-resilient city. Read more about Beira’s system change approach.
Seven building blocks for a climate-resilient city
1. Systems thinking and integrated approaches
Climate adaptation only works when water, infrastructure, public health and governance are seen as part of an interconnected system. It must be addressed across all spatial scales, from the pavement to the metropolitan region.
2. Making space for water
When cities actively allocate space for water through buffers, temporary retention zones and natural systems, rainfall becomes a manageable design element. It can even become a resource for future droughts.
3. Flexibility and adaptive capacity
A resilient city is flexible and evolves as the climate and associated risks change. This requires future scenarios, room for experimental development, phased planning, and the ability to adjust course when needed.
4. Monitoring and data analysis
Digital tools and modelling software can help detect risks early and support an effective response. Data collection and management form the foundation for improved policy and governance.
5. Participation and local ownership
Solutions only have lasting impact when they are supported by the local community. Local engagement ensures context-specific solutions and fosters long-term ownership.
6. Collaboration and governance
Coordination between governments, public and private organisations, knowledge institutions and residents are crucial for implementation and lasting impact.
7. Working with nature
By cooperating with the natural processes of vegetation, rivers or mangroves rather than trying to control them, cities can develop sustainable and flexible solutions that support both climate adaptation and urban liveability.
Partners for Water for climate-resilient cities
When we view cities as interconnected systems and choose to work with nature rather than against it, we can build urban environments that are more resilient, greener, and more liveable than ever before.
Partners for Water supports cities around the world in building climate resilience through an integrated, systems-based approach. We promote the use of NBS and advise cities on innovative and sustainable water management. In doing so, we not only address water security, but also biodiversity, food security and healthy living environments.
Our support spans strategic guidance, from policy advice and planning to capacity-building within local governments. We also fund and facilitate pilot and feasibility studies that test scalable, sustainable and innovative water solutions.
Want to learn more about our approach or about how we can support you? Send an email to one of our team members.Bangladesh’s rapidly urbanising pourashavas (municipalities) face increasing challenges of water security, climate resilience and sustainable urban development. The Urban Demonstrators Initiative for Climate and Water Resilient Urban Infrastructure in Bangladesh (2nd Cycle), funded under the Partners for Water programme, aims to accelerate scalable, practical water solutions that enhance urban liveability, flood resilience and sustainable infrastructure.
This initiative is supported by a €500,000 subsidy under the Partners for Water programme running from January 2025 – December 2026.
Scaling smart, sustainable water solutions under the Partners for Water Bangladesh Delta programme.
Building on the success of Urban Demonstrators (UDs) in Raozan and Keshobpur, this new phase expands to 4-6 additional pourashavas, demonstrating how small-scale, Nature-based Solutions can be effectively implemented and scaled across Bangladesh’s 330 municipalities.
Context-Driven, scalable approach
- Fast-Tracked Implementation & Co-Creation: Rapid assessment and execution within six months, ensuring that pourashavas and communities play a central role in design, implementation and long-term management.
- Nature-based Solutions (NbS): Using locally available materials and workforce to create green, water-resilient urban spaces.
- Alternative Financing for Sustainability: Small grants act as catalysts for additional municipal and private investments.
- Strengthening Governance & Capacity: Equipping pourashavas and communities with the expertise and structures needed for long-term operation and maintenance (O&M).
- Peer Learning for Scaling: Enabling knowledge exchange between municipalities to accelerate widespread adoption of effective urban water management practices.
The approach empowers cities, their people, and environments to lead their own development through context-specific interventions, while a scalable model—based on rapid scoping and implementation within a year—encourages replication across Bangladesh, fostering citizen action for more liveable cities and building trust between communities and local governments.
Beyond individual interventions: a broader urban vision
By focusing on horizontal upscaling, this initiative goes beyond isolated projects. For example, a green space along an urban canal should not just be a one-time intervention but part of a broader effort to revitalise the entire canal system. Similarly, by engaging with municipal teams and communities, who ultimately maintain these spaces, this approach ensures long-term sustainability and helps prevent the Build-Neglect-Rebuild (BNR) cycle often seen in infrastructure projects.
Who is involved?
The project is funded under the Partners for Water programme and implemented by IHE Delft, in collaboration with:
- 4-6 Pourashavas – Municipal governments implementing solutions in their cities
- ACL – Leading engineering and consultancy firm in Bangladesh
- CEGIS – Experts in environmental and geospatial analysis for sustainable development
- C4RE – Citizen-centred urban design and technical partner
Impact & vision
The Urban Demonstrators Initiative contributes to Bangladesh’s Delta Plan 2100, strengthening the connection between on-the-ground action and national climate resilience goals. By integrating Nature-based Solutions, practical capacity building and innovative financing, this project offers a scalable model for sustainable urban development in Bangladesh.
🔗 Learn more
- Demonstrating smart solutions for resilient cities (un-ihe.org) (November 2021)
- Cities and towns key to Bangladesh’s sustainable development (un-ihe.org) (May 2022)
- Improving quality of life in Bangladeshi towns (un-ihe.org) (June 2022)
- Bangladesh: Small community grants with big, green effects in growing cities (un-ihe.org) (October 2024)
- Key features of Urban Demonstrators (PDF)
- Press release published in Dhaka Tribune (wdpprepository.org)
International Biodiversity Day: A call to action from Partners for Water
Today, 22 May 2024, marks International Biodiversity Day, highlighting the crucial role of biodiversity in sustaining life on Earth. At Partners for Water, we use this day to emphasize the importance of conserving biodiversity and our commitment to its protection.
We believe collective action from all sectors is essential to address biodiversity loss. To underscore this, we interviewed experts like Claudia Schutte from RVO, Maxime Eiselin from IUCN NL, and Dr. James Byng from TU Delft for their insights on preserving biodiversity.
Dedicated to biodiversity
“Biodiversity means life!” exclaims Claudia Schutte of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). At RVO, Claudia and her team are dedicated to mainstreaming biodiversity in development efforts. They aim to implement nature-inclusive programs and projects that avoid harming biodiversity and actively promote a nature-positive impact. “We are not there yet, but we are dedicated to that mission,” Claudia adds.
Today, humanity faces two major crises: climate and biodiversity crises. Dr. James Byng, the Director at the technical Hortus Botanicus of TU Delft, is most worried that we still know so little about this planet’s biodiversity. Without comprehensive knowledge, conservation efforts are hindered. “Imagine what we can do if we can get botanists, horticulturists, engineers, architects, and designers all working together!” he envisions.
Political will is needed
Maxime Eiselin, Senior Expert in Nature-based Solutions at IUCN NL, stresses the necessity of political will to integrate biodiversity into policies, regulations, planning, and development processes. “To structurally reduce biodiversity loss, political will is needed at all levels of government to ensure the integration of biodiversity in decision-making,” he explains. Claudia Schutte agrees, noting that short-term ambitions often overshadow long-term ecological goals, posing a significant challenge to achieving the targets for 2030 and goals for 2050 set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (K-M GBF).
Challenges and successes
Biodiversity-positive interventions require time to yield results, as nature takes time to restore. Despite these challenges, successes like species recovery documented in the IUCN Green Status of Species and practical conservation efforts in the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas offer optimism. When discussing biodiversity, many forget that genetic diversity is just as crucial as ecosystem diversity. Adding greenery to cities is beneficial, but climate change is vital to ensuring genetic diversity in urban trees. Municipalities and communities must utilise this growing knowledge.
Ambitious goals at COP16
At the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 in October and November in 2024, countries will submit their updated plans for contributing to the K-M GBF using their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs). “The proof of the pudding is in the eating. We’ll see at COP17 2025 if combining all these NBSAPs will be enough to reach our agreed goals at the global level,” says Claudia. Maxime highlights the upcoming negotiations on financial mechanisms, digital sequence information, and the monitoring framework, which are crucial to reaching the ambitious targets of the K-M GBF.
Act now
“Transformative action is essential because we cannot simply halt this mass extinction,” stresses Maxime. Solving the biodiversity issue requires collective action from stakeholders, including companies, NGOs, governments, and knowledge institutions. “Surround yourself with ambitious partners to drive broader mainstreaming in society,” he advises.
Legislation and financial structures are pushing companies towards sustainable business models. A report from DNB (De Nederlandse Bank) and PBL (Plan Bureau Leefomgeving, “Indebted to Nature” (2020), highlights the risks financial institutions face when funding companies with negative biodiversity impacts. Companies must adapt their operations to government policy and changing consumer preferences to reduce the damage to biodiversity.
Nature’s Pride for biodiversity conservation
Nature’s Pride has been working on an efficient, fair, and sustainable food chain since 2001. Natures Pride: “We’re strongly committed to people’s well-being, responsible water management, and climate change mitigation and resilience. As part of our new ambitions for the care of people and nature, we’ve included biodiversity conservation into our cultivation areas. Last year, we were the first to successfully pilot GLOBALG.A.P.’s BioDiversity add-on outside of Europe together with two of our dedicated partner growers in South Africa”. For over two decades ZZ2, avocado grower in South Africa, has been farming according to the ‘Natuurboerdery’ concept. “We have implemented a wide array of practices that protect and enhance biodiversity in and around our farms. The pilot we did with Nature’s Pride helped us to strengthen on-farm biodiversity practices and to independently verify and formally document these best practices. We are now expanding the use of biodiversity assessments and action plans as a standard practice to all our farms”, says Clive Garrett, Marketing Manager at ZZ2.
Knowledge is key
“We all have a part to play, both individually and collectively, whether here in The Netherlands or abroad,” says Maxime Eiselin. However, knowledge is often fragmented and undervalued. Indigenous knowledge, in particular, plays a vital role in identifying and preserving local flora and fauna. Programs like “Reversing the Flow” integrate scientific and indigenous knowledge, highlighting the importance of valuing diverse perspectives. “By working together and appreciating different types of knowledge, we can strengthen and accelerate implementation efforts,” says Claudia.
“Biodiversity should not be an afterthought but a starting point in designing resilient living environments.”
Biodiversity as a starting point
“Humanity depends on biodiversity for its survival,” stresses James. “From medicines to food to construction materials, it all starts with biodiversity.” If we can sustainably document, conserve, and utilise biodiversity, humanity can reach a turning point. With the increase in global population and greater demand for ecosystem services, the current generation may be the last to have the chance to make a significant impact. Botanical gardens like TU Delft Hortus Botanicus are crucial in preserving biodiversity and advancing plant research, contributing to sustainable practices like coastal mangrove conservation. The TU Delft Hortus Botanicus, under James Byng’s leadership, exemplifies this by collecting global plant species for study and conservation.
Local action for greater good
An inspiring example is the mountainous Atewa forest in Ghana, which IUCN NL and its local partners aim to preserve. Fifty-three communities living on the forest’s forest’s fringes rely on it for their livelihoods, and it serves as a vital water source for over five million people. However, the forest is at risk due to plans for large-scale bauxite mining. Through sharing knowledge and raising awareness among policymakers in Ghana, strides have been made to change the mining plans. “The Atewa forest demonstrates how local advocacy can secure biodiversity and water resources for millions,” says Maxime.
Biodiversity is up to you
As citizens, engaging with this global issue might seem challenging. Take small steps in your immediate environment: green your garden, remove tiles, set up insect hotels, and plant native organic plants to attract and support insects. Also, become a more responsible consumer: cut back on animal-based products, avoid unnecessary purchases, and opt for second-hand items or sustainable alternatives when possible. Claudia: “Remember, we’re all in this together—businesses, governments, NGOs, knowledge institutes, and each of us as individuals.”
The way forward
Looking ahead to the COP16 in Cali, there is optimism for progress in biodiversity conservation. However, tangible results require collective effort and political will. Despite the complexities of biodiversity conservation, one thing is clear: collective action is imperative. Governments, businesses, NGOs, and individuals must unite to sustainably use, conserve, and restore our planet’s biodiversity. By embracing collaboration, valuing diverse perspectives, and prioritizing long-term sustainability, we can be part of the plan to safeguard biodiversity for future generations. Together, we can actively work towards a healthier, more resilient planet.
Mark your calender for a Biodiversity event!
On 1 October 2024, Partners for Water will organise an event focused on biodiversity. More information will follow soon, so keep an eye on our event page.
How can we address global water challenges with solutions that not only improve water security but also enhance ecosystem health and support biodiversity?
Nature-based Solutions (NBS) can help achieve all the above. Learn more about how to utilise nature to address water issues through the NBS lectures taking place from April until June, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Partners for Water X Asian Development Bank
By collaborating with nature, we can support biodiversity and ecosystems and foster resilient approaches to water and climate-related challenges. Since June 2023, Partners for Water and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have partnered to promote this approach. This collaboration enables Partners for Water to provide technical support and expert guidance regarding NBS to ADB’s member countries, facilitating the adoption and scaling up of NBS to improve global water security.
NBS Lectures
From April until June, we are offering a range of lectures where you can discover more about utalising NBS to address water challenges and enhance water security. These lectures will cover topics such as urban NBS (wetlands, sponge city, wadi 2.0, tidal parks), mangrove restoration, reuse of local materials in NBS (sediment, (rain) water, etc.) and cultural impact of NBS. You will learn from global experts and international case studies and explore innovative methods, valuable lessons learned and succesfull approaches.
Upcoming lecture
The next, and last NBS lecture will be held on the 5th of June.
Lecture 5 June
The online NBS lecture of 5 June will focus on the cultural impact of NBS.
Nature-Based Solutions can alter the local landscape. Social and cultural inclusion are therefore a prerequisite when implementing NBS.
Topics to be discussed:
- Cultural heritage landscapes restoration
- Hedges as green water corridors: NBS measure on landscape scale
- Cultural ecosystem services in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
Find more information about the lecture topics, as well as the scheduled times and dates here.
The NBS lectures are part of the important partnership agreement between Partners for Water and the Asian Development Bank.
Register for the online lectureWe are proud to announce that Partners for Water has entered into a partnership agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
This agreement enables PFW to provide technical assistance and expert advice for ADB’s developing member countries on the application and scaling up of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) for increased water security.
A ceremony was held at PFW’s NBS event on 22 June 2023, with representatives from the ADB and PFW.
We are looking forward to a fruitful cooperation on this important topic!
What does it take to implement and scale up Nature-based Solutions (NBS) in the global water sector?
This was the central question at the ‘Scaling & Improving Together – The next steps in Nature Based Solutions’ conference. The much-anticipated NBS professionals event was held on 22 June at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) in The Hague.
One of the frequently cited success factors was making sure implementation and scaling-up processes are inclusive and collaborative.
Enthusiastic panel discussions
“Every country has its own challenges, yet we all face similar problems. For example, too much water in one place and not enough in another. Together, we can develop solutions that benefit us all.” Said Sergio Lopez, the executive coordinator at the Argentinian Ministry of Public Works, getting to the heart of the matter. He and his fellow officials from Chili and Indonesia talked enthusiastically about their recent field trips to several Dutch NBS projects as part of a delegation from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and national governments visiting the Netherlands ahead of the event.
It was so interesting to hear the perspectives from overseas delegates. It is wonderful to see their enthusiasm, openness to learn and commitment towards implementing NBS.
Inspiring plenary presentations
The lively buzz in the room fell silent as keynote speakers Bregje van Wesenbeeck (Deltares) and Eva Pfannez (OOZE) took turns inspiring the 150 attendees with their vision on integrating NBS into spatial design. “We are in energy, infrastructure and agriculture transitions”, Bregje says, “but we’re taking on each transition individually. We need solutions that support all of these transitions together. NBS meets this ‘multifunctionality’ criterion.”
Eva emphasised the versatility of NBS by demonstrating how the Indian city of Chennai plans to face both flooding and water shortage by storing excess water in aquifers. A pilot project on a school site in the centre of Chennai provides valuable lessons learnt: “For instance, we now know that to mitigate risk, we need to incorporate the cost of client management, capacity building and awareness raising.”
Bregje supported this observation and pointed out the added significance of collaboration. “It helps to have diverse people at the table. Different people offer different perspectives and solutions. This encourages us to let go of tunnel visions.”
Valuable breakout sessions
Fortunately, the event featured plenty of diverse perspectives. The NBS professionals were given the opportunity to break out into small groups to delve deeper into the relevant themes and discuss them together. These were the key outcomes of those breakout sessions:
- NBS are likely to be an outcome of integrated and inclusive processes during project initiation.
- The IUCN NBS Standard can help to effectively design, implement and scale up NBS.
- An inclusive, bottom-up approach inspires more ownership, creativity and fun.
- Some stakeholders might seem more important than others, but in the decision-making process, you’ll need all of them.
- When implementing NBS, nature should be able to do its work. It should be managed as little as possible.
- Enhancing biodiversity is as important as improving the water safety for inhabitants.
Make sure all people from the designated area benefit from your solution. They’ll want to know what’s in it for them. And you should be able to answer that.
Informal networking
As the final speaker concluded his remarks, the power of collaboration and the value of diverse voices were enthusiastically embraced. The attendees then continued to share their insights and look for collaborative opportunities. They did this at either the informal social gatherings or at the so-called ‘country tables’, which were set up for participants interested in water sectors in specific countries.
When the time came for the participants to head home, there was a collective sense of confidence. The NBS community came together, connected and listened to each other. Now it’s up to everyone to continue doing so. With the evident determination, innovative ideas and enough people at the table, this goal certainly is attainable.
I love the fact that such a diverse group of people came together today. And I think everyone here is aware that we all need to work together.
Questions about the event or about Nature-based Solutions?
Please sent an e-mail to administratiepvw@pvw.nl, or reach out to Matthijs Zijlmans.
On March 23, 2023, an important coalition was formed for mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions (NBS) at the New York Water House
This powerful alliance was launched during the UN2023 Water Conference and brought together a diverse range of organisations dedicated to creating a more sustainable future. These include the Asian Development Bank, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Invest International, Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Wetlands International and EcoShape.
By voluntarily committing to the UN Water Action Agenda, these organisations are taking action to create a breakthrough in the application and implementation of NBS for water-related challenges. With the ultimate goal of making NBS a widely accepted practice by 2030, this coalition aims to drive meaningful change in the way we approach water-related issues and environmental sustainability.
Promised commitments
The coalition members are taking ownership of their responsibilities to mainstream NBS by voluntarily committing to:
- Being an NBS ambassador;
- Promoting the inclusion of NBS as a potential solution for societal challenges in the water sector;
- Presenting examples of how NBS solutions act as an alternative to traditional infrastructure approaches;
- Joining, supporting or creating fundamental and applied research projects to further develop NBS as a standard option; and
- Promoting, supporting or co-investing in enablers for the development of NBS, such as a sound business case and technical, ecological, social and system knowledge
Partners for Water and NBS
The launch of the coalition was organised by Team International Organisations (TIO) at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) along with EcoShape. Being a part of the RVO and having a strong focus on the application of NBS, Partners for Water applauds this collaboration and is looking forward to impactful results.
Over the past few years, we have already been working closely together on a number of projects with coalition members Invest International, EcoShape and its consortium partners. A key focus within these collaborations has been on using and scaling up NBS to address water safety and water security.
Recent collaborations with Invest International and EcoShape
Both Invest International and EcoShape have been working together with Partners for Water on several initiatives in Indonesia. And some of EcoShape’s consortium partners have recently received funding from the Partners for Water subsidy scheme for various projects with local partners. These have included a study on using natural groundwater buffers in Colombia (Deltares) and a feasibility study for a flood prediction service in Malawi (RoyalHaskoningDHV).
Through these partnerships, the organisations have been able to leverage their expertise, for example on NBS, to address pressing water-related issues.
Action and follow-up
The coalition members will develop the details of their commitment to mainstream Nature-based Solutions further during and after the UN2023 Water Conference. The launch of the coalition is a starting point. Is your organization interested in contributing to mainstreaming NBS? Register your interest on the EcoShape website.
Partners for Water is a Dutch government programme enhancing water security internationally in long-term cooperation with local partners and the Dutch water sector. By facilitating strategic planning and support in the early stages of innovation, the programme aims to contribute to systemic change for sustainable water management and infrastructure. This is how we initiate impactful changes for a better living environment.
