Nature-based infrastructure solutions to enhance resilience
Natural infrastructure is becoming a mainstream option for enhancing the resilience of built infrastructure and communities. In Canada, a diverse range of natural infrastructure solutions have been used to address climate change hazards, including wetlands and riparian buffers to address riverine flooding; permeable pavement and retention ponds to improve urban and rural stormwater management; and green roofs and trees to increase resilience to extreme heat in cities.
These nature-based solutions also generate a range of co-benefits, such as biodiversity habitat, carbon sequestration, recreation, water purification, and mental well-being. Studies show that natural infrastructure is cost effective and is often a more efficient use of funds compared to relying solely on built infrastructure to adapt to climate change and increase resilience.
Natural infrastructure, though, can also be affected by various climate hazards, and its own resilience should therefore be ensured through planning and assessment, structural changes, and ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
This 90-minute introductory course delivers three brief sessions. Session 1 defines what natural infrastructure is, why it has become such an important topic, and describes the types of natural infrastructure solutions that are available for different landscapes to build resilience to a range of climate hazards. Session 2 covers key planning and design considerations for natural infrastructure, such as systems thinking, sustainable development, and risk-informed and adaptive planning, along with an illustrative case example of natural infrastructure design in Manitoba. The course concludes with a 3rd Session on financing considerations, including how benefit-cost analysis for natural infrastructure differs from traditional benefit-cost analysis and how mobilizing capital for natural infrastructure necessitates a nuanced approach.
These are the key learnings you can expect from this course:
- New natural Infrastructure solutions
- Adaptation planning
- Resources and best practices
- Co-benefits
Familiarity with basic climate change science and adaptation planning principles is recommended. Therefore, these MCRT/BRACE courses are recommended but not required: Climate Change 101, Manitoba's Changing Climate, Climate Change Risk Assessment: Core Principles, Infrastructure Climate Risk Assessment: Featuring the PIEVC Process, An Introduction to Climate Change through Codes, Standards, and Regulations. **Recordings of recommended prerequisites, such as Climate Change 101 and others that have already taken place, will be made available here for viewing prior to attending this course.
Time
12:00 - 1:30 p.m. (GMT-6)