Nature based Solutions challenge
Will you design and implement a nature based solution, and positively contribute to the climate, biodiversity, and quality of life? In the Nature Based Solutions Challenge, you are challenged to come up with a nature-based solution and to implement it. A jury will select the teams that receive funding (2500 euro) and mentoring from experts to make their project into a success!
The challenge
Nature based solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. Nature-based solutions are part of the answer to the biggest challenges of the 21st century, being climate change and biodiversity loss.
In this challenge, your team will work on a nature-based solution in a local context addressing climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and biodiversity restoration, and thereby improving the quality of life. Furthermore, societal and economic impact are to be addressed too.
Who
You can participate with a team of at least two and up to five BSc and/or MSc students. It’s recommended to form a team of students with different disciplinary backgrounds. Fresh graduates are welcome to join the Challenge (maximum of one per team), though the graduation should take place not earlier than academic year 2020/2021.
The challenge is open to students from Universities (of Applied Sciences) worldwide.
Registration
You can apply by submitting a Concept Note (a format will be provided on this page) on your envisioned project, focusing on nature based solutions. We will open registration as from February 22 until April 13 (deadline of registration).
Timeline
Panel of experts of Wageningen University & Research:
- Tim van Hattum - Program Leader Green Climate Solutions
- Liesje Mommer – Leading the Wageningen Biodiversity Initiative
- Cora van Oosten – Landscape Governance & Natural Resources Management Expert
- Ivo Demmers - Head of Programme Food Security and Valuing Water Program
Inspiration:
To spark your creativity, we have collected some useful and interesting resources on nature-based solutions. They include many inspiring examples.
- Witteveen + Bos: What are Nature Based Solutions?
- Report NL2120: A Nature-based future for the Netherlands in 2120
- Film NL2120: This is how green the Netherlands (and the world) could look in 2120
- Buitenhof: Hoe ziet Nederland eruit in 2120? Tim van Hattum Wageningen University & Research
- TEDx: Let's make climate action sexy!
- WWWeek: The many values of large-scale nature-based solutions
- Four ways nature-based solutions benefit rural people and communities