ICDRI pre-event webinar | nature-based solutions: strengthening synergies for resilient infrastructure
We are pleased to announce and invite you to participate in the first in a series of webinars on 18 November 2020, 1730 - 1840 hrs IST. A pre-event to the third International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI 2021), the webinar series will inform discussions for ICDRI 2021.
ICDRI 2021 will deliberate on international commitments that are significant for building disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure. Leading up to ICDRI 2021, the webinar series is being designed around themes that draw synergies with international commitments such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) targets and goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and resilient infrastructure.
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are essential components of the overall global effort to achieve the targets and goals of the SDGs, SFDRR, and the Paris Agreement on climate change. NBS uses ecosystem services to address hazards and reduce disaster risks such as flooding, erosion, and landslides to protect people and infrastructure. NBS for disaster risk reduction includes ecosystem services such as restoring mangroves along coastlines to reduce the impact of waves and storm surge on the shoreline to prevent flooding and preserving wetlands, forests, and floodplains. With increasing environmental degradation some of these natural disaster safeguards are deteriorating, resulting in an increased risk of infrastructure failure. It is imperative to adopt a nature-based approach that promotes infrastructure development and protects and utilizes these natural safeguards which act as disaster buffers to protect people and infrastructure.
We recognize the role NBS can play in reducing disaster risk and enhancing infrastructure resilience and the increased need for a stronger international focus and cooperation for promoting NBS. To this end, CDRI is organizing the first webinar on the theme of nature-based solutions in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) with technical assistance from U.S. Forest Service International Programs (USFS-IP).
Panelists:
"Introduction and Planning Overview of Nature-based Solutions" - Dr. Prashant Hedao, Visiting Scientist at Information Center for Environment, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of California, Davis
"Role of Policy in Advancing Nature-based Solutions" - Dr. Anand Patwardhan, Professor, University of Maryland
"Reflections from the Field: Spatio-Temporal Changes in the Pichavaram Mangroves, Tamil Nadu, India; Assessing Severity of Environmental Threats and Efficacy of Restoration Measures" - Dr Shuvankar Ghosh and Dr. Nicolas Bautes, French Institute of Pondicherry, India
Discussion Synthesis - Dr. Erika Svendsen, U.S. Forest Service. International Programs.
Moderator - Mr. Kamal Kishore, Indian Co-Chair of CDRI Executive Committee and Member, National Disaster Management Authority.
Join us as we discuss possible recommendations to mainstream nature-based solutions and strengthen synergies and collaborative partnerships for much-needed resilient infrastructure.
You may register for the webinar here
Should you have queries, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to your participation in this webinar.
Please visit the CDRI website (www.cdri.world) for news updates about this and other events. You can also follow us on Twitter (@CDRI_world) and LinkedIn (@coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure) to receive the latest updates on CDRI's activities.
About ICDRI 2021: To be held from 17 to 19 March 2021, ICDRI will bring together partner country representatives from national disaster risk management agencies, infrastructure sectors, multilateral development banks, UN agencies, academia and research institutions, the private sector, and policy think tanks. CDRI’s annual flagship event, ICDRI is organized to continue building the global community for disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure in line with the Coalition's mandate. With the establishment of the CDRI Secretariat in 2019, ICDRI is being held in the place of the International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) to strengthen global outreach on disaster-resilient infrastructure.