Nature based solutions to climate change: Panacea or pitfall?

Name: Nature based solutions to climate change: Panacea or pitfall?
Start: 2026-06-24T19:30:00+01:00
End: 2026-06-24T21:30:00+01:00
Location: The Winchester Club

Schedule

Wed Jun 24 2026 at 07:30 pm to 09:30 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

The Winchester Club | Winchester, EN

Working with – rather than against – nature to ‘solve’ hazards created by climate change is a very appealing idea. Measures such as headwater woodland and peatland restoration, beaver reintroduction, leaky dams, urban greening, and salt marshes have all been used in the UK. But do these projects really work? Are they a cost-effective alternative, complementary to, or over-sold alternative to conventional hard engineering? This talk goes beyond the rhetoric to examine scientific and economic data about the effectiveness of nature based solutions in defending communities from floods, droughts, and heatwaves. Given the pace and severity of climate change impacts, we want to be sure that our responses are evidence-based, so people, homes, and businesses are better prepared for the next extreme weather event when it comes.
Rob Wilby is a Professor of Hydroclimatic Modelling in the Department of Geography and Environment at Loughborough University. His main research interests are about interactions between climate and hydrology as these can give us too much, too little, or too dirty water. His career has spanned time at Severn Trent Water, the Environment Agency, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder Colorado, and various universities (Derby, Kings College London, Lancaster, and Loughborough). Since completing his PhD in 1991, he has been involved in numerous consultancy projects in over 40 countries worldwide. His forthcoming book aims to gather these varied researcher-practitioner experiences in: The Climate Adaptation Guide.