Creating more opportunities for nature based solutions

Challenge: Water 2030 (Delivering the water utility of the future) 

As the climate crisis deepens, the threat of water scarcity looms and bio-diversity comes under increasing pressure, new approaches are needed to delivering sustainable and resilient water networks. Nature-based solutions have a key role to play, but challenges remain in bringing forward unconventional infrastructure solutions in this necessarily risk averse sector. Join this session to hear:  

• Examples of new partnership models to support large scale deployment of nature based solutions 

• How innovators are working to build data sets which will bring greater confidence to investment and operations for future nature based solution  

• Progress towards standardised approaches to scoping, delivering and monitoring the performance of nature based solutions 

• Expert views on how nature based solutions should integrate with traditional engineering solutions 

• How the CaSTCo project is creating an evidence base to inform decision-making 

Chair: Ruth Williams, Utility Week Editorial Team 

Taking a systems thinking approach to delivering transformation at scale and addressing standardisation
Dr Amina Aboobakar, United Utilities and the Rivers Trust

Addressing standardisation of NBS 
Graham Weston, Wastewater treatment and sludge strategy manager, Yorkshire Water

Evidence of action - enabling the incorporation of catchment and nature-based solutions into water company planning
Dr Clare Deasy, Strategic catchment manager, Northumbrian Water Group

Building with nature for an ideal future 
Matt Goddard, Head of design, Ground Control