Integrating the role of nature-based solutions in indicator-based risk assessments

Speech title:

Integrating the role of nature-based solutions in indicator-based risk assessments

Presented by, Fabrice Renaud, School of Social and Environmental Sustainability, University of Glasgow

Abstract:

There is an increased uptake of nature-based solutions (NbS) to reduce risks from natural hazards globally, but hurdles remain to their wider adoption. First and foremost, the roles NbS can play in reducing risks are not very well captured in risk assessments in general and in indicator-based risk assessments in particular. This is because risk assessments typically focus predominantly on social and economic indicators, which are obviously very important, but often do not consider indicators related to environmental variables. In the presentation, I will highlight the development of new frameworks over the past few years that allowed to integrate better social, economic and environmental indicators which when combined, capture the risks faced by social-ecological systems more comprehensively. These evolutions range from acknowledging the role ecosystems play in disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the frameworks themselves to capturing the links between social and ecological systems through the concept of ecosystem services. These new frameworks and their application can contribute to (1) informing what types of measures can be put in place for DRR and (2) improving the confidence of stakeholders, notably populations at risk, as to the DRR capabilities of NbS.

Short Bio:

Professor Fabrice Renaud

Fabrice is the Head of the School of Social & Environmental Sustainability (College of Social Sciences), as well as a Professor in Environmental Risk/Community Resilience at the University of Glasgow. He is also the Director of the National Centre for Resilience in Scotland. His research interests include vulnerability and risk assessments to natural hazards and understanding the multiple roles ecosystems play in terms of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, particularly from the perspectives of local communities. His focus is mainly on coastal regions, in particular river deltas. Fabrice has worked extensively internationally in South, Southeast, and East Asia but also in the UK, Europe and Africa.