June 18 , 2022 | Washington, D.C.
Nature-based Climate Solutions
At USC’s Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., policymakers, researchers and practitioners from across the country explored how nature can be used to address increasingly frequent climate-associated risks, such as floods, heatwaves and fires.
Forging collaborative solutions
Public Exchange worked together with OSTP to host a day-long workshop titled “Harnessing Nature: Using Nature-Based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction.” The meeting convened leaders in nature-based solutions to compare and integrate academic and practitioner perspectives, establish a shared understanding of the evidence base for nature-based approaches, and explore strategies to clear roadblocks and advance projects on the ground.
Workshop participants identified critical research gaps hindering the widespread implementation of nature-based solutions. One major challenge is the lack of a central repository for existing information and analytical resources, making it difficult to harness past experience and develop new projects quickly. Another problem is the absence of standard engineering guidelines for nature-based solutions like there are for traditional infrastructure such as retaining walls. Advances in AI and support from research universities could help solve these problems by bringing together diverse sources of information and leveraging research ingenuity to develop effective, evidence-based approaches.
“Collaboration between government institutions, civil society, academia and the private sector is key to harnessing the power of our built and natural environment to reduce hazards.”
Doug Mason, former Assistant Director for nature-based solutions at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)
REport
Read the full report to learn how nature-based solutions could revolutionize our efforts to shape a more climate-resilient future.
- USC
Investing in smarter infrastructure for L.A.
Creating a new scorecard to help L.A. leaders invest in infrastructure projects that deliver the biggest wins.
- USC
Reimagining urban rivers
Using breakthrough visual tools and environmental data to redesign the L.A. River—so that it meets the demands of a 21st-century climate and serves those who live on its banks.
- USC
Cooling L.A.
Keeping Angelenos safe and cool with the ShadeLA movement—an L.A.-wide effort to add shade everywhere people live, work, and gather.