NATURANCE Webinar
22 April 2026, h. 12:00-13:30 CEST
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How can innovative financial mechanisms unlock the full potential of nature-based solutions (NbS) to address climate risks? This webinar brings together leading researchers and practitioners from the NATURANCE project to share insights on advancing and scaling NbS through finance, policy, and real-world experimentation.
The session will introduce the NATURANCE framework, which explores how insurance, finance, and policy can support the design and implementation of NbS. Speakers will highlight the role of “living labs” as testing grounds for innovative solutions, with applications ranging from coastal resilience to wildfire risk management.
A featured case study from the Wildfire Lab in the Lake Tahoe region will provide a concrete example of how NbS can be operationalized in the U.S. context. The discussion will also draw connections to coastal resilience challenges, particularly relevant for communities in New England and beyond.
The session will conclude with a synthesis of key policy recommendations and pathways for scaling investment in NbS, followed by a moderated discussion with participants and Q&A.
By fostering a transatlantic exchange between European research initiatives and U.S.-based stakeholders, this event aims to bridge cutting-edge research with policy and practice, and to support the development of actionable, financeable solutions to climate risk.
SPEAKERS:
Prof. Swenja Surminski, Professor in Practice, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Dr. JoAnne Linnerooth-Bayer, Distinguished Emeritus Research Scholar and Risk and Resilience Programme Director, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Dr. Jonathan Middleton, Programme Manager – Nature, Centre for Sustainable Finance, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
The webinar is co-organized by the University of Massachusetts Amherst – School of Earth and Sustainability (SES) and the NATURANCE project.
NATURANCE is a coordination and supporting action project funded under the Horizon Europe. The project will examine the feasibility and performance of combining disaster risk financing & investments with nature-based solutions through the creation of nature-based insurance & investment solutions (NBIS). The project aims to organise innovation finance and policy labs, analyse policy and governance conditions, assess risk-reduction performance of NBIS, and build awareness and capabilities for green financial innovations.
The CMCC Foundation plays a central role in the NATURANCE project, acting as project coordinator and leading core activities on dissemination, communication, engagement, and management.