Abstract¶

Research day on financing, protecting and valuing nature¶

On Tuesday 16 May, 14h-18h, the Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO) organized a thematic research day on financing, protecting and valuing nature in collaboration with the InnoFiNS-research consortium.

What exactly are "Nature-Based solutions" and how did they so recently become in vogue as strategies to address climate and ecological breakdown? Could Nature-Based solutions be the way forward? If so, how can they help our cities, agriculture, water systems and natural areas become climate-proof? How can they address the economic and political drivers of ecological loss and damage? What are the dangers, challenges and opportunities of Nature-Based solutions?

IMDO puts research in the spotlight and invites academics and policymakers to jointly look ahead.

When? 16 May 2023 14:00-17:00
Where? Klooster van de Grauwzusters, UAntwerpen, Antwerpen
Organizers: InnoFiNS research consortium and Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development

Programme¶

Time slot	Presentation
14:00-14:10	Prof. dr. Steven Van Passel	Welcome
14:10-15:00	dr. Cecil Konijnendijk	Key note: Nature based solutions: towards a Forest City
	Convenor: dr. Vincent Bellinkx
15:00-15:15	Wito Van Oijstaeijen	Nature Smart Cities: A business model for greener cities
15:15-15:30	dr. Sylvie Van Damme	Innofins: financing blue green measures
15:30-15:45	Prof. dr. Gert Van Hecken, dr. Vijay Kolinjivadi	ePEStemology: Assessing the power asymmetries and value frameworks underpinning payments for ecosystem services (PES)
15:45-15:50		Poster pitch presentations
	Axelle Vincent	Transformar: Accelerating and upscaling transformational adaptation in Europe - demonstration of water related innovation packages
	Peter Vervoort	Access to health promoting green space in relation to population density: Case Leuven - Belgium
	Arinç Onat Kiliç	Blue Bonds: Enforcing ocean protection through financialization
	Soukaina Anougmar	Pattern: providing operational economic appraisal methods and practices for informed decision-making on environmental policies
	Sam Vermeulen	Turquoise: Blue Green strategies for Climate Adaptation
	Katherine Vandevelde	Prowater: Climate Change adaptation through payment for ecosystem services
	Thomas Machiels	Climatefit: resilient climate financing and investment taskforces
15:50-16:10		BREAK
16:10-16:50		Panel debate on governance and implementation of Nature-Based Solutions Ignace Schops (chairman BBL and director National Park Hoge Kempen) Cathy Berx (Governor Province of Antwerp) Bernard De Potter (Administrator General Flemish Environment Agency – VMM) Tom Coppens (professor Urban Development, UAntwerpen) Moderated by Vincent Bellinkx
16:50-17:00	Prof. dr. Gudrun De Boeck	Closing speech
17:00-18:00		Reception