River Basin Authorities, water resource managers, governmental officials at city or regional levels and utility planners. Other stakeholders with a background in water management, water supply and wastewater planning or river basin management.
Showcasing water utility experiences and sharing knowledge will support effective policy-making and regulation to accelerate the adoption of NBS in water management. IWA and TNC are catalysing action between water utilities and their regulators by bringing these lessons and guidance into tangible practice among network members.
Many interested yet hesitant utilities and regulators cite a lack of evidence that nature-based solutions can deliver water quality and quantity results. The case of Anglian Water presents a strong counterargument. Recognizing the importance of an enabling environment for NBS, what possibilities exist to promote these options effectively through existing regulation? What is the potential of regional frameworks to stimulate change? This webinar will explore these questions through the experience of Anglian Water, and regulators including the Environment Agency – UK and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs – UK.
Learn more from the Anglian Water case study: https://iwa-network.org/nature-based-solutions-utility-spotlight-anglian-water/
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the practical implementation of NBS from a water utility perspective and be incentivized to consider the benefits of investing in these approaches for water security. The webinar will explore the opportunities for NBS deployment through existing EU regulatory and policy frameworks, with a discussion on how these lessons can be applied at an international level. There will be a particular focus on how water utilities can effectively engage with their regulatory agencies to promote conversations and build a strong business case for NBS.
Following the webinar, participants will be able to:
• Understand how existing regulatory frameworks might be retrofitted or harmonized to support NBS upscaling and where regulatory agencies can offer guidance.
• Recognize opportunities for European utilities to advance in the deployment of NBS and harmonize or collaborate on these efforts.
• Understand the steps to developing a convincing business case for NBS: gathering data to inform a scientific evidence base, designing cost analyses and sharing information with relevant stakeholders.
• Leverage new strategies for productive dialogue with regulatory agencies on the topic of NBS.
IWA & The Nature Conservancy