ClimEx-PE mentioned in SMU Urban Institute seminar on the value of nature-based solutions

On 7 April 2026, Prof. Katrin Merfeld from Utrecht University gave a research seminar at the SMU Urban Institute on the value and communication of nature-based solutions. The seminar focused mainly on the NATURESCAPES project, while also mentioning ClimEx-PE as a related initiative addressing value perceptions connected to nature-based solutions.

In her presentation, Prof. Merfeld invited participants to think about nature-based solutions through a marketing lens. She raised the question of whether nature-based solutions could be understood and communicated as services whose different benefits can be bundled for different actors. A green roof, for example, is not only a stormwater management tool: it may also extend roof lifespan, improve the living environment for residents, support biodiversity, and reduce energy costs for homeowners.

The seminar also addressed the social and governance dimensions of nature-based solutions. Prof. Merfeld discussed different actor groups in just transitions, including mainstream actors such as municipalities and NGOs, “missing” actors such as insurers or real estate developers, and marginalised groups such as elderly, low-income residents or refugees, who may bear costs or remain excluded from decision-making processes.

These questions are highly relevant for ClimEx-PE, which also works with nature-based approaches and stakeholder engagement in the context of climate adaptation. Understanding how different groups perceive the value of nature-based solutions is essential for making such solutions more visible, acceptable and actionable.

By linking research on nature-based solutions with questions of communication, governance and social justice, the seminar contributed to the wider discussion on how climate adaptation measures can be designed and implemented in a more inclusive and effective way.