Planning for Resilient Landscapes: Linking Water Management and Soil Health through NbS
18. June 13:30 - 15:15
Plenary Area
This interactive workshop brings together local and regional authorities actively implementing Nature based Solutions (NbS) to explore how water resilience, addressing both water quantity and quality, and healthy soils can be strengthened in an integrated way at the landscape scale. Drawing on practical experiences from municipalities and regions across Europe, the session will connect on the ground implementation with governance and planning approaches that support long term environmental and climate resilience.
The workshop will highlight how sustainable soil management and NbS, contribute directly to water resilience by improving water retention, reducing runoff and pollution, increasing infiltration, and enhancing buffering capacity against droughts and floods. Particular attention will be given to the role of local and regional authorities in enabling implementation through cross-sector coordination, stakeholder engagement, and integrated planning approaches.
Through interactive discussions in a World Café format, participants will explore the connections between soil health, water resilience, and landscape-scale NbS implementation. The session will examine which practices can simultaneously enhance soil functions and improve water retention, quality, and resilience, while reflecting on how NbS can be integrated into regional planning frameworks to deliver these outcomes in a coordinated way. Discussions will further address the governance and planning tools that enable integration across sectors, as well as the role of local communities in supporting long-term soil and water management. Building on practical experiences, participants will also identify the key factors for successful local implementation of NbS and reflect on the instruments, incentives, and engagement strategies needed to scale up action, including on private land.
Speakers
President, Landscape Laboratory
Carlos Ribeiro, President, Landscape Laboratory
Carlos A. Ribeiro is currently President of the Landscape Laboratory, an environmental research and education centre, and a lecturer at the Higher Institute of Health. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the Mission Unit for the European Green Capital 2026 and Co-Chair of its Scientific Committee. In 2015, after six years as a researcher at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, he took on new responsibilities at the Landscape Laboratory.
He holds a degree in Applied Biology and a Master’s in Molecular Genetics from the University of Minho, and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from ICBAS, University of Porto.
Throughout his career, he has supervised and co-supervised Master’s and PhD theses, managed several national and international projects, published in peer-reviewed international journals, and delivered oral presentations at national and international conferences.
Geographer, Banat Water Basin Administration
Dr. CĂtĂlin Aldescu, Geographer, Banat Water Basin Administration
Experienced professional with a 20 years demonstrated history of working in the water management field.
Skilled in water resource management, environmental awareness, teamwork and project management. Pragmatic yet passionate about his field of work.
Policymaker, Practicioner, Architect, Aveiro Municipality
Ângela Cunha, Policymaker, Practicioner, Architect, Aveiro Municipality
She has been working for the City of Aveiro for the past twenty years. As an architect, she has contributed at different scales, ranging from public buildings and public spaces to urban planning projects. Since 2014, she has been part of the Economic Development and Entrepreneurship Division, where she supports urban development strategies and assists in the management of funded projects and programmes. She was a member of the team responsible for developing the Strategic Plan for Urban Development of the City of Aveiro, which will guide the city’s main urban rehabilitation interventions in the coming years. Among her different roles, participation in European projects stands out as an important opportunity to learn from other realities and promote knowledge exchange at a European level. At present, she is involved in the NBSINFRA project, contributing to the development and implementation of nature-based solutions and resilient urban strategies.
Moderators
Expert, Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions, ICLEI Europe
Kassia Rudd, Expert, Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions, ICLEI Europe
Karen Naciph Mora is an Expert in the Nature-based Solutions and Biodiversity team at ICLEI European Secretariat, where she focuses on topics related to pollution, environmental quality, and water management. Karen has a background in environmental engineering and a MSc. Degree in Water Resources and Environmental Management. She is supporting the implementation of several EU level initiatives and projects like NBRACER, Urban ReLeaf, Soils for Europe (SOLO), NICE, among others.
Expert, Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions, ICLEI Europe
Marcelo Gerlach, Expert, Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions, ICLEI Europe
Marcelo's current work focuses on researching and practising social-ecological interactions, nature-based solutions, and the transition to agroecology with local governments across Europe. His other interests and areas of work include agroforestry, social ecology, epistemic colonialism and political educational work.