What can Bangladesh look like in a century, how will the country grow and flourish? With what developments can we respond to avoid or withstand extreme situations and growing uncertainties as a result of climate change and biodiversity loss? Which transitions are needed and what solutions are possible?
Those are the questions answered in the new Nature-based Future Challenge. Last November 29, the kick-off event took place at Wageningen University & Research (WUR). In the challenge, students are invited to work on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in international teams. This year, the focus is on the delta in Bangladesh. Students will visualise the potential of nature-based solutions to respond to the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss in Bangladesh delta. By analysing soil, water, and other relevant data, as well as engaging with stakeholders, a nature-positive vision for Bangladesh in the year 2120 has to be created and presented in form of spatial planning maps and illustrative renderings.
The Challenge welcomes students from universities and universities of applied sciences worldwide, in all phases of their studies (BSc, MSc, PhD or equivalent). Students with various study backgrounds are encouraged to participate, including but not limited to Landscape Architecture, Spatial Planning, Forestry, (Organic) Agriculture, Nature Conservation, Environmental Sciences, and Land, Water, Urban, and Marine Resources Management. The Nature-based future Challenge occurs over three rounds between November 2023 and June 2024.
This years and previous Nature-based Future Challenges are made possible by the support of a partner network that includes the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and the University Fund Wageningen. For more information about the challenge, visit the official website: Nature-based Future Challenge.
For an example performance team, visit this blog to read about an international team called NatureSync, who is taking on the challenge. Indira Bijl, Bsc Land and Water Management student from the Netherlands, is keeping the blog updated on behave of her teams contributions in the challenge.
