Nature-based solutions in humanitarian settlements
Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) is a new term for an old idea – working with nature to address societal needs. Throughout history, societies at different stages of economic and technological development have harnessed natural processes and features to address needs and improve living conditions. In their current forms, NBS thus reformulate old ideas into new practices.
Recent expansion of NBS in research, public policy, and practice is driven by recognition of the harmful environmental consequences of industrialisation and urbanisation and the new societal challenges these consequences entail. Climate change and other forms of environmental degradation present myriad challenges such as increasing climate risks (e.g., extreme heat and floods), water scarcity, and loss of biodiversity. In this context, NBS are presented as localised ways to address these societal challenges while protecting, restoring or creating new ecosystems.
Urban environments, where large populations entail convergences of societal challenges and environmental risks, have received particular attention regarding the potential of NBS. In urban settings NBS are identified as ways of integrating natural features and processes within developed landscapes to simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits. Different forms of urban NBS are presented as alternatives or extensions to conventional infrastructure or as new nature-oriented urban features.
Humanitarian settings are a particular type of urbanism where NBS could be beneficial. Settlements providing accommodation, assistance and protection for refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs) take a wide variety of forms. Underlying this variety is a humanitarian impetus and the intended temporary accommodation of displaced people. While settlements often operate for extended periods, the intended temporary character, water scarcity and other common environmental limitations of land where settlements are located can present obstacles for NBS. Notwithstanding such obstacles, integration of NBS into settlements could support protection and restoration of ecosystems while simultaneously addressing many of the myriad challenges of developing and operating of humanitarian settlements and meeting the needs of displaced people.
Integration of NBS into settlement planning and development aligns with UNHCR’s strategic policy framework intended to address climate change and other environmental impacts. Specifically, the UNHCR Strategic Framework for Climate Action aims:
"...to preserve and rehabilitate the natural environment and mitigate environmental degradation in displacement settings”,
and
"to enhance the resilience of displaced people and host communities to climate-related and other environmental risks [by] investing in anticipatory action to reduce and manage these risks."
Similarly, UNHCR’s Operational Strategy for Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability 2022-2025 states:
"UNHCR and partners will continue to learn from and adapt to local traditional and indigenous knowledge, including nature-based solutions."
As leader of the EPFL EssentialTech’s Humanitarian Division, Greg works at the interface of research and humanitarian action. He is leading several large-scale partnerships between EPFL and the ICRC (Engineering for Humanitarian Action), the UNHCR (The Geneva Technical Hub) and the Graduate Institute (The Future of Humanitarian Design). He is also developing executive trainings for humanitarian practitioners on the responsible use of technology in humanitarian setting, as well as about cybersecurity in the sector. Prior to working at EssentialTech, he led the Innovation Coordination at MSF (Doctors Without Borders) Switzerland, aimed at harnessing the power of medical, humanitarian and digital innovations to meet the needs of patients and others affected by disasters. He previously worked several years as a manager for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in various regions affected by armed conflicts (Afghanistan, Colombia, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire) and later as Deputy Director for the Antenna Foundation, an NGO that incubates innovative solutions to meet the basic needs of people living in poverty. He is the co-founder and current President of the Board of Watalux SA, a social startup developing innovation for safe water and better hygiene in hospitals, and Board Member of SwissSolidarity, a leading Swiss philanthropic foundation. He holds a PhD in Life Science from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland).
Integrated Settlement Planning