WC132 SeptOct 2023 - Magazine - Page 23
NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
SOLUTIONSCAPES
Multidimensional climate solutions at the nexus of nature, food, and water
BY NANDITA B. BASU, NANCY GOUCHER, AND LAURA KLEIN
Wetlands play a key role in
reducing water pollution
from agricultural runo昀昀.
Nandita Basu
Nandita Basu is the
Canada research
chair in Global Water
Sustainability and
Ecohydrology at the
University of Waterloo.
Nancy Goucher
Nancy Goucher is the
knowledge
mobilization
specialist with the
University of Waterloo’s
Water Institute.
Laura Klein
Getty Images
Laura Klein is the
project coordinator
for SOLUTIONSCAPES
at the University of
Waterloo.
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
O AVERT THE WORST IMPACTS of climate change,
the Paris Agreement calls for emissions to be reduced
as soon as possible and to reach net zero by 2050. In
response, governments around the world are investing
in the restoration of wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands to harness their ability to sequester carbon. But with the
widespread adoption of such sustainable solutions, there is an
often-overlooked aspect—the need for appropriate spatial targeting approaches that maximize the co-benefits of these solutions,
particularly in terms of improving water quality and enhancing
other vital ecosystem services.
Now a group of Canadian researchers led by Nandita Basu,
Canada Research Chair in Global Water Sustainability and
Ecohydrology with the University of Waterloo, aims to address
this critical knowledge gap through an innovative project called
SOLUTIONSCAPES that focuses on Canada’s “working landscapes.” Working landscapes are actively managed areas, such as
farmlands, ranches, and other productive spaces where human
activities integrate with the preservation and enhancement of
natural resources and ecosystem services, aiming for both economic prosperity and ecological integrity. By delivering portfolios
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