Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience

Dr. Nathalie Doswald currently serves as Technical Advisor on Nature-based Solutions at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Chair of the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR), where she bridges science and policy in climate resilience and disaster risk reduction. After earning her Ph.D. in Ecology with a focus on climate change impacts on biodiversity, she has established herself as a leading authority in ecosystem-based approaches to environmental challenges. Her work at UNEP's Disasters and Conflicts Program has been instrumental in scaling up Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) initiatives, while her earlier role at UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Center saw her emerge as a pioneering expert in Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). As an educator and advocate, she has contributed to numerous influential publications and leads the development of online courses, including the Massive Open Online Course on Nature-based Solutions for Disaster and Climate Resilience, which has reached over 50,000 participants from 192 countries. Her work continues to shape international policy and practice in environmental conservation, particularly in understanding how ecosystem services can be harnessed for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation

Mikhail Fernandes serves as a Communications and Eco-DRR Knowledge Network Consultant at the United Nations Environment Programme, where he plays a crucial role in promoting Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR). His diverse career began in Southern India leading community-based forest conservation projects and researching indigenous environmental practices, before expanding to the United States where he supported native prairie restoration and farm-to-fork initiatives in rural Indiana. His expertise spans across continents, from implementing permaculture practices in Ubud, Indonesia, to empowering marginalized youth in gang-affected communities in South Africa. At UNEP, he has been instrumental in developing and disseminating knowledge products on Eco-DRR and NbS, contributing to major policy discussions at Conference of Parties meetings and helping to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical implementation. As a lead faculty member for the SDG Academy's course on Nature-based Solutions for Disaster and Climate Resilience, he advocates for cross-sectoral engagement and innovative financing mechanisms to scale up NbS initiatives globally, while emphasizing the importance of working with nature rather than against it to address multiple social, economic, and environmental challenges simultaneously.

Xinyue Gu serves as a communications lead at UNEP's Disasters and Conflicts Programme, where she amplifies visibility of critical environmental issues related to disasters, conflicts, natural resources, and climate change. Her professional journey includes digital marketing experience in Hong Kong and mainland China, along with a role as reporter and editor for the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Varsity magazine. With an M.Phil in Multi-disciplinary Gender Studies, she combines her communications expertise with gender advocacy, particularly focusing on gender and media, queer migration, and contemporary Chinese gender norms. Beyond her UN work, she demonstrates her commitment to social justice through volunteer work at the Beijing LGBT Centre, where she supports communications efforts to advocate for sexual and gender minorities in China. Her unique combination of environmental communication skills and gender advocacy expertise allows her to bring an intersectional perspective to global environmental challenges while promoting inclusive dialogue on climate action and disaster resilience.