Greening gray infrastructure: Uncovering the complexity of nature-based solutions

Nature-based Solutions are a hot topic in environment and landscape planning networks. But are they a silver bullet for solving the climate crisis?

Construction workers build stronger riverbanks along the Nile River to protect it from erosion. Dominic Chavez/World Bank.
Construction workers build stronger riverbanks along the Nile River to protect it from erosion. Photo: Dominic Chavez / World Bank.

Explainer: Digital twins

A technology pioneered in space exploration is now being used to manage product life cycles, smart cities, and river basins. But what is it exactly?

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Apollo 13 lunar module pilot, Fred W. Haise Jr., trains in the Apollo Lunar Module Mission Simulator at the Kennedy Space Center. Photo: NASA

What is good for fish, is good for people and planet

The Mekong fishery is at a tipping point. Integrating fish into agricultural landscapes may be the sustainable way forward.

Fisherwoman checking a fishing line in Mekong, Laos. Photo: Patrick Dugan

Closing the African data gap

A new open access database is valuable for sustainable development in the energy and water sectors.

Distribution of power plants across Africa. Bigger circles denote larger annual water withdrawal in 2020. Foresight Initiative / IWMI.
Distribution of power plants across Africa. Bigger circles denote larger annual water withdrawal in 2020. Photo: Foresight Initiative / IWMI.

The best time to plan for drought is when it’s raining

Disaster response needs to move from reactive to proactive if we are going to adapt to climate change.

Fishing boats left to rust as the Aral Sea shrinks in Central Asia. Photo: IWMI
Fishing boats left to rust as the Aral Sea shrinks in Central Asia. Photo: IWMI

Urban wetlands and the built environment: How Colombo’s green spaces enhance city life

Colombo must justify the renewal of its Ramsar Wetland City status this year. Has the city sufficiently utilized green infrastructure?

Drawing of Kinda Canal edged with plants rather than remaining entirely channelized with embankments. Plants slow stormwater flows, allowing sediment and pollutants to settle before being treated. This intervention creates vital new public space. Floating wetlands, as illustrated in the canal, also improve the environment. Laura Keil / IWMI.
Drawing of Kinda Canal in Colombo edged with plants rather than remaining entirely channelized with embankments. Photo: Laura Keil / IWMI.

Heroes of environmental stewardship

As Enviro-Champs, South African youth address environmental challenges through citizen science and digital innovation.

Enviro-Champs take a group photo before checking the health of a river. GroundTruth and the Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust (DUCT).
Enviro-Champs take a group photo before checking the health of a river in South Africa. Photo: GroundTruth and the Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust

Youth-led aquaculture in Northern Ghana 

By transforming underutilized dams into productive aquaculture farms, IWMI is helping to create year-round employment opportunities that reduce the need for youth migration.

Daraku Mohammed Mumin manages the aquaculture nets. Photo: IWMI
Daraku Mohammed Mumin manages the aquaculture nets in Northern Ghana. Photo: IWMI

Findings from a survey of 400 households in 20 communities show the strain on water and other resources.

Girl fetching water from a dug out, Dumnazerbu, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Joe Bala / IWMI
Girl fetching water from a dug out, Dumnazerbu, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Photo: Joe Bala / IWMI

When climate and cocoa collide  

Chocolate prices soar as El Nino dries up major producers but is there more to the story?

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Farmer harvests cocoa pods on his farm in Ghana. Photo: Seifu Tilahun / IWMI