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Department of Spatial Planning
IRPUD_hallway © Uwe Grützner​/​TU Dortmund

More than 40 join ALBATROSS webinar to boost climate resilience with NbS

Albatross Webinar © Oihane Lakar​/​ALBATROSS
Albatross Webinar
27 April 2026 – RER (Regional Development and Risk Management) successfully launched the first webinar for its capacity building program titled “Training for Trainers”. The program is one of the several activities coordinated by RER under the ALBATROSS project. This webinar, titled “The Basics of Nature-based Solutions (NBS)”, drew over 40 participants who actively discussed the potential of NbS and the critical role of spatial planning in building long-term climate resilience.

The initiative aims to help vulnerable communities across five African countries move beyond traditional coping mechanisms, which are no longer sufficient against escalating climate shocks. By integrating NbS with data-driven Climate Services, the programme empowers local leaders to protect food, water, and economic security.

The webinar featured three expert presentations:

  • Prof. Wilbard Kombe (Ardhi University, Tanzania) shared insights from Dar es Salaam on how NbS can be used for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. He stressed that for NbS to be truly effective, they must be directly linked to urban land and spatial planning systems.
  • Dorcas Owusuaa Agyei (IUCN Ghana) presented practical examples of NbS in agriculture, including converting organic waste into compost and using NbS products for pest management, while outlining key management criteria.
  • Prof. Stefan Greiving (RER, TU Dortmund University) focused on spatial planning, demonstrating how “no-regret” measures like tiny forests can reduce heat stress and reforestation can mitigate floods. He highlighted the challenges of implementing NbS on private land, calling for dedicated policies and funding schemes.

The session also covered the opportunities and challenges NbS face in sustainable agriculture and the importance of involving private landowners. The presentations sparked an engaging discussion among the participants, reflecting a strong appetite for actionable knowledge on the ground.

The ALBATROSS project is funded by the European Union and aims to accelerate climate adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa by pioneering innovative and sustainable strategies based on nature and actionable climate information. This first webinar marks a key step in building a network of local trainers equipped with the tools to foster climate resilience across the continent.

For more information contact the coordinator of the capacity building program “Training for Trainers”: genet.alem@tu-dortmund.de.

ALBATROSS