Dr Jordana Ramalho and Dr Pascale Hofmann from the Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU) presented insights from the action‑research project Listen, Learn & Leap: Co‑producing Nature-based Solutions in East African Cities at the CamCOP 2026 Symposium, held at the University of Cambridge.
Hosted by the Cambridge Climate Society, this year’s symposium spotlighted the role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in advancing effective and inclusive climate action. As invited panellists, Dr Ramalho and Dr Hofmann joined a lively discussion on how locally grounded approaches can shape sustainable and socially just responses to the climate crisis.
Drawing from their fieldwork across East African cities, they emphasised the transformative potential of co‑produced NbS; initiatives built in partnership with communities dealing directly with climate impacts. Their presentation explored how residents are engaging with and reshaping their local environments to improve resilience, equity, and ecological health.
The Listen, Learn & Leap project is led by the DPU and aims to advance understanding of how community‑driven innovation can support the equitable implementation of nature‑based solutions in rapidly urbanising contexts.
Other panellists included Ricardo Calçado (Onda Solidária, Brazil), Susan Buckingham and Tony Booth (Friends of the Cam), and Ben Greig (On the Verge Cambridge). The event was supported by the University of Cambridge Department of Geography, Department of Plant Sciences, CAM Zero, and Wolfson College Interdisciplinary Research Hubs.
A recording of the session is available here.
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