Futures Leaders Summit Workshop: Preventing Floods With Natural Solutions

Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience: Land Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Ecosystem Restoration

As part of Futures Leaders Summit 2025, taking place on 19 December 2025 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the BH Futures Foundation (BHFF) will host a dedicated workshop titled “Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience: Land Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Ecosystem Restoration.”
The 120-minute workshop will be conducted in Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, and English, enabling inclusive participation from both regional and international stakeholders.

Context and Purpose

The Western Balkans is increasingly exposed to floods, droughts, and land degradation, driven by climate change and unsustainable land-use practices. These challenges highlight the urgent need for innovative, integrated approaches that connect climate adaptation, sustainable land management, and Nature-Based Solutions (NbS).

This workshop aims to:

  • bring together young professionals, researchers, policymakers, and representatives of international organizations;

  • showcase practical examples of Nature-Based Solutions for disaster risk reduction and ecosystem restoration;

  • foster dialogue on the integration of scientific knowledge, public policy, and local expertise in land management;

  • contribute to a joint post-event report summarizing key lessons, recommendations, and good practices from across the region.

Workshop Agenda and Key Sessions

The workshop will open with a welcome and introduction by Dr. Martina Egedusević (University of Exeter), who will outline the objectives and structure of the session.

This will be followed by an inspirational keynote address by Samira Hunček from the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on disaster risk reduction in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an emphasis on institutional frameworks, challenges, and future opportunities.

The thematic part of the workshop will include three expert-led sessions:

  • Adaptive pathways for flood risk mitigation through optimal nature-inspired solutions, presented through a case study of the Pilica River Basin in Poland, delivered by Nikola Stevanović, Young Water Professional – Utility of the Future.

  • Implementation of Nature-Based Solutions: examples of good practice, presented by Dr. Martina Egedusević (University of Exeter), highlighting applied research and real-world experiences.

  • Climate adaptation projects in urban environments, presented by Haris Piplas from ETH Zürich, focusing on innovative approaches to building climate-resilient cities.

The workshop will conclude with a final exchange and joint discussion, during which all participants will collaboratively summarize the key messages, insights, and recommendations.

Expected Outcomes

A key outcome of the workshop will be a concise report titled:
“Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience: Lessons and Recommendations from Future Leaders Summit 2025.”

The report will include:

  • a summary of discussions,

  • key conclusions and policy-relevant messages,

  • identified opportunities for regional and international cooperation.

The publication will be made available online and distributed to relevant institutions and networks, including UNCCD, OSCE, UNEP, universities, and youth researcher networks, ensuring that the workshop’s insights contribute to broader regional and international dialogue.

Speakers

  • Samira Hunček – Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Haris Piplas – ETH Zürich

  • Nikola Stevanović – Young Water Professional, Utility of the Future

  • Dr. Martina Egedusević – University of Exeter, Workshop Moderator

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