Research on nature-based solutions (NbS) for coastal protection – i.e., using coastal ecosystems to reduce flood extents and damages – has received a lot of attention and funding over the last decade. However, the implementation of these nature-based solutions remains a challenge. This can seem surprising given the extent of research on this topic, but there are several issues that remain to be addressed before such solutions can be implemented at scale in at-risk coastal communities. In this seminar, I will provide a brief overview of what we know regarding the science of NbS and focus mostly on the key challenges with NbS implementation in the USA and globally.

Dr. Siddharth (Sid) Narayan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Coastal Studies at East Carolina University. Originally from India, Dr. Narayan obtained an M.Sc. in Coastal Engineering and Management from T.U. Delft in the Netherlands, and a Ph.D. in coastal engineering at the University of Southampton in the U.K. He spent the next four years as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California in Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. Now in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, his work explores the role ecosystem-based adaptation strategies can play in helping communities adapt to hazards within complex coastal settings. Sid works with various agencies, institutions, and donors, including the IUCN, The Nature Conservancy, NOAA, NASA, and the NSF. His lab's research spans multiple locations, from North Carolina to Ghana to Fiji.

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