Nature provides innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, including river flooding, droughts, poor water quality and other water security challenges. These challenges can cause substantial economic losses and affect the well-being and security of communities and infrastructure. The frequency and magnitude of droughts and floods are expected to increase with climate change, impacting agriculture production, energy supply, and human health. To combat the challenges, decision-makers need to have the information and capacity required to plan effective adaptation measures.

The Launchramp is a project origination and development process for Nature-based Solutions interventions (NbS). The methodology is a holistically structured and guided framework to assess the feasibility of implementing NbS for adaptation that can complement conventional “grey” infrastructure, and in some cases even replace it, to limit the recurring impacts of floods and droughts on infrastructure, industries, ecosystems and communities in a more sustainable and cost-efficient manner.

The Launchramp comprises several components to define the project’s ambition, conduct site analyses, evaluate governance and policy arrangements, identify applicable NbS and structure suitable financing.

The methodology has been developed to assist public sector stakeholders and private investors in creating a project portfolio with NbS interventions. The Launchramp uses a participatory approach with the local stakeholders to establish the policy, governance, finance, and technical considerations needed to implement the NbS project.

Please find a guiding document of the Launchramp methodology here.

The objective of the Nature for Catchments Launchramp is to:

• assess the feasibility of NbS and their ability to support climate adaptation and reduce the impact of floods and droughts on people, infrastructure, and the economy;
• deliver specific NbS interventions that align with stakeholders’ interests, are embedded in the local institutional and policy framework, and are suitable for further development (i.e., feasibility and implementation stages);
• guide the process of an NbS project; whether as a stand-alone NbS or as a complement to an investment pipeline of infrastructure projects;
• improve access to both private and public financing and funding to develop impactful and bankable NbS or hybrid infrastructure projects;
• identify and quantify co-benefits of NbS measures.

Finalised

• Thessaly Region Greece: Adressing riverine flooding with Nature-based Solutions in the Thessaly Region, Greece
• Pedeios River, Cyprus: Adressing flooding with Nature-based Solutions along the Pedieos river, Cyprus

Running projects

• Several case studies as part of European Horizon NATALIE Project

Organisations who supported the development and implementation of the Nature for Catchments Launchramp Methodology:

• Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation
• European Investment Bank
• WWF Greece
• Mava Foundation
• Cyprus Energy Agency
• ICatalist
• The Nature Conservancy