Restoring pocosin wetlands represents an opportunity for North Carolina to combat climate change while supporting community health, wildlife and recreation, write Katie Warnell (Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability) and Curt Richardson (Duke University Wetland Center) in a LinkedIn article.

Lydia Olander, director of the Nicholas Institute's Ecosystem Services Program, spoke with The Chronicle about Duke University's new partnership with the Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN). Olander explained how existing Duke programs will benefit from N-EWN, how Duke's expertise can contribute to other partners in the network, and why nature-based solutions are critical to addressing the climate crisis.

Duke University is bringing its expertise in environmental management, policy and engineering to an active community of researchers, practitioners and educators who are addressing major infrastructure challenges in the United States through “Engineering With Nature®.” The Nicholas Institute will lead Duke’s involvement in the Network for Engineering With Nature, working with faculty, staff and students across the university.

In an Aug. 23 webinar, White House officials provided an overview of new guidance that offers direction on how federal agencies can incorporate ecosystem services into their decision-making processes. The speakers also discussed how the guidance fits into a broader administration effort to acknowledge, account for and monitor ecosystem services and natural capital. The webinar was hosted by the National Ecosystem Services Partnership.

Duke University is one of 11 consortium members of the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. Hosted by North Carolina State University for the next five years, the center provides actionable science to help Southeastern communities and ecosystems adapt to a changing climate.

Watch a recording of the July 27 panel event to hear from experts who detailed past examples and proposed concepts for financing nature-based solutions using green banks. This event was co-hosted by the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and the Environmental Policy Innovation Center.

An interdisciplinary group of 18 Duke students brought considerable and diverse skills to bolster the Nicholas Institute’s research, engagement and educational endeavors during the 2022–2023 academic year.

The Conservation Trust for North Carolina and the Nicholas Institute have designed a pair of online tools for conservation organizations and land trusts to evaluate the benefits of North Carolina's natural and working lands to climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation.

Little attention has been paid to the economic benefits of natural systems beyond basic measures of GDP. Katie Warnell spoke with Context about how quantifying their value could help drive conservation and preservation policy making.

Over $36 million in initial gifts will launch the Duke Climate Commitment, a new university-wide initiative focused on addressing climate change.