The Water Center is pleased to announce the release of a new policy brief, The Nexus of Climate Change, Nature-based Solutions, and CSO Remediation in the Northeast MegaRegion.
The policy brief, developed from the Water Center’s first annual Spring Water Policy Forum held on April 11th, addresses the critical intersection of climate change, Nature-based Solutions (NbS), and combined sewer overflow (CSO) remediation in the Northeast MegaRegion. Cities from Boston to Washington, D.C., are grappling with increasing storm intensity, flooding, and aging combined sewer systems, underscoring the need for innovative approaches to CSO compliance and climate resiliency. The Policy Forum brought together diverse stakeholders to identify barriers and solutions for implementing NbS, which offer promising avenues for managing urban water challenges. Participants highlighted the lack of sufficient data and funding as key challenges, while emphasizing the potential of green infrastructure, smart technologies, and proactive asset management strategies to drive progress. This report captures these insights and outlines pathways for catalyzing action to address urban water challenges across the region.
The Water Center would like to express our gratitude to the Penn Program on Regulation and the Penn Carey Law School for co-hosting the first annual Spring Water Policy Forum, and the Environmental Innovations Initiative their support of our Research Community, Catalyzing Nature-Based Solutions to Address Urban Water Challenges in Philadelphia Communities, which has helped to advance this work.