COPEP & PIANC NSW: Engineering with nature: creating resilient coastal systems 31 Aug 2026

 

Join internationally recognised engineer and researcher Dr Todd Bridges for an insightful presentation on how nature-based solutions are reshaping coastal and flood resilience. As climate pressures intensify and infrastructure systems face growing uncertainty, engineers must deliver solutions that are technically robust, environmentally sustainable, and socially beneficial.

This session will explore how Engineering With Nature® principles can be applied to coastal and flood risk management to improve resilience, enhance ecosystem outcomes, and support long-term infrastructure performance.

As coastal development expands, questions arise about whether traditional 20th-century engineering approaches remain appropriate. Land reclamation and ‘hard’ engineering have enabled communities, industry, and governments to exert control over land and water, but often at the cost of systems now misaligned with changing conditions.

Building resilience at scale will require unprecedented cross-sector collaboration over coming decades—rethinking land use, designing multi-functional infrastructure, and integrating natural and human systems to create more adaptive, sustainable coastal landscapes.

We look forward to welcoming you to this upcoming event.