Nature-based solutions for a nature-positive economy
Title: Nature-based solutions for a nature-positive economy: Frameworks, challenges, and success stories from Switzerland and beyond
Speaker: Dr. Thomas Probst
Date: May 20, 2026
Time: 3 PM Armenia time | 1 PM Switzerland time
Zoom link: Click here
About the Talk
The accelerating loss of biodiversity and the impacts of climate change represent two of the most pressing challenges facing economies and societies worldwide. These crises are deeply interconnected and must be addressed in an integrated manner. This online talk examines approaches that simultaneously protect, restore, and enhance biodiversity while contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation – demonstrating how such nature-based solutions can also create economic value.
About the Speaker
Dr. Thomas Probst is co-owner of planval, a company specializing in the sustainable transformation of regions, communities, and business ecosystems. Planval is based in Switzerland, headquartered in Bern. The geographic working scope of planval is focused on Switzerland and the EU. Thomas studied landscape architecture and planning at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. He earned his PhD in cultural geography with an analysis of policy approaches for sustainable landscape development in mountain regions. After working for the Alpine Research Institute in Germany and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, he joined planval to build bridges between research, policy, and practice. His main fields of work are climate change adaptation, nature-based value chains, and innovation management. In the FORACCA project, he is part of the planval team. Together with pilot communities in Armenia until 2028, they are prototyping a toolbox for climate-resilient development.
About the Event
The event is part of the Talks Series of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment and the WSL FORRACA Collaboration, with the support of the Government of Switzerland. The talk is also presented within the framework of the Road to COP17 Initiative, a year-long series of activities in Armenia to boost national awareness and capacities ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the Convention on Biological Diversity, to be held in Yerevan in October 2026.
To join the webinar, use the link.
