CLIM050 - Natural Asset Management Fundamentals

Course Description

You will explore the challenges of declining infrastructure quality and diminishing ecosystem health, exacerbated by climate change. To address this, you will learn how leading local governments are starting to value and account for natural assets in their financial planning and asset management programs. This course covers core concepts, recent case examples, and the latest approaches to municipal natural asset management, delivered by the Executive Director of the Natural Assets Initiative.

Course Outline

In this course, you will:

• Explore the challenges of declining infrastructure quality and ecosystem health
• Understand how climate change exacerbates these challenges
• Learn how to identify, value, and account for natural assets in financial planning and asset management
• Study core concepts and terminology of natural asset management and green infrastructure
• Review recent case examples of natural asset management in Canadian communities
• Discuss key barriers and opportunities to scaling up natural asset management
• Develop strategies to advance natural asset management in your own context
• Participate in discussions with peers and the instructor to address specific challenges and opportunities in your community

Learner Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Understand and appreciate that natural assets can or do provide services to local governments
• Recognize how modern structured asset management in Canada is a useful platform for natural asset management
• Understand core terminology, including how natural assets fit within the concept of green infrastructure
• Be familiar with several Canadian case examples of natural asset management
• Identify key barriers and opportunities to scaling up natural asset management
• Advance natural asset management in your own context and know where to find additional resources

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Climate Adaptation Fundamentals Micro-credential : Elective Courses
• Infrastructure and Climate Resilience Planning Micro-credential : Elective Courses