PD Dr. Udo Nehren is a senior researcher and lecturer in Physical Geography and Ecosystem Management at the ITT and associate professor at the University of Passau. He received a PhD degree in Geography from University of Leipzig and a habilitation in Geography from University of Passau. Udo has been working in Latin America for the last 15 years in six international research projects, one of which he led and three of which he scientifically coordinated. Moreover, he was the scientific coordinator of the international university network ‘Centers for Natural Resources and Development (CNRD)’ (funded by the BMZ and coordinated by the DAAD; 2009-2014) and led three DAAD projects in Brazil (2018/2019) and Morocco (2016-2018). He published several journal and book articles in the field of ecosystem services, environmental change and natural hazards focusing in recent years on coastal systems. He is the lead editor of the book “Strategies and tools for a sustainable rural Rio de Janeiro (Springer)”, co-editor of the book “Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and adaptation in practice (Springer)” and lead developer of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Disasters and Ecosystems: Resilience in a Changing Climate“ (UN Environment/CNRD).