Nature: A Critical Infrastructure, with Prof. Anusha Shah

Send us Fan MailWhat if we treated wetlands, rivers and forests with the same seriousness as bridges, tunnels and treatment plants? We sit down with Prof Anusha Shah, the engineer, former ICE President, and founder of Plan for Earth, to explore how putting nature at the heart of decisions can transform cities, infrastructure and public health.Anusha shares the personal path from the lakes and landscapes of Kashmir to global practice, then maps for us a clear shift from “less harm” to regenerative growth. We look at the hard data on biodiversity loss and breached planetary boundaries, and then pivot to solutions: protecting remaining ecosystems, restoring damaged ones, transforming food and material systems, and reconnecting people with urban nature. Water threads through everything—too much, too little, too dirty—so we talk catchments, upstream‑downstream design, and why most climate risk is really water risk.The conversation gets practical as nature becomes critical infrastructure, managed as an asset class with registers, metrics and maintenance. We dig into funding gaps, the trillion‑scale value of ecosystem services, and how blended finance can scale what works. Then, looking to COP31, we call for a move from pledges to proof: phasing out fossil fuels, mobilising climate finance, and accelerating adaptation and restoration.If you’re an engineer, planner, investor or policymaker, this is a blueprint for action. You’ll leave with a playbook to mainstream nature‑positive design, examples you can adapt, and a renewed case for careers that combine data and storytelling to deliver healthier places.Follow GoodGeist for more episodes on sustainability, communications and how creativity can help make the world a better place.