Tackling nature with nature

Thanks largely to climate change, rising sea levels, and urbanisation, the frequency and intensity of flood events for both coastal and inland communities has increased worldwide – as has demand for flood protection.

Investments in infrastructure are urgently needed to ensure community safety and prosperity. However, at a time when both climate change adaptation and mitigation are more important than ever, the infrastructural methods chosen should not risk damage to ecosystems or natural resources. As a result, engineers and scientists have developed methods to build infrastructure in ways that involve or mimic natural landscape features, named ‘nature-based’ infrastructure or systems (NBI).

The key takeaways

• Successful implementation requires strong collaboration across departments.

• Green infrastructure assets require ongoing management beyond the planmaking process.

• Engaging experts from a range of disciplines (i.e. hydrology, ecology and engineering) is a must, due to the complexity of recreating natural systems.

• NBIs provide an opportunity to align projects with conservation, development and poverty alleviation.

• They can create the possibility for collaboration between governments, local communities, NGOs, and the private sector.

Wallasea Island, England –coastal flood protection

Following the prediction of an ‘inevitable’ large flood – which would cause significant disruption and economic loss – the Wallasea Island Wild Coast project was initiated to create a wetland landscape of mudflats, salt marshes, lagoons and pasture for the purposes of coastal defence. The project relied on collaboration between the Royal Society for the Protection of

Birds, various government agencies, scientists, consultants, and stakeholder consultation.

In addition, the benefits of this project include the capture of 2.2 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year, improved habitat creation, waterborne nutrient processing, and increased fish stocks and health. Additionally, costs were avoided not only for loss of built assets in a flood event but also compared to grey flood defence infrastructure.

Fingal, Ireland – local plans for green infrastructure

In Fingal, early promotion of green infrastructure made it a key strategic asset for the county’s development plan, including integrating the spatial framework for biodiversity conservation fully within the land-use planning framework. Green infrastructure assets such as parks, open space, sustainable water management, archaeological and architectural heritage and landscape were also identified utilising the council's GIS system to map and present data.

Illustrating this process is the Portmarnock South Local Area Plan –while creating a new residential area that housed over 3,000 people, the council considered green infrastructure as a core tenet of the design. This included protecting two internationally important sites for biodiversity and creating a variety of green spaces as interconnected zones, including parkland for migratory birds, arable crop areas for native bird species, and sustainable urban drainage systems integrated throughout the plan.

Malmö, Sweden – urban flood protection

The neighbourhood of Augustenborg previously suffered from floods caused by overflowing drainage systems, alongside socio-economic decline. The flooding was leading to extensive damage of local property and restricting access to transport routes. To minimise flood risks, the ‘Ekostaden Augustenborg’ initiative, carried out by the city council in partnership with a housing company, saw the area install a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS). Green roofs, ditches, retention ponds, green spaces and wetlands were created under the project, and as a result, rainwater run-off halved. Co-benefits of the system included improved water quality, lower carbon emissions, aquifer recharge and increased biodiversity through the creation of new wetland habitats.

Maui County council member, co-founder of Pacific Biodiesel and Board member of ICLEI, Kelly King, shares her belief that the world needs more community-based climate change solutions. She explains how biofuels can support a circular economy.

In Hawaii, climate change is at our shores – sealevel rise erosion, increased storm destruction, the decline of endangered species and fragile ecosystems, and threats to traditional indigenous culture are just some of the impacts expected to worsen. As a result, the window for meaningful action to transition away from fossil fuels, reduce emissions, and avoid the worst impacts of climate catastrophe is rapidly closing. Hawaii’s governor previously made the bold statement that net zero, carbon neutrality, is not enough. We must pursue climate change solutions that achieve carbon negative results.

In 1995, my husband and I founded Pacific Biodiesel in Maui as a recycling solution for our island. For almost three decades, we’ve been diverting waste (used cooking oil and grease trap material from local restaurants), recycling it and processing it into one of the most important commodities –renewable fuel. Our company is a model for the circular economy because we’ve done it in a way that provides jobs and keeps revenue in the local economy. Today, we sustainably farm sunflowers and other crops to create culinary oils for local restaurants, then later collect and recycle the used cooking oil to produce more biodiesel.

Community-based agriculture for energy is such a powerful solution for climate change, especially biodiesel which has one of the lowest carbon footprints of any fuel. When we make it out of used cooking oil, we keep that potentially hazardous waste out of the landfill. When we make biodiesel from virgin oils, we let the plants do the hard work of converting sunlight into liquid oil, and sequestering carbon is part of our regenerative farming process. Above all, mitigations to climate change need to include a just transition. Inflexible solutions often leave behind less fortunate, vulnerable populations.

Biodiesel is an industry that’s still growing and unfortunately still not getting the recognition it deserves. Perhaps the industry has been invaded by large corporate interests to the point of engendering scepticism, but I believe there is a community-based aspect that can bring us back to the local solutions it began with.

There are great opportunities for participation at ground level through agriculture and local jobs –both allowing rural communities to participate in climate mitigation and renewable energy while reaping direct economic benefits. The current fossil fuel infrastructure could easily be repurposed for biofuels, and the capacity for backup power generation provided by locally produced biofuels will be critical to disaster response.

I’m invigorated by the collaboration among Hawaii’s federal, state and county government leaders and our local communities to initiate broader, faster action to help turn the tide on climate change, together. Let’s keep talking, keep equity in mind, study the facts and remain flexible!

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