Using the natural environment as starting point
As our climate changes, it is clear that current infrastructure solutions cannot simply be udpated to deal with the challenges ahead of us. Confronted by rising sea levels, changes in precipitation and drought patterns, changing river flows, more intense storms and a growing and proactive world population, coastal and delta areas face increased pressure to align their activities in a limited space. Project owners and initaors managers are beginning to understand that infrastructure solutions need to be integrated and resilient utilizing the values of the ecosystems rather than using more traditional infrastructure approaches.
In 2007, dredging companies, civil engineering firms, universities and NGOs united in the Ecoshape consortium and started exploring projects that reinforce existing coastal infrastructures through creation of mangroves, saltmarsh foreshores, oyster reefs and sandy beaches and dunes (Ecoshape, 2017). Commonly referred to as Building with Nature, the dynamic approach makes use of the services provided by the local ecosystem to meet the adaptation to a range of (climate) scenario’s. Furthermore, the solutions have the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation by trapping carbon in marine sediments and serving as a CO2 sink (Duarte et al., 2013). The approach is similar to the PIANC Working with Nature and USACE Engineering with Nature philosophies.
Within the Building with Nature programme, various large scale pilots have been executed. The lessons learned offers major opportunities to the ports and navigation sector whereby the knowledge and experience gained from concepts tested in pilot projects can be upgraded towards project scale. This contributes to reducing business risks and operational costs, while offering substantial opportunities for operating responsibly in sensitive environments. Further, inclusive approaches that sustain ecosystems and their values could help create shared value, enabling multiple land uses to co-exist in the wider landscape. Based on concrete examples, and considered against future climate change scenarios, this session explores how the approach can help the sector to meet its development and sustainability goals and what technical, organizational and collaboration challenges are ahead of us.
Mangroves as Natural Coastal Protection
As the volume of sand is rapidly declining on a global scale, alternative solutions need to be considerd that better match the natural coastline. Many countries along the equator have or had mangroves as natural protection. In addition to attenuating the waves, controlling water levels and providing a natural habitat, they inherently protect the livelyhood of the hinterland communities both with regards to flood safety as food and wood.
Within the Building with Nature programme, a large scale pilot project is being executed along an eroding coastline in Indonesia. Numerous lessons learned have been gained along the way which are essential in understanding how to design and implement such a solution on a global scale, with regards to the natural system and the governance / social side. The experience can also be used for marine and coastal infrastructure projects along the Panamanian Coastline and other countries in Central America.
Sand as Natural Coastal Protection
Along the Dutch coast, where sand is still at hand, a large scale coastal nourishment project (Hondsbossche Pettemer Zeewering & Port of Rotterdam Maasvlakte 2 expansion) was executed using sand as a basis rather than the existing rock revetments. For the coast protection, the design was made such that natural dunes and a lagoon were incorporated into the overall solution, providing for both nature and public space (recreation). Furthermore, a long term maintenance period was included in the design, ensuring an adaptive design that incldued potential future changes.
License to Operate
Requirements by IFC, OECD and local legislators to take measures to avoid, minimize and off-set the impacts of their interventions become increasingly strict and influence the feasibility of infrastructure projects. Consequently, the costs and duration of permitting procedures for traditional infrastructures are increasing rapidly. Meanwhile residual social and environmental impacts remain high, particularly in vulnerable coastal environments that harbor critical habitats such as mudflats, coral reefs or mangroves.
A core aspect of Building with Nature is that it embeds hydraulic infrastructure in the landscape in a way that results in minimal disturbance of the natural environment. Additionally, the integration of ecosystem-based measures in infrastructural designs does not only enhance the resilience of engineering works, but also increases their sustainability. In some cases this results in a net-positive impact: the net social and environmental benefits of a development are higher, when measured against a business as usual scenario. This offers substantial benefits for the ports and navigation sector. Beyond facilitating compliance, it contributes to ambitions of the sector to responsibly operate in sensitive environments, in line with CSR principles.
The paper and presentation will provide a short description of the Building with Nature philosophy as well as lessons learned from various pilots and projects around the world for different coastline types and marine and coastal infrastructure.