Study shows that adopting nature-driven infrastructure is a cost-effective, sustainable, and resilient approach to achieving SDGs and other development objectives
A report titled "Nature-based Infrastructure: How natural infrastructure solutions can address sustainable development challenges and the triple planetary crisis" has been co-authored by UNEP, UNOPS, and the University of Oxford. The report highlights the potential of nature-based infrastructure solutions to positively impact 79 percent of SDG targets, promoting sustainable development, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.
The Global Infrastructure Hub has estimated that meeting global demand for services by 2040 will require almost US$100 trillion of investment in sustainable infrastructure. Nature-based infrastructure, which involves nature providing services directly or indirectly, is a cost-effective, sustainable, and resilient approach to achieving SDGs and other development objectives.
The report reveals that the most significant impact on SDGs occurs when nature-based solutions are combined with built infrastructure assets, influencing up to 95 percent of all SDG targets. Nature-based infrastructure can influence three long-term goals and 70 percent of the 23 targets regarding the Global Biodiversity Framework.
The report states that nature-based infrastructure supports climate adaptation by protecting communities and infrastructure, fostering more resilient economies, societies, and ecosystems. It cites examples such as restoring Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's coral reefs and providing flood protection and livelihood opportunities for over 8,600 people.
Nature-based infrastructure offers mitigation benefits, including carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from conventional infrastructure construction and operation. For instance, green roofs at Chicago O'Hare Airport doubled the lifespan of roofs, reducing repair and replacement needs.
Furthermore, the report highlights nature-based infrastructure's role in halting and reversing the loss of nature. Successful examples in Belgium are managing vegetation under transmission lines, increasing biodiversity, and reducing maintenance costs.
The report aims to promote the use of nature-based solutions as a critical component of sustainable infrastructure systems. It outlines benefits, barriers, and recommendations, stressing interdisciplinary collaboration, more data on long-term performance, and innovative financing models.
Speaking on the report, UNOPS Deputy Director Steven Crosskey emphasises the significance of infrastructure decisions in addressing the triple planetary crises. UNEP Industry and Economy Division Director Sheila Aggarwal-Khan underscores the crucial role of natural infrastructure in delivering sustainable development services, emphasising the need for planning that accounts for and safeguards natural assets.