Nature-based Solutions for Water

Infrastructure at your service

^{© IUCN Water Programme}

Natural Water Infrastructure

'Natural Water Infrastructure' refers to services nature provides for free, such as mangroves protecting shorelines from storms, peatlands sequestering carbon, wetlands filtering contaminated water, lakes storing large water supplies, and floodplains absorbing excess water runoff.

These natural water services perform an infrastructure-like function and are part of what is termed 'Nature-based Solutions'.

^{This infographic shows natural or semi-natural infrastructure which provides services for water resource management with equivalent or similar benefits to built or grey water infrastructure. Download Infographic}^{Natural Infrastructure for Water Management}

^{This infographic shows natural or semi-natural infrastructure which provides services for water resource management with equivalent or similar benefits to built or grey water infrastructure. Download Infographic}^{Natural Infrastructure for Water Management}

'Natural water infrastructure' is not built infrastructure. Instead, it is shaped, grown, eroded or deposited by nature over time. Working with natural infrastructure - provided it is healthy - can amplify and optimise the performance as well as the financial returns of engineered water infrastructure such as dams, levees and reservoirs.

For example, when forests upstream are kept intact, water and soil run-off will be regulated by trees, which in turn safeguards reservoirs from sedimentation build-up, reducing costly clean-up efforts and ensuring continued electricity generation.

^{Srinagarind Dam on the Khwae Yai River in Thailand ©Shutterstock/Pattama Boonsiri}

^{Srinagarind Dam on the Khwae Yai River in Thailand ©Shutterstock/Pattama Boonsiri}

Yet natural water infrastructure is not always accounted for, and as a result, is often sidelined in grey infrastructure projects. This can have negative social and environmental impacts. It can also reduce the natural adaptability of river basins to cope with climate change, and therefore weaken its resilience.

Read more: 'Valuing nature’s water infrastructure' Economist Insights

“We use nature because it is valuable, we lose nature because it is free”

^{Edward Barbier, member of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Advisory Board}

^{Riverbed, Dumbea river, New Caledonia} ^{©Shutterstock/Damsea}

Natural water infrastructure and climate change

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are defined by IUCN as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”.

New York is one of the few cities in the US that can provide nearly all of its tap water without relying on expensive filtration plants. This is thanks to a healthy forested and intact upstream watershed, the Catskill Mountains. If this were not the case, the city would have to invest more than $10 billion in new water filtration facilities, another $100 million annually for operational costs, and everyone’s water bills would rise significantly to cover the cost (New-York Times). ^{Photo: New York City Manhattan cityscape ©Shutterstock/Manamana}

New York is one of the few cities in the US that can provide nearly all of its tap water without relying on expensive filtration plants. This is thanks to a healthy forested and intact upstream watershed, the Catskill Mountains. If this were not the case, the city would have to invest more than $10 billion in new water filtration facilities, another $100 million annually for operational costs, and everyone’s water bills would rise significantly to cover the cost (New-York Times). ^{Photo: New York City Manhattan cityscape ©Shutterstock/Manamana}

Critically, water drives our climate. Water and weather, the delicate balance between evaporation and precipitation, is the primary cycle through which the climate breakdown is felt. As our climate changes, droughts, floods, melting glaciers, sea-level rise and storms intensify, therefore climate change affects the hydrology we so heavily rely on.

^{For more information on natural water infrastructure and Nature-based Solutions in cities:}^{'Nature in the City -} ^{Green solutions for sustainable, healthy and resilient Cities'}^{Photo ©Shutterstock/AC Rider}

^{For more information on natural water infrastructure and Nature-based Solutions in cities:}^{'Nature in the City -} ^{Green solutions for sustainable, healthy and resilient Cities'}^{Photo ©Shutterstock/AC Rider}

The way we grow our food, generate hydropower electricity, and supply water to our cities is underpinned by natural water infrastructure. At the same time, it maintains important biophysical processes, such as climate regulation, and provides a safe haven for biodiversity to flourish.

"Nature is a tool we can use, to repair our broken planet [...] Natural climate solutions get just 2% of all the money used on tackling climate breakdown." George Monbiot, writer and climate activist.

^{Video 'Nature Now' with climate activist Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot} ^{©Conservation International}

The 2020 World Water Development Report, launched each year on 22 March for World Water Day, calls upon States to make more concrete commitments to address the challenge of access and availability to freshwater resources, especially in light of climate change (link to report).

Creating resilience to support people's health and combat climate change can be done through supporting the vital ecosystem services we rely on from nature, such as restoring forests to improve air quality, re-planting mangroves to buffer against severe storms and store carbon, and leaving watersheds intact for safe and clean water supply.

^{With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, handwashing to prevent infection has become a number one priority. Yet, access to clean water for handwashing is still a luxury for many. Over 3 billion people lack basic handwashing facilities, and 1 in 3 people still do not have access to safe drinking water (UNICEF/WHO) Photo ©Unsplash/Melissa Jeanty}

^{With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, handwashing to prevent infection has become a number one priority. Yet, access to clean water for handwashing is still a luxury for many. Over 3 billion people lack basic handwashing facilities, and 1 in 3 people still do not have access to safe drinking water (UNICEF/WHO) Photo ©Unsplash/Melissa Jeanty}

"Water does not need to be a problem – it can be part of the solution. Water can support efforts to both mitigate and adapt to climate change” Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General

On World Water Day 2020, the need to re-focus on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 is more urgent than ever: ‘Ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’.

^{Photo ©Shutterstock/Riccardo Mayer}

Natural and built water infrastructure: a careful trade-off

Built (or grey) infrastructure and its benefits are well documented and understood. Natural (or green) infrastructure is less well understood and the benefits are harder to quantify. Quantifying those benefits will help in influencing the debate within the same decision-making framework as built infrastructure.

"When construction of engineered infrastructure takes place, it should be built in balance with nature. Recognizing that infrastructure performance is dependent not just on management practice and operational rules but also, very importantly, on ecosystem services"^{Rebecca Welling, Natural Infrastructure Advisor IUCN Global Water Programme}

^{This animated video explores how natural infrastructure can provide cost-effective and sustainable solutions for climate change adaptation.}^{Set in the Volta and Tana basins, the video illustrates how investing in natural infrastructure, such as restoring forests, re-vegetating river banks, and protecting and managing natural floodplains, can optimise the performance of engineered infrastructure such as dams and reservoirs, whilst providing system-wide adaptation and local development benefits. The WISE-UP project animated video demonstrates new tools and approaches to identify and negotiate the trade-offs that occur in combining climate adaptation with development decisions. Read more WISE-UP:}^{Water Infrastructure Solutions from Ecosystem Services Underpinning Climate Resilient Policies and Programmes}

Combining our understanding of natural systems with the ingenuity of built infrastructure, allows us to maximise the benefits of both to ensure our economies prosper. Nature's functions and natural solutions can help countries build climate resilience to support actions identified in national climate plans.

^{© Shutterstock/Magdalena Paluchowska}

^{© Shutterstock/Magdalena Paluchowska}

The infographic below shows how upstream natural infrastructure supports build infrastructure services in the river system, and how built infrastructure impacts downstream natural infrastructure.

Investing in Natural Infrastructure

Clean and regular water supplies are among the most basic human needs, as well as being core to most industries and to food and energy security. Each year, hundreds of billions of dollars are invested in the equipment and facilities that are required to abstract, store, treat and distribute water.

^{Graphic from Executive Summary}^{Naturally Stronger}^{illustrating the importance of making equitable investment in natural water infrastructure by highlighting successes across the country including contributions to national and local economies ©American Rivers}

^{Graphic from Executive Summary}^{Naturally Stronger}^{illustrating the importance of making equitable investment in natural water infrastructure by highlighting successes across the country including contributions to national and local economies ©American Rivers}

Applying a combined natural-built infrastructure approach requires inclusive governance. Contrary to built infrastructure projects in river basins, Nature-based Solutions often rely on local communities to implement, manage and assess interventions, since it is farmers and local populations - including the roles and contributions of women and indigenous peoples - who are the custodians of the resources, responsible for implementing land stewardship practices.

^{For more on this topic, read:}^{Behavioural change and buy-in: Who do we really need to impress with Nature based Solutions for Water}

^{Women, in particular, play a central role in natural resource management, and have extensive knowledge about water resources and related ecosystems. Photo: Conducting project research with women groups in Ghana © Marloes Mul/IWMI}

^{Women, in particular, play a central role in natural resource management, and have extensive knowledge about water resources and related ecosystems. Photo: Conducting project research with women groups in Ghana © Marloes Mul/IWMI}

Investing in natural infrastructure also requires governments and businesses to change their traditional catchment planning strategies, including governance systems and frameworks.

^{For more on this topic, read:}^{Making water infrastructure investment decisions in a changing climate A political economy study of river basin development in Kenya}

Companies are also warming to investments in NbS. Businesses are waking up to the fact that nature loss has concrete and immediate costs and risks, including operational risks; supply chain continuity, predictability and resilience risks; liability risks; and regulatory, reputational, market and financial risks.

^{Check the CNBC Show 'Sustainable Energy' series:}^{How nature could help save the planet}

^{Download infographic '}^{Going with the Flow}^'

^{Download infographic '}^{Going with the Flow}^'

Recommendations for investing in natural water infrastructure

1. Recognising natural water infrastructure as an integral part of development, both at basin and national levels. This requires valuation of the costs and benefits of ecosystem services in investment assessment, including for dams, storage, irrigation and drainage.

2. Valuing the returns on investment in natural infrastructure and ensuring these are clear and quantified to inform better decision making. Apply economic tools to create a business case in which the dividends from investing in natural infrastructure account for the benefits of ecosystems and water security.

3. Implementing economic incentives for investing in natural water infrastructure. Use economic incentives to encourage changes in behaviour and approaches. Reward those who manage watersheds sustainably, using "soft" payments for ecosystem services where appropriate, ensuring participation and governance are in place.

4. Financing for water resources management must be sustainable. Use a sound business case to mobilise innovative financing of water resources management, from governments, the private sector and water users.

^{Water Briefing: Investing in natural water infrastructure (}^PDF)

^{Water Briefing: Investing in natural water infrastructure (}^PDF)

Facts and Figures on Natural Water Infrastructure

Mangroves reduce wave height by as much as 66%, providing a vital buffer against the impacts of storms, tsunamis, and hurricanes. Despite their importance, less than 10% of mangroves are protected worldwide
River floodplains are estimated to provide nearly 25% of the terrestrial (i.e. non-marine) ecosystem services, with primary benefits including flood flow control, fisheries productivity, groundwater recharge, and water filtration ^{(Costanza et al., 2014).}
Access to clean water and the green spaces provided by natural infrastructure correlate with improved air quality, healthier lifestyles, and lower medical bills ^{(Banking on Green, 2012, American Rivers)}
More than 30% of the cost-effective tools to address climate change by 2030 can be found in nature-based solutions and the shift to more sustainable agriculture and land use choices ^{(Food and Land Use Coalition, 2019).}
With half of international tourists travelling to wetlands of all types, but particularly in coastal areas, the tourism expenditure linked to wetlands can be estimated at around US$ 925 billion per year. ^{(Ramsar Convention for Wetlands)}

^{Scale model showing how mangrove forests protect the coast from wave erosion.}

"Technical and financial investment in Nature-based Solutions are investments in water provision, energy supply, carbon storage, biodiversity, and agriculture. This provides many benefits, including human health and climate change. We are limited only by our financial models and business cases – and it is here where urgent innovation is needed"

James Dalton, Director IUCN Global Water Programme

Find Out More

^{IUCN's work on Nature-based Solutions}
^{The Nature-based Solutions Standard}
^Publication:^{Nature-based Solutions to address global societal challenges}
^{Briefing Paper:}^{Investing in Ecosystems as Water Infrastructure}
^Blog:^{Built or Natural Infrastructure - a False Dichotomy}
^{Visual Stories:}^{WISE-UP to Climate: Water Infrastructure Solutions for the Volta Basin}^{WISE-UP to Climate: Water Infrastructure Solutions for the Tana Basin}
^{Animated Video:}^{WISE-UP to Climate – Natural Infrastructure Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation}