2018 Abstract Volume

Natural and built infrastructure can co-deliver basin development
Presenting
Author:
Dr. James Dalton, International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN, Switzerland
Keywords
Natural infrastructure, trade-offs, climate change, ecosystem valuation, political economy analysis
Highlights
Tracking natural and built infrastructure costs and benefits (economic, ecological, engineering and social)
and their trade-offs under plausible climate change scenarios helps decision-makers better design natural
and built infrastructure interventions. A political economy lens helps further target accessible financing
channels to promote investment in natural infrastructure for sustainable basin development.
Introduction and objectives
Built infrastructure brings essential services: energy supply, irrigation for food production, water supply and
flood protection. However, historically infrastructure planning has often ignored the environmental, social
and cultural consequences of development. Recognising, valuing and investing in natural infrastructure of
river basins enables sustainable green growth. Tracking the multiple quantitative benefits of both natural
systems and built infrastructure allows us to optimize mixes of interventions that both maximise and balance
the allocation of resources to enable economies to prosper sustainably.
Methodology approach
The WISE-UP to Climate project approach combines multi-criteria and multi-sector assessment of benefits
and costs with engagement of basin stakeholders to meet basin needs under various plausible climates. A
multi-disciplinary approach bridging the natural and social sciences better reveals the value and role that
natural infrastructure can play in sustainable development. Stakeholder engagement is initiated right from
project start, helping to guide and validate results and build ownership and cooperation.
Analysis and results
Trade-off analyses in the Volta and Tana River basins demonstrates the value of combining natural and built
infrastructure in development plans and of considering different future climates. Natural infrastructure not
only provides benefits to people and nature but also to existing built systems. A political economy analysis
has unpacked this evidence to identify drivers for change in decision-making and potential ‘entry points’ for
integrating investments in natural infrastructure.
In Pwalugu, on the White Volta River, Ghana, the quantification and valuation of the benefits of natural
infrastructure highlights local level dependency on the timing and quantity of river flow, essential for
sustaining livelihoods. Despite the potential impacts of a proposed dam to these benefits downstream, tradeoff
analysis indicates that a balanced natural and built solution is possible. In the Tana River basin, Kenya,
WISE-UP research has demonstrated that natural infrastructure contributes to the performance of existing
built infrastructure in the basin; improving irrigation and hydropower production and supporting water
supply to Nairobi. By regulating upstream river flows and reducing soil erosion, through the implementation
of sustainable management practices, reservoir yields are enhanced and hydropower and irrigation benefits
safeguarded, under both current and future climatic
Seminar: Sustainable infrastructure for inclusive green growth 133