Nature-based Solutions
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are one of the core ways in which we can overcome environmental challenges – by harnessing the power of the environment itself to promote sustainable development for the benefit of people and the planet. At Sweco, we have the insights, expertise and drive to put nature at the heart of the transformational projects we lead and support across buildings, transportation and infrastructure – with a particular focus on the water and urban planning sectors.
Sweco has decades of experience in using nature-based systems to serve our economic and social needs whilst safeguarding habitats and environment. We are working with clients in the water sector, transportation and the urban environment to either complement or displace existing grey infrastructure solutions.
Gordon McGregor Chief Sustainability Officer, Sweco UK & Ireland
Nature-based Solutions – the restoration, conservation and responsible management of ecosystems – provide benefits for both people and the planet, while also generally being more cost-effective than other alternative ‘non-natural’ alternatives. A core element of the green transition, NbS not only reduce the impacts of climate change but actively enhance biodiversity – building resilience and enhancing adaptation to climate change by helping to safeguard human health, combat food and water scarcity and reduce the risk of disasters such as flood and extreme heat events.
With multi-disciplinary expertise across the planning, design, NbS engineering and asset management lifecycle, we can guide you on the possibilities and opportunities of a nature-positive approach and also help implement and manage them with our global network of biodiversity and engineering specialists for long-term gains.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – pioneer of the Nature-based Solutions concept – describes NBS as “Actions to address societal challenges through the protection, sustainable management and restoration of ecosystems, benefiting both biodiversity and human wellbeing.”
Types of Nature-based Solutions
Benefits of Nature-based Solutions
When discussing Nature-based Solutions, it’s important to remember that there are multiple environments, multiple challenges and multiple solutions to consider. But while there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, the NBS ‘palette’ of skills we can draw from as consulting engineers offers common universal benefits that span the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
- Climate change mitigation
- Disaster/extreme weather event mitigation
- Social equity and community engagement
- Sustainable economic development & job creation
- Improved wellbeing (nature-based tourism, recreation)
- Biodiversity protection & enhancement
According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Nature-based Solutions could provide over a third of the mitigation required to achieve the Paris Agreement targets by 2030.
UNSDG PRIORITIES:
Sustainable Development Goals at Sweco
Sweco works actively with the 17 goals for sustainable development, and contributes to most of the agenda’s 169 targets in client projects. This is confirmed by the results from Sweco’s employee survey, expanded in 2022 to cover the entire organisation, where 15,500 employees responded that all of the 17 global goals are to varying extents relevant for their work at Sweco and in client projects.
Sweco has identified five goals as the most business-critical to the company’s operations, and those that Sweco, as expert advisor, has the greatest opportunity to influence in creating a more sustainable future together with its clients.
- Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation
- Goal 7: Sustainable energy for all
- Goal 9: Sustainable industry, innovation, and infrastructure for all
- Goal 11: Promote development of sustainable cities and societies
- Goal 13: Climate action
SECTOR FOCUS: WATER
Nature-based Solutions for utilities assets & infrastructure
In the water industry, Nature-based Solutions offer a transformative approach to addressing multiple challenges across utilities management. By placing our engineering emphasis on restoring and protecting wetlands, rivers, and coastal areas, as well as implementing green infrastructure solutions, we can use NBS to achieve nature-positive water filtration, flood prevention and improved water quality to address water scarcity and pollution in particular.