Principles for Delivering Urban Nature-Based Solutions
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Principles for delivering urban Nature-based Solutions APRIL 2021 Funding Partner Contents REPORT SUPPORTERS: Foreword 4 Glossary 6 Executive Summary 8 Introduction 10 Principle 1: Define Ambitions 16 Principle 2: Assess risks, baselines, and impacts 18 Principle 3: Maximise multifunctionality 26 Principle 4: Identify value, costs, benefits and funding 34 Principle 5: Create long-term management plans 40 Principle 6: Collaborate, educate, and innovate 44 Next steps 49 Appendix A: Further case studies 50 Citation: Principles for delivering urban Nature-based Solutions. UK Appendix B: Index of tools and guidance 54 Green Building Council, 2021, London, UK. This document is produced for general guidance only. How you choose to use it is up to you. While the guidance Appendix C: Further reading 57 has been produced in good faith it does not constitute advice and UKGBC and the authors of this guidance do not Appendix D: Acknowledgements 58 represent or warrant that the content is suitable for your purposes, accurate, complete or up-to-date. UKGBC and the authors exclude all liability whether arising in contract, References 60 tort (including negligence) or otherwise, and will not be liable to you for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage, arising in connection with your use of, or reliance on, the guidance. 3 UK Green Building Council | Principles for delivering urban Nature-based Solutions Foreword Foreword Eighteen months ago, UKGBC launched an ambition for the built I believe the publication of this report marks the environment industry that placed nature at the heart of the industry’s beginning of a new chapter for the built environment response to climate risk and the ecological crisis. The aim is that by industry; one in which we connect more deeply with 2030, all buildings and infrastructure will be climate resilient and nature, appreciate its ability to solve some of our maximise environmental net gains, through the prioritisation of nature- most pressing challenges, and learn how to weave it based solutions (NBS). This report is intended to help the industry into the fabric of our urban environments. UKGBC will achieve this stretching ambition. Its creation over the last 12 months continue to work with our members on this journey, has coincided with a period of unprecedented change for our society including through our new Resilience and NBS that has resulted in an increased appreciation of nature and green programme. spaces within our urban environments. Local communities are now asking for greener and more resilient buildings and cities, with these Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues who demands being echoed by city authorities, national governments, and worked so hard to bring this report into existence the finance sector. and acknowledge the many individuals within the UKGBC membership who generously gave their time, This report sets out six principles for delivering urban NBS in order knowledge, and insights to the creation of this industry to help developers, owners, operators, and occupiers to design, guidance. deliver, and operate their assets in such a way that improves climate resilience and environmental impact. The range of initiatives, policies, commitments, and tools highlighted within the guidance is testament to the rapid evolution in the topics of climate adaptation, restoring nature, and promoting biodiversity. Alastair Mant Director of Business Transformation, UKGBC 4 5 UK Green Building Council | Principles for delivering urban Nature-based Solutions UK Green Building Council | Principles for delivering urban Nature-based Solutions Glossary Glossary Biodiversity net BNG requirements aim to ensure that developments have a Green Our world’s natural life-support system—an interconnected gain (BNG) net positive impact on biodiversity overall, by minimising any Infrastructure (GI) network of waterways, wetlands, woodlands, wildlife habitats, negative impacts, restoring existing areas or via offsetting.1 and other natural areas; greenways, parks, and other To achieve ‘net gain’, the biodiversity value attributable to conservation lands; working farms, ranches, and forest; and the development must exceed the pre-development value wilderness and other open spaces that support native species, by 10%.2 maintain natural ecological processes, sustain air and water resources, and contribute to the health and quality of life for 10 Capital Expenditure The financial costs incurred at the outset of a project, communities and people. (CAPEX) for example, the investment associated with the initial implementation of Nature-based Solutions.3 Locally Determined The commitments, pledges or action plans set at local Contributions authority level that aim to tackle climate change and assist the (LDCs) Climate resilience Climate resilience is referred to as the capacity to anticipate, delivery of the UK’s net zero carbon objectives by 2050. LDCs prepare for and respond to hazardous events or trends related represent the respective bottom-up efforts of local authorities to climate. With regards to the built environment, it is the to meet or even exceed Government targets.11 ability of buildings, landscapes, and infrastructures to adapt to – and reduce the impacts of – climate-related events, such as Natural capital Elements of nature that either directly or indirectly produce flooding or overheating.4 value and provide benefits to people, including ecosystems, species, freshwater, land, minerals, the air, oceans, and natural 12 Ecosystem services The benefits that people derive from the natural environment processes and functions. and its processes. These benefits are anthropocentric and can be categorised as provisioning services (food, water, Nature-based Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which timber, fibre), regulating services (climate, floods, disease, Solutions (NBS) are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, wastes, water quality), cultural services (recreation, aesthetics, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such spirituality), and supporting services (soil formation, solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural photosynthesis, nutrient cycling), which the health and features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, sustenance of humankind is dependent upon.5,6 through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions.13 Environmental net The concept of ENG builds upon the Government’s gain (ENG) ambition to leave the environment in a ‘better state’ for Net zero carbon Net zero refers to a state in which emissions released into the next generation.7 To realise this vision, environmental the atmosphere are balanced by removal of emissions out of improvements are to be ensured within all forms of the atmosphere. Net zero carbon is achieved for buildings development regarding both new and existing buildings and when the amount of carbon emissions associated with their wider infrastructures. ENG therefore expands upon existing construction or long-term operations are zero or negative.14 BNG principles to take into consideration the function of wider ecosystem services, such as flood protection, recreation Operational The financial costs associated with the ongoing operations 8 and improved water and air quality. Expenditure of a project, for example, the continued funding for (OPEX) management and maintenance practices that are necessitated Environmental, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues refer by Nature-based Solutions.15 Social and to those that fall outside of traditional financial metrics, yet Governance (ESG) also pose an extensive (and increasing) risk to the security of an organisation’s operations or investments. For example, biodiversity loss, climate injustice, and lack of formal political support are crucial ESG issues facing Nature-based Solutions implementation.9 Broadly, ESG policies or practices are representative of corporate sustainability and organisational approaches to risk management. 6 7 UK Green Building Council | Principles for delivering urban Nature-based Solutions UK Green Building Council | Principles for delivering urban Nature-based Solutions Executive Summary Executive Summary NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL CRISES PRINCIPLES AND METHODS Nature provides services that can remove innovation, these principles aim to provide an and store atmospheric carbon, adapt to overview of methods that can be utilised to 1.1: Adopt UKGBC’s NBS ambition climate change and enhance resilience, further drive the consideration of NBS both PRINCIPLE 1: 1.2: Align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals restore ecosystems, improve human health, conceptually and practically within a range of Define ambitions generate social value, abate risk-related urban development contexts. 1.3: Set targets for climate adaptation and environmental improvement costs, reconnect people with nature and provide economic uplift. More effective and The principles and supporting information are 2.1: Assess and disclose climate-related risks widespread incorporation of Nature-based primarily intended to be used by developers, Solutions (NBS) within building designs, owners, operators, and occupiers of buildings 2.2: Assess and disclose nature-related risks developments, and operations presents an and infrastructure within an urban context. 2.3: Measure the changes in biodiversity opportunity to adapt to changing policy Specifically, those organisations’ decision PRINCIPLE 2: requirements,