LAURA AIROLDI University of Bologna, Via S. Alberto 163, I-48121, Ravenna, Italy e-mail: [email protected]

Developing ecosystem-based solutions for resilient European harbours and coastal waterfronts

8 February 2017, EuroMarine Blue Science Blue Growth, European Parliament

Outline

• Changing coasts: trends and impacts of marine urban sprawl in Europe • What can we do for the future? Design with nature: challenges and opportunities • Research gaps and future needs

Blue Science for Blue Growth Photo L. Airoldi Marine Urban Sprawl in Europe

Photo G. Benelli >50% shoreline modified by hard engineering, port infrastructure and marinas, coastal defences, aquaculture facilities and offshore platforms Sprawl growing globally from 3.7% yr–1 (harbour space) to 28.3% yr–1 (offshore renewable energy production)

Photo L. Airoldi LILYPAD - Floating ecopolis for climate refugees, Oceans 2008-2017, World In Europe 50 m people live in low- elevation coastal zones with increasing need for coastal protection

© Denis Lacroix, Ifremer and Malo Lacroix (Source: Lacroix and Pioch, 2011, p.133). Cities are investing in “green” spaces but these efforts usually fail toRural consider “blue” marine and estuarine Urban environments as integral to the urban landscape

Parc Diagonal Mar and surrounding development https://pricetags.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/ http://www.architecturelist.com/2012/03/01/ diagonal-mar-master-plan-2.jpg new-helsinki-waterfront-by-dcpp-arquitectos/

OBSTACLES } Limited awareness } Limited knowledge } Limited technologies Photo L. Airoldi ? } Lack of adequately Photo L. Airoldi trained practitioners Different harbours similar solutions?

Building resilient and productive global ports and harbours, through innovation, and increased understanding of shared values and threats

ECORES EuroMarine and World Harbour Project (www.worldharbourproject.org) joint workshop 34 parcipants from 11 countries from all over the world 4-6 May 2016, Ravenna, Italy Ecologically-based solutions

Design/manage novel/hybrid ecosystems in marine urban areas that have value to both humans and the environment and enable the renewal of target ecosystem services that are linked to the human welfare

Provisioning Regulating • Raw materials • Coastal protection • Food • Water purification • Fisheries • Nutrient cycling

Photo: North Carolina Coastal Federation Courtesy S. Perkol-Finkel ECONCRETE

Supporting Cultural • Primary production • Tourism (Oxygen) • Recreation • Carbon • Research sequestration • Biodiversity

Photo L. Airoldi The Vicissitudes, by Jason deCaires Taylor Examples of bio-enhancement solutions for marine infrastructures (to support biodiversity, recreation, education, aquatourism…)

Photo D. Roberts Bioblocks – L. Firth et al 2014 Oyster reefs at Romberg Tiburon Center

Photo K. Dafforn

Dugan et al. (2011) Moschella et al 2005 Ongoing RTD to ‘garden’ desired marine species of conservation or commercial relevance in harbours Tiles from Strain, Bishop and Steinberg and Reef Design Lab Seaweeds gardening tests

Photo F. Ferrario

Global pilot tests of building surfaces and seeding methods to enhance native filter feeders (World Harbour Project) Many habitats offer effective, and resilient nature-based coastal defence….... Filippo Ferrario

55% ….and cheaper too

Blue Science for Blue Growth Nature-based solutions can drive a sustainable ocean economy } Ecological benefits - limit biodiversity loss, restore ecosystem services, ensure more sustainable use of natural resources } Social benefits – greater resilience to climate change, increased public use and recreation, reconnect cities to their natural and maritime heritage } New business opportunities – new markets and industries (e.g. aquatourism), lower costs of defence Wong et al 2015 and infrastructure maintenance

http://josef-kiriaty.tripod.com/id3.html Open questions Ø What, when and where: How to make decisions? Ø What are the key ecological, social, economical and engineering factors controlling success of eco-engineering? Ø Can we design resilient marine urban socio-ecological systems in the face of future climate and other changing (e.g. land use) conditions?

Courtesy S. Perkol Finkel ECONCRETE Future needs Intersectoral RTD Ø Ecology and functioning of marine urban environments Ø Valuation of ecosystem assets and services Ø Blue/green technologies Ø Demonstration projects http://www.rebuildbydesign.org/our-work/all-proposals/ Training, networking, communication winning-projects/ny-living-breakwaters

Firt step ITN -Call: H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017 - BLUETRAIN -Training network for innovative technologies and nature based solutions for sustainable harbours and urban waterfronts (submitted 10 January, coordinator L. Airoldi, 10 Euromarine participants) www.euromarinenetwork.eu

www.worldharbourproject.org Parcipants to ECORES

• L Airoldi, M Abbiati, M Ponti. C Ferronato, R Buonomo, F Costantini, MA Colangelo- University of Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, and CoNISMa, Italy • P Steinberg, SIMS - Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Australia • C Arvanitidis -Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece • S Broszeit Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK • F Bulleri - Department of Biology, University of Pisa, and CoNISMa, Italy • T Bouma, University of Groningen, The Netherlands • T. Crowe, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Ireland • L. Firth, Gregorio Iglesias, Plymouth University, UK • S Fraschetti, University of Salento and CoNISMa, Italy • E Hatziyanni, Director of Environment and Spatial Planning, Coordinator of European Projects-L.E.A.R., Region of Crete, Greece • L Ivesa, Center for Marine Research Rovinj, Institute Rudjer Boskovic, Rovinj, Croatia • J A. Juanes De La Peña, Environmental Hydraulics Institute, Universidad de Cantabria, Spain • MC Laghi, Resp. Area Monitoraggio e Valutazione Corpi Idrici, Servizio Sistemi Ambientali, Arpae - Sezione di Ravenna • K Leung, S Cannicci, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China • P Mariani, DTU Aqua, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark • M Mazzanti University of Ferrara, Italy • S Perkol-Finkel ECOncrete Tech Ltd, Israel • M Ronan Trinity College Dublin, Ireland • M Roncuzzi, assessore Provincia Ravenna, Delega: Programmazione e politiche per l' Ambiente. Programmazione Territoriale. Parchi. • G Ruta, L Laghi, F Matteucci, E Casiraghi, CertiMac • A Squarzina, Ravenna Port Authority, • J Troncoso, University of Vigo, Spain