![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ecoshape.org\/app\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/05\/sustainable-development-goals-1024x138.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPeople and economic activities keep on concentrating in large urban areas, mostly located in coastal, deltaic and riverine areas (named ‘deltaic areas’ hereafter) (Cohen et al., 1997). Land and water use in these urbanizing areas grows dramatically, as do flood risk and climate sensitivity. Moreover, society increasingly demands more safety, prosperity and sustainability (Vitousek et al., 1997; Ehrlich and Ehrlich, 1997).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This demand cannot be met without developing new infrastructure. Coasts need to be protected while sea-level rises. Rivers need to provide for safe conveyance of ever more extreme floods while remaining a suitable fairway for an intensifying transport. The capacity of harbours and access channels needs to be increased. The quality of water bodies and subsoil needs to be guaranteed. Natural resources need to be used sustainably. This puts increasing demands on the development of surface water infrastructures and calls for innovative solutions in project development, hydraulic engineering and water system management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Developments in infrastructure projects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ecoshape.org\/app\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/05\/vogeleiland-1-2.png\" "\\"Birds")
Birds at beach nourishment site<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe past decades have shown that the realisation process of infrastructural works is characterised by the following developments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- We want more (multifunctional designs, including environmental aspects);<\/li>
- We know more (knowledge of natural systems has increased enormously); and<\/li>
- We can do more (increased technological capabilities enable new approaches)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Whereas at the same time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- We have to operate more carefully (legal restrictions have increased);<\/li>
- We have more difficulty getting things done (complexity of decision making has increased); and<\/li>
- We have to meet increasingly complex functional requirements (modern society has high demands).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These developments bring challenges as well as opportunities. Building with Nature aims to meet these challenges by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by nature. An integrated approach and stakeholder involvement from the early stages of project development onwards are essential features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecosystem services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In recent literature, the links between nature and the economy are often described using the concept of ecosystem services<\/a>, or flows of value to human societies as a result of the state and quantity of natural capital. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), and more recently ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity’ (TEEB) studies,<\/a> provide guidelines for the application of the concept of ecosystem services in planning and design.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe TEEB approach is to show how economic concepts and tools can help equip society with the means to incorporate the values of nature into decision making at all levels. TEEB shows why prosperity and poverty reduction depend on maintaining the flow of benefits from ecosystems. It also demonstrates why successful environmental protection needs to be grounded in sound economics, which includes explicit recognition, efficient allocation, and fair distribution of the costs and benefits of conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. These points match with the BwN philosophy.\u00a0>Nature valuation tools\u00a0based on the concept of ecosystem services are included in\u00a0the Building with Nature toolbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The past decades have shown that the realisation process of infrastructural works is characterised by the following developments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- We want more (multifunctional designs, including environmental aspects);<\/li>
- We know more (knowledge of natural systems has increased enormously); and<\/li>
- We can do more (increased technological capabilities enable new approaches)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Whereas at the same time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- We have to operate more carefully (legal restrictions have increased);<\/li>
- We have more difficulty getting things done (complexity of decision making has increased); and<\/li>
- We have to meet increasingly complex functional requirements (modern society has high demands).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These developments bring challenges as well as opportunities. Building with Nature aims to meet these challenges by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by nature. An integrated approach and stakeholder involvement from the early stages of project development onwards are essential features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecosystem services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In recent literature, the links between nature and the economy are often described using the concept of ecosystem services<\/a>, or flows of value to human societies as a result of the state and quantity of natural capital. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), and more recently ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity’ (TEEB) studies,<\/a> provide guidelines for the application of the concept of ecosystem services in planning and design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The TEEB approach is to show how economic concepts and tools can help equip society with the means to incorporate the values of nature into decision making at all levels. TEEB shows why prosperity and poverty reduction depend on maintaining the flow of benefits from ecosystems. It also demonstrates why successful environmental protection needs to be grounded in sound economics, which includes explicit recognition, efficient allocation, and fair distribution of the costs and benefits of conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. These points match with the BwN philosophy.\u00a0>Nature valuation tools\u00a0based on the concept of ecosystem services are included in\u00a0the Building with Nature toolbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n