Nature such as wetlands, woodlands and coastal marshes should be treated as core infrastructure alongside roads and railways in UK planning, a new report says.
The proposal has been published by the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), part of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE Group).
It argues that natural systems already provide essential services, including reducing flood risk, cooling urban areas, protecting coastlines and storing carbon. It says these benefits are often cheaper in the long term than engineered alternatives, but are not properly recognised in policy.
Against this backdrop, the report calls for three major changes. First, for nature to be formally classed as infrastructure, so it is included in planning and investment decisions from the outset.
Second, it says government departments should work more closely together to deliver nature-based projects alongside traditional infrastructure. And, thirdly, the report states we need better ways to measure the economic value of nature.
Milda Manomaityte, chief executive of ACE Group, said: ‘The engineering and infrastructure sector has always understood that the best solutions work with nature, not against it. What’s needed now is the policy frameworks, investment signals and government coordination that reflect nature’s true value.’
Philippa Spence, managing director at Ramboll, added: ‘The case for nature-based infrastructure has never been stronger, economically, environmentally and socially.
‘What’s been missing is the framework to embed it properly into planning and decision-making across government. Working with ACE and EIC on this plan, I’m confident we now have the start of something practical and deliverable.’
Image: Dave Hoefler/UnSplash
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