
Foundation and International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure announce Foresight Review on Nature Positive Engineering
Lloyd’s Register Foundation has today announced a new Foresight Review on Nature-positive Engineering (NPE).
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At a time when climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution are becoming increasingly severe, the need for solutions that uplift with nature has never been greater. ICSI is delighted to be leading the way in tackling these challenges through the recently announced Lloyd’s Register Foundation Foresight Review on Nature-positive Engineering (NPE).
Foresight reviews develop recommendations for the wider community, often including specific needs in standards and skills, focused on accelerating the adoption of safe engineering practices at scale.
As acknowledged by the United Nations, we are currently grappling with a triple planetary crisis, where challenges of climate change, biodiversity decline and pollution are deeply interlinked. We can’t solve interconnected crises one at a time.
The built environment sector plays a pivotal role in providing services for people around the world and fostering economic development. Yet, it is also a major contributor to climate and ecological damage, with up to 79%1 of carbon emissions globally being linked to infrastructure. The built environment and infrastructure also contribute considerably to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation by taking up space from various native species without consideration of mitigation, restoration, or coexistence with ecology. Currently, 1 million2 species are at risk of extinction due to human activity, and since 1970 the global populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish have declined by an average of 69%3.
Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet - and its people. By rethinking how we engineer our cities and towns, infrastructure, and energy systems, we can transform these sectors into powerful forces for ecological restoration and resilience, whilst also mitigating carbon emissions.
The need is clear: we must prioritise solutions that protect and restore nature and biodiversity – this is where Nature-positive Engineering (NPE) comes in.
Nature-positive Engineering has the potential to tackle the complex and interrelated planetary crises, while simultaneously contributing to the resilience of communities and minimising the impact of engineering interventions on nature and people.
Nature-positive approaches offer a crucial opportunity to reshape our relationship with nature. Examples of nature-positive solutions include environmental protection, creation, restoration, and sustainable management of natural ecosystems, ultimately leading to an overall biodiversity net gain and to healthier, functioning ecosystems. These solutions are ecology-minded from outset, while safely delivering outcomes for people and community.
NPE focuses on solutions that are mindful of the entire life cycle of infrastructure, from design to decommissioning and across disciplines. This means considering how each stage impacts the environment and how we can work with nature, safeguarding, restoring and sustainably managing natural ecosystems, to ensure climate resilience and long-term sustainability in an increasingly uncertain future.
By aligning engineering practices with nature, NPE reduces risks posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation. These nature-aligned strategies foster long-term resilience, helping safeguard infrastructure and communities from increasingly frequent and severe environmental hazards, while maintaining rigorous safety standards throughout their lifecycle.
Research and evidence on safe NPE practices is currently limited. This makes it more difficult for engineering-inclusive organisations and other stakeholders to incorporate these principles into their strategies and put them into practice on the ground.
We need more clarity on what makes an intervention “nature-positive”, and a clear definition of NPE to support this.
We also need a better understanding of the progress that different organisations are currently making in this space, of how NPE approaches and solutions are implemented, and to identify new and emerging trends.
We also need a framework to ensure future approaches to engineering help protect, restore and enhance natural ecosystems.
The Foresight Review will aim to tackle these complex areas, and the resulting findings will be essential to speed up and scale up efforts towards a more nature positive future.
The review will have a particular focus on coastal and marine environments, including deep dives into:
Emphasis will be placed on the value creation and scalability of NPE solutions throughout their full life cycle, ensuring safe practice and attention to biodiversity and ecosystem health and functionality are embedded at every stage from design to decommissioning.
As in all of ICSI’s work, the project will prioritise learning from one another to transfer knowledge, scale up best practice, and push the boundaries of the engineering profession. Through an extensive consultation, we aim to prompt and advance the debate on NPE while ensuring that we are inclusive of all voices.
Alongside desk-based research, 1:1 interviews with experts and 5 regional roundtables, we are running a call for wider input. We are looking for expert input and contributions of relevant case studies, resources, and evidence to feed into this review. We are also keen to identify areas where NPE can generate the greatest value, where there have been dis-benefits, and we especially encourage stakeholders from the Global South to engage and contribute.
We are seeking input on:
Fill out the call for input here.
Or get in touch at [email protected]
In Guyana, the integration of Green-Grey solutions - combinations of engineered infrastructure and natural solutions such as mangrove ecosystems - offers a promising strategy for coastal resilience amid the challenges posed by climate change. Recent guidelines from Deltares and Conservation International highlight the importance of leveraging natural processes alongside engineered structures. By studying the dynamics of mudbank movements, engineers can time the application of sediment capture technologies to optimise coastal restoration.
With a staggering 90% of its population living on vulnerable low-lying plains, Guyana’s future hinges on effective shoreline protection. The coastal ecosystem, historically enriched by sediment transported from the Amazon River, provides an opportunity for natural regeneration of mangroves. By deploying sediment trapping units at strategic locations, such as the Essequibo coast and Georgetown, we can accelerate mangrove colonisation and rebuild vital habitats. This dual approach not only strengthens coastal defences but also enhances biodiversity and food security, making it a critical part of Guyana’s strategy to combat rising sea levels.
Find out more: https://www.deltares.nl/en/expertise/publicaties/guyana-mangrove-seawall-engineering-guidance
Image credit: Rotterdam Port Authority © Danny Cornelissen
The Port of Rotterdam is leading the way in integrating nature-positive approaches within its industrial framework, underscoring the importance of environmental sustainability. The port’s Building with Nature initiative focuses on restoring wetlands and tidal marshes, enhancing biodiversity while maintaining essential port operations. Innovative dredging practices minimise environmental disruption, repurposing dredged material to create habitats and bolster existing ecosystems, thus fostering both economic and ecological benefits.
Aligned with its Port Vision 2030, Rotterdam has developed a Nature Vision that promotes biodiversity across its extensive 9.9 million square metres of natural areas. These include ecological stepping stones that facilitate the movement of over 200 unique plant and animal species, such as the natterjack toad and various migratory fish. The port's commitment to ecological management ensures that protected species are safeguarded, while efforts like the establishment of a tree nursery enhance green spaces. By prioritising nature alongside industrial development, the Port of Rotterdam exemplifies how economic growth can coexist with environmental stewardship, making it a model for sustainable port management worldwide.
Find out more: https://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/to-do-port/nature-in-the-port
Ørsted's innovative ReCoral study aims to combat the decline of coral reefs by utilising offshore wind turbine foundations as a unique habitat for coral restoration. Collaborating with the Penghu Marine Biology Research Center in Taiwan, the project involves collecting coral spawn that naturally washes ashore, cultivating it in a laboratory, and introducing viable coral larvae into specially designed mesh cages affixed to the turbines.
This non-invasive method leverages the advantages of turbine foundations, which offer stable access to sunlight while protecting corals from extreme temperatures due to cooler water circulation. As climate change increasingly threatens coral ecosystems, ReCoral presents a promising solution to restore these vital habitats.
With the ambition of achieving a net-positive impact on biodiversity by 2030, Ørsted's ReCoral initiative exemplifies how renewable energy projects can contribute positively to marine ecosystems. By nurturing coral growth in this way, Ørsted not only addresses climate change but also supports the livelihoods of over 500 million people globally who rely on coral reefs for food, protection, and recreation.
Find out more: https://orsted.com/en/who-we-are/sustainability/nature/net-positive-biodiversity-impact/recoral