Sustainable Asset Valuation of Sherwan Hill Adventure Park in Abbottabad, Pakistan
An economic valuation of the revitalization of public urban spaces
In this integrated cost-benefit analysis, the Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre analyzes the business case for rehabilitating the Sherwan Hill Adventure Park in Pakistan. The report shows how this improved and expanded urban green space will deliver social, economic, and environmental benefits for the city of Abbottabad.
Key Messages
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Abbottabad's rapid urban growth is a challenge for infrastructure, health, and climate resilience. As nature-based infrastructure, Sherwan Hill Adventure Park helps to reduce heat and improves people's access to green spaces.
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Every USD 1 invested in Sherwan Hill Adventure Park returns USD 2.49 in benefits to Abbottabad residents, boosting jobs, health, property values, and climate resilience.
The city of Abbottabad, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, is expanding at a rate of 3.5% annually. This rapid urbanization is posing challenges to the city’s water supply, wastewater treatment facilities, and transport infrastructure. These impacts are further exacerbated by climate change, including temperature increases, frequent droughts, unpredictable rainfall, and intensified monsoon rains, which has resulted in severe flooding, landslides, and economic losses. The decline of green spaces in and around the city is aggravating the urban heat island effect and worsening the air quality, detrimentally impacting human health.
To tackle these issues, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) created the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project. This initiative is focused on enhancing urban services in the region, to improve public health and strengthen climate resilience. The project emphasizes the need for green infrastructure, water and sanitation services, and solid waste management to address the city's challenges.
One area of focus is the revitalization and expansion of Shimla Hill Park, now renamed Sherwan Hill Adventure Park, in Abbottabad. The project aims to expand and rehabilitate the park, to mitigate risks from flash floods, landslides, and extreme heat while enhancing access to green spaces to improve the physical and mental health of citizens, as well as reduce air pollution and urban heat.
Using our Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology, we assessed two scenarios:
- nature-based infrastructure (NBI) scenario, which involves expanding the park's green areas, reforestation, and constructing walking trails and ramps to enhance access and usability, plus street lighting for improved safety.
- business as usual scenario, which considers the current extent and condition of the park.
We found that for every USD 1 invested in the project, up to USD 2.49 could be returned over a 30-year period, equivalent to PKR 1.8 billion in avoided costs and added environmental, economic, and social benefits. This is through job creation, health benefits, improved property values, increased spending by visitors, and carbon storage.
Participating experts
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