NBI Global Resource Centre Impact Report 2023

“In the face of climate change, the biodiversity crisis, and the global infrastructure gap, Nature-Based Infrastructure offers multiple dividends.

Unlike traditional grey infrastructure, a nature-based approach not only helps communities adapt to the changing climate but also champions biodiversity, fostering ecosystems that thrive alongside human development. NBI is not only a cost-effective choice; it is a commitment to a future where infrastructure is a catalyst for environmental restoration and regeneration, economic resilience, and global health and well-being.

The NBI Global Resource Centre, funded by the Special Climate Change Fund of the GEF, works towards this future. In 2023, the Centre added a variety of case studies to their library, identified new projects, disseminated valuable knowledge and data, and built awareness among stakeholders through global events and the NBI Academy, helping build the investment case for NBI across the globe and encourage a greener approach to infrastructure.”

Chizuru Aoki, Lead Environmental Specialist, Global Environment Facility and NBI Global Resource Centre Steering Committee Member

The Centre has supported Nature-Based Infrastructure (NBI) projects in 14 countries.

We worked with local partners to develop economic and financial assessments of NBI projects in a range of different ecosystems, including:

Forests

Wetlands

Rivers

Urban environments

Coasts

We continued to establish NBI as a pivotal solution to climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable infrastructure by:

increasing knowledge of how NBI performs through our customized assessments
providing access to NBI project data through our online database
identifying and communicating policy recommendations to scale up investment in NBI
connecting and building partnerships between project proponents, local stakeholders, and investors
providing professional training through the NBI Academy on the application of economic and financial analysis to support project development

The Centre produces comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of NBI interventions, combining robust climate data, systems thinking, spatial analysis, and economic and financial modelling to make the investment case for NBI projects.

Our unique Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology relies on the interrelated features of simulation, valuation, and customization. Working with our stakeholders, we build a better, mutual understanding of the value of nature in providing resilient infrastructure services.

In 2023 we assessed a variety of NBI projects around the world:

Wetland restoration in La Mojana, Colombia

Swamp restoration in Mallorquin, Colombia

River restoration in Thessaly, Greece

Forest restoration in the Peruvian Andes

And currently working on many more...

"Thanks to the ground-breaking research carried out by the Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre, as part of the EIB’s partnership with Global Infrastructure Basel and WWF Greece, we were able to convince decision-makers and local stakeholders that nature-based approaches to flood management in Thessaly would be far more efficient and beneficial, than relying on new or rehabilitated ‘grey’ flood protection infrastructure, such as dykes.

The research meant that stakeholders we speak to started to appreciate the kind of difference that nature-based approaches to flood management, such as widening rivers and connecting them with their floodplains, creating riparian forests and removing man-made structures built to control or obstruct the flow of rivers, can make.

The rigorous approach to quantifying and comparing the economic, social and environmental benefits of grey, green and hybrid infrastructure approaches to flood management, provided powerful support for including and scaling up investments in nature-based solutions for water management."

Catherine McSweeney, Nature-based Solutions and Civil Society Officer, European Investment Bank

In 2023, the Centre also launched the NBI Academy.

Convening stakeholders from a variety of fields, we provided them with training and pragmatic tools for assessing the economic and financial performance, as well as the environmental and social co-benefits of NBI.

In March, we held a Deep Dive webinar series. Ahead of the UN Water Conference, the Centre provided more than 400 registrants with in-depth analysis of water-related NBI through wetland, river restoration and mangrove case studies.

In September, the Centre hosted its annual 5-Week Live Program. Registration increased by 48% from 2022, with a total of over 3,000 registrants across 163 countries. This year, the Live Program also achieved a satisfaction rating of 98%.

"This has been the best course in relation to NBI that I've done until now. The combination of remote classes and written material is very good, and the presenters have been excellent. It also covers a great range of things related to NBI."

Iñigo Ruiz-Apilanez, Associate at Arup, UK

"Support and interest in the NBI Academy has been overwhelming. We feel privileged to be able to share knowledge with, and learning, from engineers, planners, academics, investors and policymakers from all over the world.

The enthusiasm demonstrated by these colleagues for the widespread implementation and scaling-up of nature-based infrastructure is inspiring.

We plan to build on this momentum in the year to come, focusing on how nature-based infrastructure can be used to address climate adaptation, the biodiversity crisis and the global infrastructure gap."

Benjamin Simmons, Director of the Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre

In 2023, the Centre's work was included in a number of external reports,
studies and publications, demonstrating its contribution to the field:

We contributed to international discussions at high-profile events.

In 2023, we spread the word about our work by...

Creating a new NBI Global Resource Centre LinkedIn account with over 2,600 followers.

Building the NBI newsletter mailing list to over 4,000 total subscribers.

Hosting 14,000 users on the NBI Global Resource Centre website.

Launching numerous reports and events.

Achieving the highest signup rate for the NBI Academy from social media channels to date.

We have five key priorities for the year ahead:

Continuing to work with partners to assess NBI projects around the world.
Developing the NBI database, to make data as comprehensive and accessible as possible.
Expanding our financing analysis to help project proponents raise financing for NBI.
Incorporating gender-disaggregated data in the assessments to create a fuller picture for policy and planning.
Supporting in-person training with our country partners.

We are working hard to make 2024 a success.

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The Centre has supported Nature-Based Infrastructure (NBI) projects in 14 countries. We worked with local partners to develop economic and financial assessments of NBI projects in a range of different ecosystems, including: