Nature-based solutions for flood management in Asia and the Pacific

Kensuke Molnar-Tanaka and Swenja Surminski

No 351, OECD Development Centre Working Papers from OECD Publishing

Abstract: Countries in Asia and the Pacific face a heightened risk of flooding as disasters increase worldwide due to climate change. Yet these countries often lack the infrastructure necessary to prepare for and respond to floods effectively. When flood protection measures exist, they generally rely only on grey, hard-engineered infrastructure, which has been increasingly challenged in recent years. Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer a new approach for flood management, with several co-benefits beyond the reduction of risks. This approach has gained recognition from policy makers in the region, but they are confronted with a number of challenges, including the lack of a clear, common definition and guidelines, as well as financing issues. The growing imperatives of climate adaptation call for complementary, innovative and forward-looking solutions, such as a combined approach incorporating both NbS and grey infrastructure. Alors que les catastrophes augmentent dans le monde entier en raison du changement climatique, les pays d’Asie et du Pacifique font face à un risque accru d’inondations. Or ces pays manquent souvent des infrastructures nécessaires pour s’y préparer et y répondre efficacement. Là où des mesures de protection contre les inondations existent, elles reposent le plus souvent uniquement sur des infrastructures grises ou lourdes qui sont de plus en plus contestées. Les solutions fondées sur la nature (SFN) proposent une nouvelle approche de la gestion des inondations, dont les co-bénéfices vont au-delà de la réduction des risques. Les décideurs de la région l’ont bien compris, mais ils font face à plusieurs défis, notamment l’absence d’une définition claire et commune et de lignes directrices, ainsi que des problèmes de financement. L’impératif croissant de l’adaptation climatique exige une combinaison de solutions complémentaires, innovantes et tournées vers l’avenir, telles qu’une approche intégrant à la fois les SFN et les infrastructures grises.

JEL-codes: O20 O53 Q54 Q57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-03-22
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env and nep-sea
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