WaterClimate Discussion

Report from the discussionheld on 10 June 2021

organised by:

edited by: Laura Fonseca, Jane O’Connor, Neil Edwards & Amanda Lake

NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

Photo by steved_np3/Shutterstock.com

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION

2 3

NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

WelcomeThe Water Climate Discussion series iscreating a space to come together and help the watersector build its leading role addressing the climate crisis.

The series is the result of close collaboration betweenwater institutions who have come together recognisingclimate change as an existential threat and wish to havea voice promoting a key message: water is climate.

This report has been produced based on the recordeddiscussion lead by Katharine Cross of IWA, SamuelLarson of Water UK and the participants’ interactionduring the second discussion of the series: Nature BasedSolutions, on Thursday, 10 June 2021. Video segmentswere also shared by The Nature Conservancy, Jacobsand Severn Trent Water.

Photo by Laura Currie/andeye

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION

4 5

NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

Solutions: As net zero shapesfuture policies, what are thenature-based solutions weshould aim see more of?4Enablers: How can regulationbe made “NBS-ready”, so theybecome the default solution?5

Stakeholders: What role dodifferent stakeholders have inenabling Nature BasedSolutions (NBS)?1Evidence: What evidence isneeded to select NBS forintegration into water andsanitation services?3Co-benefits: What additionalco-benefits from NBS can alsoimprove climate resilience?2

Katharine Cross Samuel LarsenSamuel joined Water UK in2017, having previously workedin a variety of strategy, policyand transformation roles acrossconsultant, water company, andgovernment organisations. He iscurrently leading the delivery ofthe UK water industry’s Net Zero2030 Routemap – the world’sfirst detailed plan to reach netzero operational emissions on asector-wide basis by 2030.

Katharine has experience inwater resources and

environmental managementfrom global to local scale and iscurrently working with a number

of organisations including theInternational Water Associationon climate-smart utilities, waterwise cities and digital water, as

a senior advisor for Water-Cities, supporting the transition

of cities towards sustainablewater management, and the

Australian Water Partnership inthe Mekong region.

Q&A

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION

6 7

NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

The global picture was presented byKatharine Cross from IWA, outlining thewide range of NBS currently in use withwater utilities around the world.

These include reforestation and forestconservation, riparian buffers, wetlands,flood by-passes and green infrastructure forflow regulation, urban green infrastructure(Figure 1) and targeted land protection andmanagement.

These can give multiple benefits not onlyin the reduction of chemical and energy use,

“Nature-based solutionsuse plants, soil andbacteria and other

natural elements andprocesses to removepollutants in water and

wastewater.”

Vertical gardens on the Bosco Verticale buildings in Milan. Photo by Gábor Molnár/Unsplash

Association (IWA) and The NatureConservancy (TNC) entitled Nature forWater: A series of utility spotlights [1].Katharine highlighted the role ofpartnerships and stakeholders such asutilities and regulators in implementing NBS.As examples, two case studies werepresented:• The Quito Water Conservation Fund

together with a video from The NatureConservancy explaining the importanceof the Water Funds and theirimplementation strategies

• The case study of the municipality ofSkanderborg, aiming to enable climateadaptation in Denmark.

Regarding NBS uses for wastewatertreatment, she mentioned the co-benefitsthat NBS can provide to people andecosystems. Katharine described someexamples such as the operation of willowsystems (Figure 2) including itsimplementation in Denmark, the vertical flowtreatment wetlands (Figure 3) with its use inChina and the slow-rate soil infiltrationapplied in Texas, USA.

A new IWA publication [2] will beavailable from 15 July 2021 and a web-based tool produced by ICRA [3].

Katharine advised that “These providean evidence base of technical referencesand guidance drawn from case studies and

but also by reducing floods, water supplyscarcity and degradation of water quality.

Katharine noted that water utilities areoften seen as providers rather thanprotectors, though those that use NBS canperform better overall.

Regarding NBS benefits for watersupplies, Katharine mentioned the recentpublication from The International Water

the scientific literature enabling communitiesto assess what NBS methods would besuitable for their local circumstances, theircosts, design needs and what the co-benefits would be, including climateresilience.”

References• [1] Nature for Water: A Series of Utility

Spotlights - https://www . iwapub l i s h i ng . com /books /9781789060812/nature-water-series-utility-spotlights

• [2] Nature Based Solutions forWastewater Treatment (upcoming) -https://www.iwapublishing.com/books/9 781789062250 / n a t u r e - b a sed -solutions-wastewater-treatment

• [3] :: ICRA :: - https://www.icra.cat/index.php?lang=3

Other Resources• Wetland Technology: Practical

Information on the Design andApplication of Treatment Wetlands -https://iwaponline.com/ebooks/book/780/Wetland-Technology-Practical-Information-on-the

• Nature Based Solutions and Regulators- https://iwa-network.org/wp-content/u p l o a d s / 2 0 2 1 / 0 2 / T O - U S E -NBS_Regulators-calibri_web.pdf

Figure 1 - Masi, Fabio & Rizzo, Anacleto &Regelsberger, Martin. (2017). The role of

constructed wetlands in a new circular economy,resource oriented, and ecosystem services

paradigm. Journal of Environmental Management.216. 275-284. 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.086. Figure 2 - Willow System - Sketch by IRIDRA

Figure 3 - Vertical Flow Treatment Wetlands -Sketch by IRIDRA

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION

8 9

NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

Amanda Lake, Regional Solutions Lead -Wastewater Europe - from Jacobs, shareda brief video about the role of TreatmentWetlands in NBS. This was focused ontreatment marshes - large scale free watersurface treatment wetlands - and their co-benefits.

Jacobs’s Global Technology Lead,David Austin, defined Treatment Marshesand some of the design challenges for thesesystems.

Amanda covered examples of treatmentmarshes and their wider benefits - includingthe 4G Wetlands in Florida, the largestgroundwater recharge wetland in the world,and the Huie Wetlands in Georgia, whichdischarges highly treated used water to adrinking water reservoir.

These systems can meet stringentnutrient standards, whilst providing widersocial and environmental benefits - and inparticular solutions for climate mitigation.

Samuel Larson from Water UK introducedthis section, which focussed on the UKwastewater sector, by highlighting five UKspecific factors driving the development ofNBS:• Upward demands on treatment due to

upward trends in population andenvironmental standards

• Biodiversity crisis• OfWat’s (economic regulator) view that

NBS should become the default positionto manage pollution at source rather thanend of pipe solutions, as the bestoutcome for customers

• Environment Agency (EA), NaturalEngland and Forestry Commission haveagreed to work together to promote NBS

• UK Government’s commitment toachieve net zero carbon emissions by2050

If nothing changes, the growing population

and demand for ever increasing treatmentstandards together will drive to higherenergy demand and more chemical use. Forexample, chemicals used to treat phosphateemissions could double by 2025.

Sam suggested that in future, societyshould make additional use of NBS to avoidthese consequences and obtain potentialsynergies and co-benefits in responding tothe challenge of net zero. Sam referred tothe detailed Water UK route map with threepathways to net zero by 2030 for the UKwater industry.

This route map highlights the need toplan for and invest in nature based solutionsand particularly their opportunities forincreasing carbon sinks through carbonsequestration.

Sam also noted that UK watercompanies were already committed toplanting 11M optimally placed trees and alsohighlighted opportunities for restoration ofpeatland and grassland which provide keynature based solutions.

There is also the opportunity forcompanies to implement treatment wetlandsto address pressing problems of flood riskmanagement, nutrients and other aspects ofwater quality whilst reducing chemical andenergy use needs.

The Water UK developing vision for theinvestment period 2025-2030 as detailed bySam incorporates:• Exploring the “new” art of the possible• Analysing multiple challenges that the

sector faces• Honing in on strategic responses

needed for 2025The current UK regulatory frameworks,described by Sam, bake in many moretraditional, energy-intensive, engineeringsolutions, as the solutions, their costs andperformance metrics are well understoodand have higher certainty than NBS, whichmakes them appropriate for modelling etc.

There is also a positive focus on the value ofphysical assets rather than the ability tomanage pollution at source, all of whichpromotes more energy intensive solutionsrather than NBS.on this.

Jodie Rettino from Severn Trent Waterdelivered a segment outlining the approachtaken by Severn Trent Water in CatchmentManagement and NBS, to address the twinthreats of climate change and loss of nature.

Where possible, Severn Trent Water arechoosing to move away from high power andhigh chemical consumption processes infavour of NBS, working collaboratively withorganisations like White Peak Farmers, todeliver environmental benefits by managingpollution at source e.g. Phosphate “socks” todeliver 99% removal in phosphate run-offfrom farmland, and protecting groundwaterabstraction resources.% removal inphosphate run-off from farmland, and

Photo by Storm Media/Shutterstock.com

Photo by @art_maltsev/Unsplash

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION

10 11

NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

During the discussion, Katharine posedthree questions to the participants:1. Stakeholders: What role do different

stakeholders have in enabling NBS?2. Co-benefits : What additional co-

benefits from NBS can also improveclimate resilience?

3. Evidence : What evidence is needed toselect NBS for integration into waterand sanitation services?

Q&ASam posed two questions to theparticipants:4. Solutions: As net zero shapes future

policies, what are the nature-basedsolutions we should aim to see more of?

5. Enablers: How can regulation be made“NBS-ready”, so they become thedefault solution?

Throughout the discussion, Katharine and Sam asked 5questions of the participants. Their online responses werecollated and their views are shown in the following sections 1-5.

Figure 4 - Proportional word cloud of participants’ responses to Question 1 - Stakeholders

12

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

13

upfront capital cost.Moreover, a focus on resources and

development is also necessary. RosaBusquets points out that more effort isnecessary to identify the NBS with highestpotential, develop them further to increasetheir Technology Readiness Level (TRL),and reach their full potential.

Likewise, collaborative research anddevelopment should be in place to identify,fund and deliver case studies to promote theuse of NBS.

An evaluation of the permits andregulatory framework would also support theincreased use of nature-based solutions.

Collaboration and engagement were themost popular participant suggestions of howto help implement nature-based solutions,as shown in Figure 4.

Participants suggested that thecollaboration network should include watercompanies, regulators, NGOs/charities,diverse sectors and institutions that canengage with customers and society ingeneral, but particularly with indigenouspeople, landowners or stewards and localcommunities. Understanding theirmotivations, needs and actions is very

important to harness the full potential ofthese solutions.As Wendy Pring noted: “The role differentstakeholders have is to come from a positionof trust and collaboration and form new helixpartnerships that work within catchmentareas to co-create the solutions.”Conversely, several participants identified aneed for stakeholders to shift priorities, toput a higher value on NBS benefits, (asmany are not the lowest capital cost, inpurely financial terms), to keep in mind thebigger picture, and legacy, rather than

This assessment must be based on scientificevidence, taking into account benefits for theshort, medium and long term and even acomparison with their CO2 intensivecounterparts.

Rowan Pearce believes that this willallow us to build resilient and future-proofsolutions that take into account potentialrisks and adaptations for climate change.

Finally, resources such as land, designand management expertise, education andskills and match funding among others, areall well-known tools that will help with theapplication of NBS and make a systematicchange towards NBS.

1. StakeholdersWhat role do different stakeholders have inenabling NBS?

“The role different stakeholders have is to comefrom a position of trust and collaboration and formnew helix partnerships that work within catchment

areas to co-create the solutions.”

Stakeholder roles in enabling nature based solutions

14

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

15Photo by Ivars Utināns/Unsplash

Multiple benefits were mentioned by theparticipants including benefits to the widersociety and communities such as:• Health and wellbeing• Natural landscapes• Environmental awareness• Increased social and environmental

reputation• Job creation• Financial (some NBS can be lower cost)Also, many benefits from a technical point ofview:• Renewable fuels and biomass• Improvement of air quality• Flood risk management• Increasing biodiversity• Heat regulation• Circular economy

2. Co-benefitsWhat additional co-benefits from NBS canalso improve climate resilience?

• Less dependency on supply chains forchemicals

• Neutral/negative carbon footprint• Overall reduction in pollution• High versatility and resilience, e.g. ability

to cope with large flow ranges

Simon Guerrero, PhD, effectivelysummarised the general theme of theresponses:

“When incorporated into the urbanlandscape or any landscape (urban beingmore difficult) they will also provide aestheticbenefits, well-being, greener living areas,create jobs and enable the reconciliation ofsociety and nature. Convert urban concretejungles into more nature-integratingenvironments: heat regulation, and evenmood change of people!”

“…they will also provide aesthetic benefits, well-being, greener living areas, create jobs and enable

the reconciliation of society and nature.”

16

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

17

maintenance11%

life cycle analysis4%

cost4%

benefits2%

risk-management13%

co-benefit2%

performance43%

compliance4%

space15%

Evidence needed for nature based solutions

Participants identified several recurring‘themes’ for evidence required, with almost50% highlighting aspects of performance, asshown in Figure 5.

Within that theme the most commonaspect was technical performance relating towater quality (including with respect tometals, micro-pollutants, and thecontribution of the microbial community tothe system performance).

Evidence of permit compliance was

Figure 5 - Participants responses to Question 3 - Evidence needed

important. Several participants highlightedcurrent uncertainty in aspects of operationalrisk management (such as persistentchemicals particularly pharmaceuticals,bioaccumulation risk, soil and groundwatercontamination, and carcinogens linked toalgal blooms).

One respondent noted the potentialvalue of defining common reportingstandards (which may well aid accessibilityand transferability). Several participants

3. EvidenceWhat evidence is needed to select NBS forintegration into water and sanitationservices?

identified evidence on maintenance asimportant, with the implication thatinappropriate or lack of maintenance canimpair performance, lead to excessive GHGemission and affect through life costs.

Several participants identified variousaspects of economic performance includingcosts, life cycle analysis and monetaryevaluation of benefits (both for primary andco-benefit performance).

There was a notable interaction betweenparticipants in relation to the perception thatthe space requirements of some forms ofNBS could be prohibitive, particularly inurban environments.

Several participants observed therewere forms of NBS which could beconsidered even in densely occupied urbanareas where space is at a premium.Nonetheless, evidence on the spacerequirements of many forms of NBS,including non-urban, requires carefulconsideration.

The importance of ensuring evidencewas kept up to date was highlighted throughparticipants noting that some perceptions ofunsuitability of NBS being due to earlyexamples of solutions which had beeninappropriately selected or whosetechnology has now been superseded.

18

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

19

Participants’ responses to Question 4 areshown in Figure 6.

More than 60% of responses identified aspecific technique that warranted moredeployment. Of these almost a thirdhighlighted a strategy of segregation (ofwastewater types) combined with local NBSsolutions contrasting with traditionalapproaches of mixed wastewater andcentralised treatment. Use of types ofwetland was also commonly suggested.

Several responses noted that the trendof increasing urbanisation warrantedincreased adoption of NBS tailored tourbanised environments. Other responsesranged in scale from use of beavers torecognition of the role of tropical forests insupplying water vapour to the atmospherewithin the global water cycle.

One response suggested consideringdeployment of non-native species withdesirable properties (e.g. trees introducedfor carbon sequestration).

16% of responses identified desirableproperties of NBS which may appeal to

stakeholders. These included lowcarbon/low energy solutions, innovativesolutions and those NBS with featuresreadily understandable and tangible forstakeholders. One response identified thoseNBS that would attract applicability ofsustainable financing.

A few responses highlighted the widerpolicy framework within which NBS wouldbetter sit, rather than relating to NBSdirectly. These included promotingbalanced regional development in contrastwith concentration in coastal urbanlocations, using charging mechanisms,promoting symbiotic water use and re-userelationships (circular economy) betweenusers, and use of upstream solutions toavoid use of any form of treatment.

Finally, some responses identified targetapplications of NBS including production ofdrinking water and the ability for organiccarbon sequestration through best use ofdigestate from anaerobic digestion orresource recovery from advanced thermalprocesses.

4. SolutionsAs net zero shapes future policies, what arethe nature-based solutions we should aimto see more of?

Figure 6 - Participants’ responses to Question 4 - Solutions

policy13%

property16%

primary-purpose10%

technique61%

Nature based solutions we should aim to see more of

20

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

21

There were five main themes in theresponses to the question on how regulationcan be made “NBS-ready”, so that they canbecome the default solution, shown in Figure7.

Improvements to environmentalpermitting were suggested in 30% ofresponses. The predominant focus ofenvironmental permitting is on the end ofpipe quality, whereas a more holistic andflexible approach, which considers how thatlevel of treatment is achieved, would bepreferable to promote the use of NBS.Oliver Perkins proposed an alternative typeof permit for wetlands rather than traditional

treatment while Harriet Fletcher reflectedthat “the permits we are used to have noscope for balancing benefits against theenvironmental cost of achieving outcomes”.A more collaborative approach to permittingthat recognises the wider environmentalbenefits of NBS would be welcomed bymany.

Another common theme, with 25% ofresponses, was the need to invest ininnovation to identify, develop and share thebest available technologies for NBS. Thisalso includes trials, case studies andknowledge sharing to maximise benefits andmitigate risks with NBS and to understand

5. EnablersHow can regulation be made “NBS-ready”,so they become the default solution?

the role NBS could play in addressingemerging challenges.

The role that carbon accounting can playwas identified in 20% of the responses, withthe view from Ian Redmond that “calculatingthe value of natural capital and bringing thatvalue into the national economy is essential”to promote NBS. It is only with theunderstanding that natural capital can bemeasured and valued, and can be part of thecost benefit calculation to enable investmentin more NBS as opposed to higher carbonalternatives.

Consumer demand was identified as anenabler in 15% of responses, with Salmanpromoting the need to educate children inenvironmental sustainability and AMcginnidentifying “customer buy in” as a means to

“calculating the value of natural capital andbringing that value into the national economy is

essential”Enablers to help regulations become NBS-ready

drive change and the move towards NBS.The concept of customer willingness to payhas been used now for some time inEngland and Wales to ensure watercompanies investments are aligned withcustomer priorities for their area, so linkingto this process can only support thetransition to more NBS.

Finally, 10% of responses highlightedincentivisation of water companies as ameans to increase investment in NBS.These solutions could take the form offinancial or tax incentives according toMandaBauchop, while Martin Hoganidentified a need for regulators andlawmakers “to work together to forceincentivisation of best holistic solutions” totreat the problem rather than the symptom.

Figure 7 - Main themes of participants’ responses to Question 5 - Enablers

Incentives for water service providers10%

Consumer demand15%

Carbon accounting20%

Investment in appropriate technology25%

Holistic permitting30%

22

WATER CLIMATE DISCUSSION

23

NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS

Clean Transport

Finance

Water Climate Discussion Conference

Live from COP26

Conclusion and Next Steps

5 August 2021, 9-10am BST

2 September 2021, 9-10am

7 October 2021, 9am-5pm

TBC November 2021

1 December 2021

COP26Water Climate DiscussionSeries

You can join the discussionin the next of the

Please register through any of our collaborators’ links:

ICE.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionRSC.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionIChemE.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionRSB.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionIWA.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionIWater.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionSocEnv.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionBritishWater.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionWaterUK.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionWaterAid.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussionFWA.andeye.com/WaterClimateDiscussion

If you enjoyed this Nature Based Solutions discussion with IWA and Water UK, then join usfor future events in the COP26: Water Climate Discussion Series:

Energy Transitionwith Scottish Water Horizons and VCS Denmark on Thursday, 1 July 2021 from 9-10am BST

Further events based on the COP26 themes are planned as follows:

We’re lookingforward toyour input.

Let’schange the

worldtogether.

Photo by theverticalstory/Unsplash