Development that delivers for both people and planet

Demands for projects to be nature positive and for biodiversity net gain are an opportunity to achieve multiple benefits for people and the planet, say Julia Baker and Kerry Scott.

Measures to protect and restore our biodiversity and precious ecosystems and to include local communities in co-creation have too often been missing from initial project proposals, and sometimes added only as an afterthought. As a result, projects underperform, delivering less overall than they could for nature and people, and missing connections that could vastly improve outcomes for both.

Evidence of the positive benefits that flow from connecting people and nature is strong and growing.

Being in green spaces is good for mental wellbeing and physical health. Hospital gardens can reduce patient, visitor and staff stress and improve health outcomes, while workplaces that blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors using vegetation and natural elements have been shown to reduce employee absence, and improve productivity and engagement.

Our industry has an opportunity, and indeed a responsibility, to deliver mutual and holistic benefits, and enhance how people interact with nature.

But how do we make this the norm, so that projects are always focused on maximising social and environmental outcomes concurrently?

The answer is to simply make better connections between the two.

Shifting the focus

Globally, governments, businesses and investors are beginning to shift away from the notion of ‘doing less environmental harm’ to becoming ‘nature positive’ − going beyond damage limitation to enhancing ecosystems. For example, most developments in England from November will have to deliver a biodiversity net gain (BNG) of at least 10%.

The introduction of a mandatory requirement for BNG is an opportunity to embed solutions in our projects that enhance biodiversity and nature’s capacity to regulate the climate, such as the removal of air pollution or greenhouse gas emissions.

People’s perspective and support will be critical for biodiversity to flourish. Under the regulations, a BNG site must be maintained for at least 30 years so its long-term success will depend ultimately on the communities nearby protecting and valuing it. That is more likely if people are consulted and involved in plans to develop the site at the outset. Co-creation enables the end-user to help design site features, and to share thoughts on the extent to which it serves community needs.

When social and nature action is effectively combined, not only do we prevent harm, but we also realise the opportunity to maximise sustainable outcomes for both people and the planet.
Considering the social outcomes of BNG provides us with the perfect opportunity to see the bigger picture and design natural solutions to boost carbon sequestration, increase resilience to climate change and improve air and water quality, as well as support human wellbeing.

Connected thinking

When the interdependency between nature and social outcomes is absent from policies or missing from the commissioning and procurement process, it is the responsibility of engineers, environmentalists, social specialists and those commissioning projects to join the dots. Every project and every location have their own challenges, so there also needs to be a real commitment to early engagement with local stakeholders who have a deep knowledge of a place.

Those parties willing to explore alternatives to traditional approaches and solutions, and who encourage their teams to think beyond a one-dimensional focus, will achieve longer term sustainable outcomes for local communities and the environment.

A new housing development that swallows up a green space used by local people and replaced by BNG site that is not accessible to nearby communities is an example of a lack of joined-up thinking.

A multi-disciplinary and collaborative culture would help to avoid unintended consequences. It would identify interventions with considerable co-benefits that are not always obvious when we work in silos.

Valuing nature and social outcomes, and building them into our best-value analysis are some of the steps we can take to challenge business as usual.

Julia Baker

Technical director of nature services, Mott MacDonald

Here are three recent Mott MacDonald examples of where more connected thinking is delivering broad co-benefits:

• A project to enhance biodiversity across 14 sites for two health boards in Wales is being led by ecologists with advice from their biophilic design, landscape, historic landscape, climate resilience and carbon colleagues. This has helped to shift the clients’ focus from fulfilling their biodiversity duty in line with Welsh government policy, to recognising the value of achieving a wider range of societal benefits, notably wellbeing and health, alongside environmental ones.
• Highway and tunnelling experts working together to greatly improve a world heritage site by removing the road and putting traffic through a 3.3km tunnel. Freeing the area of traffic will provide more space for wildlife to thrive, and create new access for walkers, cyclists and others to explore the landscape like never before.
• Using the construction of vital wastewater infrastructure in London to provide new green spaces for the local community. On the eastern section of the 25km long Thames Tideway tunnel in London, the King Edward Memorial Park in Wapping will be extended into the river, with the terraced river walls that are submerged with each tide, also providing new habitat for estuary wildlife. The tunnel itself will intercept sewage from London’s Victorian sewers, which regularly pollutes and threatens the health of the Thames.

Best steps forward

Breaking out of our silos, collaborating to produce holistic solutions, providing integrated advice, valuing nature and social outcomes, and building them into our best-value analysis are some of the steps we can take to challenge business as usual.

Alongside these changes, we also need to increase the pace. Let’s not wait for others to act. Start conversations now with your colleagues, peers and clients to help initiate change and drive better solutions.