ABSTRACT
The water sector faces a paradox: cutting capital and operational carbon while at the same time maintaining performance standards in the face of a changing climate. Nature-based solutions can increase resilience to climate change while also enhancing water availability and improving water quality – for example through floodplain restoration, green roofs, natural and constructed wetlands, riparian buffer strips, groundwater recharge, and soil water retention measures. Recent and ongoing advancements in technology can help to reduce carbon while building resilience. Traditionally, infrastructure is built based on uncertain assumptions about future conditions. Adaptive planning should be applied when developing delivery strategies to build flexibility into long-term planning so the sector can cope with changes in circumstances over time.
