Exploring the Use of Green Infrastructure

for Coastal Resilience

Atsuko Nishikawa
Senior Manager, Global and Regional Policy
ADB Annual Meeting Learning with Partners 4
May 7, 2017

The views expressed in these presentations are the views of the

author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the
Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Directors or the
governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the source,
originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement,
information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view
presented, nor does it make any representation concerning the
same.
Conservation International/ photo by
Presentation outline:
Introduction: green and grey
infrastructure
Two case studies
Community-driven
reconstruction work in
tsunami affected area in
Japan; and
Collaboration between
science community and
NGO for the better use of
green infrastructure
The way forward in Asia and
the Pacific
Nandini Narayanan
Green and Grey Infrastructure

Green Infrastructure:
Infrastructure using functions of nature/ecosystem services
Examples: mangroves, wetlands, coral reefs, forests etc.
Flexible to changes. Providing multiple benefits.
Sometimes less strong compared to grey infrastructure
 Green and Grey Infrastructure (continued)

Grey Infrastructure:
Infrastructure using engineering solutions
Examples: sea walls, dikes etc.
Good for single planned purposes.
Often built at the expense of nature. Expensive to build and maintain.
Green-grey integrated solutions!
Nature-based Coastal Protection Work in
NYC

Source: NYC: East Side Coastal Resiliency Project: A stronger, more resilient New York,
March 19, 2015.
Case Study 1: Reconstruction work from the Great
East Japan Earthquake/Tsunami in Miyagi, Japan

The government is building concrete

sea walls to protect coastal lines in
the tsunami affected areas.
370km in total length
maximum height 15m
Expected total cost $ 9 billion
Large impacts on landscapes,
ecosystems, local businesses,
culture, and communities.
 Oya Beach, Miyagi
prefecture
Initially planned concrete sea wall
in Oya Beach: height 9.8m and
base width 40m

TP 9.8m

Source: General Incorporated Association Project Rias

Japan Coalition for Disaster Risk Reduction Green Infrastructure
Case Study 1 (continued)
Community actions led to reconstruction work in
harmony with nature
Signature collecting
campaign and workshops
Collaboration among residents
for and against sea wall
construction
Brought in cross-disciplinary
expertise
Community-driven
reconstruction plan
development
Shared common desire to
conserve beautiful beach
Discussions between city
government and residents
Built mutual trust Source: General Incorporated
Association Project Rias
Step by step consensus
building
Case Study 2: Science community and NGO collaboration for
coastal protection using green infrastructure

In partnership with CI, six Japanese institutions, led by Kyoto University,

started a three-year research on how mangroves can protect coastal
communities from typhoons to be intensified by climate change.

Communi
Mangrove
ty area
s
Typhoon/
storm surge
hazard
assessment
intensified by
climate change
Source:
Grey Kyoto
infrastruct University
ure Philippines
Green
Packaging for Green-Grey Coastal Infrastructur
e Research
The Way Forward in Asia and the Pacific

using the functions of nature wisely in combination

with well-targeted limited grey infrastructure to
realize the objectives of infrastructure development
more sustainably and at a lower cost!
THANK YOU

Conservation International/photo by Haroldo Castro