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Hybrid Defenses Decoded: Japan’s Blueprint for Sustainable Shorelines

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Tuesday, April 9, 2024

This illustration shows natural (coral reef) and soft (replanted mangrove) measures, forming a hybrid defense with the concrete sea wall. Nature-based solutions were recognized as a key option to tackle the “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss at the most recent United Nations climate conference, COP28, held in 2023. Credit: 2024, Nicola BurghallHybrid solutions that combine nature with common “hard” coastal protection measures may offer more benefits in lower-risk areas.Common “hard” coastal defenses, like concrete sea walls, might struggle to keep up with increasing climate risks. A new study shows that combining them with nature-based solutions could, in some contexts, create defenses that are better able to adapt.Researchers reviewed 304 academic articles on the performance of coastal defenses around the world, including: natural environments; soft measures (which support or enrich nature); hard measures (such as concrete sea walls); and hybrids of the aforementioned. Soft and hybrid measures turned out to be more cost-effective than hard measures, and hybrid measures provided the highest hazard reduction overall in low-risk areas. Although their comparative performance during extreme events that pose a high risk is not clear due to lack of data, these results still support the careful inclusion of nature-based solutions to help protect, support, and enrich coastal communities.Japan’s dramatic natural coastline, with iconic views of Mount Fuji, wind-blown pines, and rocky beaches, has been captured and admired in paintings and prints for hundreds of years. But take a walk by the ocean nowadays and it can be hard to find a stretch that retains its pristine natural seascape.By the early 1990s, a government survey found that around 40% of the coast had been altered with concrete sea walls, filled harbors, stacks of tetrapods, and more, adding swaths of gray to the blue-green landscape. Sprawling coastal cities and towns have grown to house most of the population, so protecting homes and businesses from the dangers of tsunamis, typhoon swells and sea-level rise has become an ever-increasing challenge.Challenges of Traditional Coastal Defenses“Sea walls, dikes, dams and breakwaters, the so-called traditional hard measures, despite being the most popular coastal defenses globally and with proven track records, are facing challenges to keep pace with increasing climate risks,” explained Lam Thi Mai Huynh, a doctoral student from the graduate program in sustainability science at the University of Tokyo and lead author of a new study on coastal defenses.“These hard structures are expensive to build and require continuous upgrades and repairs as sea level rises and climatic hazards become stronger. Although they are good at mitigating certain coastal disaster risks, they can also cause significant disruption to coastal communities and have adverse environmental effects. Furthermore, they often significantly alter the seascape and sometimes alienate local communities from nature and the very environment we seek to protect.”Exploring Nature-Based SolutionsTo better understand the performance and benefits of different hard and nature-based coastal defenses, an international team compared the results of 304 academic studies. Nature-based coastal defenses included: “natural” ecosystems, for example, existing mangroves and coral reefs; “soft” measures, which restore, rehabilitate, reforest or nourish natural ecosystems; and “hybrid” measures that combine both nature-based components and hard structures, such as placing concrete breakwaters in front of mangroves.“By incorporating such natural components, we can create coastal defenses that reduce risk and also offer substantial environmental benefits. We believe that such strategies are very promising in many parts of the world, but they are also not a ‘fix-all’ solution,” said Professor Alexandros Gasparatos from the Institute for Future Initiatives at the University of Tokyo.Comprehensive Analysis of Coastal Defense StrategiesThe researchers analyzed three key aspects of each type of defense: 1. risk reduction (how much the measure could reduce wave height and energy, and influence shoreline change); 2. climate change mitigation (including carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions for nature-based measures); and 3. cost-effectiveness over a 20-year period.“Our results indicate that among all coastal defense options in lower-risk areas, hybrid measures provide the highest risk reduction. Hybrid measures can harness the advantages of both hard and soft measures. They provide the immediacy of an engineered barrier while largely maintaining the ecological functionality of a permeable vegetated zone,” said Huynh. “All nature-based solutions are found to be effective in storing carbon, while both soft and hybrid measures are relatively more cost-effective than traditional hard measures over a 20-year period, though all have positive economic returns.”Caution and Potential in Coastal DefenseThese findings provide strong evidence for integrating and upscaling nature-based components into coastal defenses, but the team advised doing so with caution. “All types of coastal defenses have yet to be adequately tested through paired experiments in circumstances of extreme events and high-risk urgency,” warned Gasparatos. “Until there are many more such experiments focusing on this, we must caution against any universal assumptions about the comparative performance of coastal defense options, whether natural, soft or hybrid measures.”While acknowledging the limits imposed by the lack of available research on extreme and high-risk situations, Huynh and Gasparatos still believe that this study supports the idea of investing in nature-based solutions for coastal defense in lower-risk areas. Research like this has important implications for policymakers, coastal planners, and communities looking to make evidence-based decisions.“I firmly believe that we must think more carefully about the design and function of these barriers in this era of ever-accelerating climate change,” said Huynh. “Not only can nature-based solutions contribute to risk reduction and climate mitigation in many areas, but they can also help reconnect people with nature and support biodiversity. Greening our coastlines can create spaces which enhance quality of life, foster community well-being and inspire environmental stewardship.”Reference: “Meta-analysis shows hybrid engineering-natural coastal defences perform best for climate adaptation and mitigation” by Lam T.M. Huynh, Jie Su, Quanli Wang, Lindsay C. Stringer, Adam D. Switzer, Alexandros Gasparatos, 9 April 2024, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46970-wL.H acknowledges the support of Grant-in-Aid Research Fellowship for young Scientist offered by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (23KJ0544). A.G is supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research A offered by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (22H00567). A.D.S. is supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund (MOE2019-T3-1-004 and MOET32022-0006).

Hybrid solutions that combine nature with common “hard” coastal protection measures may offer more benefits in lower-risk areas. Common “hard” coastal defenses, like concrete sea...

Hybrid Coastal Defense

This illustration shows natural (coral reef) and soft (replanted mangrove) measures, forming a hybrid defense with the concrete sea wall. Nature-based solutions were recognized as a key option to tackle the “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss at the most recent United Nations climate conference, COP28, held in 2023. Credit: 2024, Nicola Burghall

Hybrid solutions that combine nature with common “hard” coastal protection measures may offer more benefits in lower-risk areas.

Common “hard” coastal defenses, like concrete sea walls, might struggle to keep up with increasing climate risks. A new study shows that combining them with nature-based solutions could, in some contexts, create defenses that are better able to adapt.

Researchers reviewed 304 academic articles on the performance of coastal defenses around the world, including: natural environments; soft measures (which support or enrich nature); hard measures (such as concrete sea walls); and hybrids of the aforementioned. Soft and hybrid measures turned out to be more cost-effective than hard measures, and hybrid measures provided the highest hazard reduction overall in low-risk areas.

Although their comparative performance during extreme events that pose a high risk is not clear due to lack of data, these results still support the careful inclusion of nature-based solutions to help protect, support, and enrich coastal communities.

Japan’s dramatic natural coastline, with iconic views of Mount Fuji, wind-blown pines, and rocky beaches, has been captured and admired in paintings and prints for hundreds of years. But take a walk by the ocean nowadays and it can be hard to find a stretch that retains its pristine natural seascape.

By the early 1990s, a government survey found that around 40% of the coast had been altered with concrete sea walls, filled harbors, stacks of tetrapods, and more, adding swaths of gray to the blue-green landscape. Sprawling coastal cities and towns have grown to house most of the population, so protecting homes and businesses from the dangers of tsunamis, typhoon swells and sea-level rise has become an ever-increasing challenge.

Challenges of Traditional Coastal Defenses

“Sea walls, dikes, dams and breakwaters, the so-called traditional hard measures, despite being the most popular coastal defenses globally and with proven track records, are facing challenges to keep pace with increasing climate risks,” explained Lam Thi Mai Huynh, a doctoral student from the graduate program in sustainability science at the University of Tokyo and lead author of a new study on coastal defenses.

“These hard structures are expensive to build and require continuous upgrades and repairs as sea level rises and climatic hazards become stronger. Although they are good at mitigating certain coastal disaster risks, they can also cause significant disruption to coastal communities and have adverse environmental effects. Furthermore, they often significantly alter the seascape and sometimes alienate local communities from nature and the very environment we seek to protect.”

Exploring Nature-Based Solutions

To better understand the performance and benefits of different hard and nature-based coastal defenses, an international team compared the results of 304 academic studies. Nature-based coastal defenses included: “natural” ecosystems, for example, existing mangroves and coral reefs; “soft” measures, which restore, rehabilitate, reforest or nourish natural ecosystems; and “hybrid” measures that combine both nature-based components and hard structures, such as placing concrete breakwaters in front of mangroves.

“By incorporating such natural components, we can create coastal defenses that reduce risk and also offer substantial environmental benefits. We believe that such strategies are very promising in many parts of the world, but they are also not a ‘fix-all’ solution,” said Professor Alexandros Gasparatos from the Institute for Future Initiatives at the University of Tokyo.

Comprehensive Analysis of Coastal Defense Strategies

The researchers analyzed three key aspects of each type of defense: 1. risk reduction (how much the measure could reduce wave height and energy, and influence shoreline change); 2. climate change mitigation (including carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions for nature-based measures); and 3. cost-effectiveness over a 20-year period.

“Our results indicate that among all coastal defense options in lower-risk areas, hybrid measures provide the highest risk reduction. Hybrid measures can harness the advantages of both hard and soft measures. They provide the immediacy of an engineered barrier while largely maintaining the ecological functionality of a permeable vegetated zone,” said Huynh. “All nature-based solutions are found to be effective in storing carbon, while both soft and hybrid measures are relatively more cost-effective than traditional hard measures over a 20-year period, though all have positive economic returns.”

Caution and Potential in Coastal Defense

These findings provide strong evidence for integrating and upscaling nature-based components into coastal defenses, but the team advised doing so with caution. “All types of coastal defenses have yet to be adequately tested through paired experiments in circumstances of extreme events and high-risk urgency,” warned Gasparatos. “Until there are many more such experiments focusing on this, we must caution against any universal assumptions about the comparative performance of coastal defense options, whether natural, soft or hybrid measures.”

While acknowledging the limits imposed by the lack of available research on extreme and high-risk situations, Huynh and Gasparatos still believe that this study supports the idea of investing in nature-based solutions for coastal defense in lower-risk areas. Research like this has important implications for policymakers, coastal planners, and communities looking to make evidence-based decisions.

“I firmly believe that we must think more carefully about the design and function of these barriers in this era of ever-accelerating climate change,” said Huynh. “Not only can nature-based solutions contribute to risk reduction and climate mitigation in many areas, but they can also help reconnect people with nature and support biodiversity. Greening our coastlines can create spaces which enhance quality of life, foster community well-being and inspire environmental stewardship.”

Reference: “Meta-analysis shows hybrid engineering-natural coastal defences perform best for climate adaptation and mitigation” by Lam T.M. Huynh, Jie Su, Quanli Wang, Lindsay C. Stringer, Adam D. Switzer, Alexandros Gasparatos, 9 April 2024, Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46970-w

L.H acknowledges the support of Grant-in-Aid Research Fellowship for young Scientist offered by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (23KJ0544). A.G is supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research A offered by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (22H00567). A.D.S. is supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund (MOE2019-T3-1-004 and MOET32022-0006).

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Population growth and increasing density are putting pressure on green spaces in our cities. POC/Shutterstock The neglected value of informal green spaces Informal green spaces are the overlooked areas of vegetation scattered throughout our cities and towns. Think of the tangle of greenery thriving along railway lines, flowers growing on vacant lots, or the unmown grassy patches under power lines. These areas are not usually recognised or managed as part of a city’s official green infrastructure, but provide a unique type of green space. People report liking these spaces for their wild, unmanaged nature, in contrast to more neatly manicured parks. We know people use these spaces for a range of activities, from taking shortcuts or dog walking to creating community gardens. However, the extent to which people use informal green space to engage with nature has not been well understood until now. Our recent study sheds light on the importance of informal green space for access to nature in urban areas. We analysed data from citizen science apps such as iNaturalist. This enabled us to study how often people recorded sightings of animal and plant species in informal green spaces compared to their more formal counterparts, such as parks. It provided a measure of their interaction with nature. We found people use informal green spaces to engage with nature just as much as formal green spaces. Areas along railway lines and utility corridors were most popular. This may be due to their fixed land tenure. It allows people to become familiar with them and gives nature a better chance to establish on these sites. Street verges were also important. The data suggest they are as popular as private gardens for connecting with nature. While parks remain crucial, these findings highlight the important role of informal green spaces in giving people access to nature in cities. People often connect with nature in informal green space, such as this land left vacant after old homes were demolished in Perth. Purple Wyrm/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA Rethinking how we manage green space in cities Our works shows the need to expand our thinking about how to improve people’s connection to nature in cities. It’s important to start recognising informal green spaces as a legitimate part of urban green space networks. We can then begin to consider how best to manage these spaces to support biodiversity while encouraging public use. This will present its own challenges. We’ll need to balance the needs of people with the need to leave enough quiet spaces for nature to thrive. A majority of the world’s people already live in cities. As urban populations continue to grow, so will the need for accessible green space. Formal parks will always be important to ensure people have regular, meaningful interactions with nature for the sake of their health and wellbeing. But we need to broaden our perspective to include a more diverse selection of green spaces. By valuing and integrating informal green spaces better into existing green space networks, we can ensure nature remains part of urban life. Allowing urban residents to connect with nature will promote healthier, happier and more environmentally engaged communities. Holly Kirk receives funding from the Australian Research Council and Ian Potter Foundation. Hugh Stanford does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Nature
Animals
Science

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