Student-led academic platform of the LL.M. in Sustainable Development of the University of Milan
23.03.2019
The 2030 Agenda raises issues in terms of the orientation of IPR systems towards the needs of sustainable and inclusive development
Global growth in population, combined with complex climate change effects calls for a new generation of infrastructure projects, that would factor in increasing water stress, water security, disaster risk reduction, poverty alleviation, and resilience to climate change.
Projections of global financing needs for water supply infrastructure alone are estimated at US$6.7 trillion by 2030 and $22.6 trillion by 2050, significantly outpacing financial flows to this sector (OECD 2018). There is a need to develop cost-effective and eco-friendly approaches.
World Resources Institute suggests a new approach, based on integrating "grey" human-made infrastructure with "natural" green infrastructure to enhance system performance, boost resilience, lower costs, and better protect communities. Public utilities, hydropower companies can deliver more cost-effective and resilient services by integrating green infrastructure into their plans and operations.
Integrating grey and green infrastructure represents a number of significant opportunities and potential for synergies. Green infrastructure can (i) boost infrastructure system resilience due to its natural adaptive and regenerative capacity, (ii) generate numerous positive environmental impacts; (iii) provide low-cost, and cost-effective way to enhance the economic efficiency of infrastructure investments. Its multiple benefits can generate both monetary values and nonmarket benefits.
World Resources Institute describes how combining green and gray infrastructure can deliver a triple win for the economy, communities, and the environment, and provides guidance on how to incorporate green infrastructure in project design, appraisal, and implementation. Recognizing that next generation infrastructure has a critical role to play in meeting the climate adaptation challenge, a growing movement is promoting nature-based solutions and creating opportunities to scale up use of green infrastructure. Smart and innovative policies for integrating "green" and "grey" infrastructure should be developed in order to (re)-define the role natural systems such as forests, floodplains, and mangroves in providng services to public utilities.
Green infrastructure has a wide social value that has to be factored in new management models.
While gray infrastructure is usually operated and owned by a company or government entity, the main operators of green infrastructure are often local communities, responsible for implementing land stewardship practices, and for maintaining the project over the long term. Integrating green infrastructure and grey infrastructure will definitely reshape our vision about how the natural resources are managed locally. These new models of management promise to be more inclusive, transparent and participatory, create a vast local value and sense of ownership in the communities, empower people and communities. The topic has an a great potential for those interested in natural resources management, interaction between private sector, communities and government.