RAMSHEEP procedures using nature-based solutions for protecting infrastructure against climate threats

With the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-induced hazards, ensuring the safety and resilience of Europe's critical infrastructure is paramount to maintain economic flows, human well-being, and social stability throughout the continent. Whilst merely grey and technical solutions and approaches have been reaching their limits recently, Nature-based Solutions have gained attention in terms of supporting, re-integrating and restoring ecosystems, in order to raise their service potential and to reduce risks of hazard-related damage. However, established critical infrastructure and natural hazard assessment approaches need to be brought in line with NbS potential consideration, integral approaches respectively integration of NbS are needed in order to provide decision support and adapt to climate-change-related demands.

We present a concept for a decision support tool based on the RAMSSHEEP-method. Our contribution evolves from the participation in the  NATURE-DEMO project that aims to develop an advanced digital decision support platform that integrates climate projections, asset exposure, NbS catalogue portfolios, and advanced simulations to optimise the efficiency of NbS implementations. The RAMSSHEEP method is employed in this context to evaluate the protection of critical infrastructure, using performance indicators (PIs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of NbS. The method includes hazard characterization tools, grey infrastructure characterization tools, and nature-based characterization tools for a comprehensive assessment. The evaluation considers various factors, including safety, reliability, security, economy, environment, health, and politics. By pioneering a scalable, digitally-enabled, and validated framework for implementing NbS,  The adaptation of the RAMSSHEEP approach aims to synthesise and link the assessment of natural hazards, critical infrastructure risk and NbS potential.