Nature-positive Engineering in Marine and Coastal Environments

The built environment sector plays a pivotal role in providing services for people around the world and fostering economic development. Yet, it is also a major contributor to climate and ecological damage, with up to 79% of carbon emissions globally being linked to infrastructure. The built environment and infrastructure also contribute considerably to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation by taking up space from various native species without consideration of mitigation, restoration, or coexistence with ecology. 

The need is clear: we must prioritise solutions that protect and restore nature and biodiversity – this is where Nature-positive Engineering (NPE) comes in. By rethinking how we engineer our cities and towns, infrastructure, and energy systems, we can transform these sectors into powerful forces for ecological restoration and resilience, whilst also mitigating carbon emissions.

Nature-positive Engineering has the potential to tackle the complex and interrelated planetary crises, while simultaneously contributing to the resilience of communities and minimising the impact of engineering interventions on nature and people. Examples of nature-positive solutions include environmental protection, creation, restoration, and sustainable management of natural ecosystems, ultimately leading to an overall biodiversity net gain and to healthier, functioning ecosystems. These solutions are ecology-minded from outset, while safely delivering outcomes for people and community. 

At the One Ocean Science Congress, ICSI will launch their new publication: Foresight Review on Nature-positive Engineering (NPE). Funded by Lloyds Register Foundation and published in Q2 2025, the interactive report will bring clarity on what makes an intervention “nature-positive”, and a clear definition of NPE to support this. It will outline the progress that different organisations are currently making, how NPE approaches and solutions are implemented, and identify new and emerging trends. Finally, it will provide a framework to ensure future approaches to engineering help protect, restore and enhance natural ecosystems.

The publication will have a clear objective to mobilise the engineering profession and a particular focus on coastal and marine environments, including deep dives into: 

• Coastal protection and adaptation
• Offshore renewable energy (ORE) 
• Ports and shipping (focusing on port cities) 

The research methods for the project include extensive desk-based research and consultation with key experts and stakeholders across the engineering value chain. This includes 1:1 interviews, a global call for input (survey) and a series of regional roundtables to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brussels, London, Nairobi, and Singapore. The roundtables will help to gather case studies of nature positive engineering in action to inform the publication, and engage a wide range of stakeholders in foresighting exercises. 

Emphasis will be placed on the value creation and scalability of NPE solutions throughout their full life cycle, ensuring safe practice and attention to biodiversity and ecosystem health and functionality are embedded at every stage from design to decommissioning. There will be a clear focus on implementation of NPE solutions and the pathway to accelerate these.