Cutting the costs of coastal protection by integrating vegetation in flood defences

Exposure to coastal flooding is increasing globally. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of integrating coastal vegetation (mangroves and marshes) into hybrid coastal protection systems (combining ecosystems and levees). Using earth observation data and hydrodynamic modeling, the research demonstrates that incorporating vegetation leads to more sustainable and financially attractive strategies, reducing required levee crest heights and resulting in significant cost savings (estimated at 320 billion USD in investments, 67.5 billion USD in urban areas, for a 1 in 100-year flood protection level).

Vincent T. M. van Zelst, Jasper T. Dijkstra, Bregje K. van Wesenbeeck, Dirk Eilander, Edward P. Morris, Hessel C. Winsemius, Philip J. Ward, Mindert B. de Vries