Creating sustainable, resilient, inclusive communities
The debate around net zero, and how to achieve it, has never been more fierce. The political arguments go back and forth; between what climate scientists recommend and what policymakers and the general public are prepared to accept. In the meantime, extreme weather continues to rage around the world. With COP 28 around the corner, these issues should be the at the forefront of everyone’s thinking.
This summer, the ongoing spate of heatwaves, wildfires and floods put a spotlight on the increasing
frequency of environmental shocks and stresses. How we adapt and create sustainable places where
people can live, work and play has never been so important. Yet another key factor is one many may not
have thought about – prioritising diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) when creating and
implementing adaptation policies.
There is an opportunity to incorporate DEIB and ensure that the benefits of adaptation are equitably
distributed; creating happy and healthy communities where everyone can succeed. To ignore DEIB
considerations can reinforce existing inequalities and hinder the overall effectiveness of policies. We
saw during Covid how the mental health of those from disadvantaged backgrounds was impacted
disproportionately due to lack of access to gardens or green space.
We have a huge opportunity to use the climate crisis to promote the use of nature-based solutions,
create more green spaces which provide multiple functions of climate mitigation, adaptation,
biodiversity net gain, jobs, economic growth and above all improve health and wellbeing.
Complacency has blocked meaningful progress
Apathy has long been a problem. The resilience agenda hasn’t been given the attention it rightfully
deserves. We need to invest in resilience, as there is no net zero without climate adaptation or
resilience.
Even the phrases ’global warming’ and ‘climate change’ have not effectively captured the urgency of the
situation. The impact of the European summer has moved the term ‘global warming ‘to ‘global boiling’.
Complacency often arises from the misconception that governments alone are responsible for tackling
adaptation challenges.
Achieving meaningful progress requires active engagement from all sectors of society; individuals must
believe that they also have the power to drive change. By voting for leaders who prioritise sustainability,
building partnerships, and taking action in our own capacities, we can shape the narrative and push for
the necessary transformations.
Tackling complacency also means getting ahead of the game. A shift is needed from reactive funding to
proactive investments, allowing for more effective long-term planning and action. Only then will
adaptation initiatives truly protect those most vulnerable and those who are the least well-equipped to
react when disaster strikes.
Leveraging DEIB to meet specific needs
By embracing DEIB, adaptation policies can be designed to address the specific needs of diverse
communities. It moves beyond a one-size-fits-all approach, considering factors such as neurodiversity,
cultural diversity, language accessibility, and physical accessibility. Embedding DEIB in adaptation
planning ensures that solutions are inclusive and authentic and resonate with the unique requirements
of different communities.
For example, we might see that communities need better connections. We could build a bridge or a
railway, but is there existing infrastructure that could be used instead? Can we optimise existing routes
to meet community needs while reducing carbon and protecting the environment? If there is a need to
build, can we do so with a nature-first approach and can supply chains and processes be improved to
meet net zero aims?
This kind of thinking challenges the perceived wisdom of throwing more money at a problem and
expecting it to go away. Society has an unhealthy obsession with growth as a metric for success and
quality of life. Arcadis’s Sustainable Cities Index, the next of which will be produced in 2024, analyses
numerous metrics including people, planet and profit to get the full measure of a city’s prosperity and
performance.
There are smarter, more inclusive options. We need to truly start valuing nature and treating it as an
asset.
Unconventional cross-sector collaborations
We can take this disruptive thinking one step further. To drive meaningful change, it is essential to
foster unconventional, cross-sector collaborations. This requires bringing together stakeholders from
government, business, academia and civil society to collectively address adaptation challenges. We can
achieve more together than we can alone.
Such partnerships already exist and are going full throttle to deliver amazing results. For instance, 50L
Home focuses on making 50 litres of water feel like 500 by implementing practical solutions. This can be
done through unconventional partnerships between cities, water companies, washing machine
manufacturers, consumer goods manufacturers which use water and energy, civil society groups, and
more. Or the 3Keel project, which encourages collaboration; creating a marketplace for enterprise
solutions that deliver shared outcomes between diverse stakeholders – in this case Nestle, Environment
Agency and Anglian Water.
These projects exemplify the positive outcomes of DEIB-focused adaptation efforts and prove that it can
be done. By incorporating DEIB principles, we not only create resilient communities capable of
withstanding environmental shocks, but also foster social cohesion, economic growth, and wellbeing for
all. In this way, we can seize this once in a lifetime opportunity to design a future that leaves no one
behind and truly embodies the resilient dividend we aspire to achieve.
For more information about climate adaptation at Arcadis, visit Adaptation, Diversity, and Digitalization | Arcadis
About the author
Professor Anusha Shah is a senior director for resilient cities and the UK climate adaptation lead at Arcadis. She has also recently been appointed as the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
