Nature-Based Solutions in Boston's Harbor: Policy Insights for Coastal Cities

Coastal cities face many challenges—including vulnerable water infrastructure, and the escalating impacts of climate change, which require innovative and forward-thinking solutions. Traditional gray infrastructure approaches, like seawalls and other shoreline hardening, can aggravate erosion and cause coasts to be more vulnerable in the long term. At the same time, as the need for climate adaptation intensifies, much of the previously obligated federal climate funding is being cut, paused, or revoked by the Trump Administration. Nature-based solutions (NBS) offer a necessary and cost-effective approach for securing water availability, enhancing water quality, and fortifying the safety of coastal communities, all while absorbing tons of carbon.

Despite these benefits to community and local ecosystems, NBS are often subject to extensive regulatory and permitting requirements and resistance borne of inexperience leading to outsized regulatory delays. As cities work with implementers to upgrade existing infrastructure and plan for future coastal development, adapting policy and regulations to encourage integration of NBS will be essential to foster climate-resilient coastal communities and ecosystems in a cost efficient manner.