New report: Nature-based solutions key to Galveston's climate-resiliency

Galveston Island is vulnerable to sea level rise, and a new report emphasizes the need for more nature-based solutions.

Why it matters: Galveston has already experienced 8 inches of sea level rise in 14 years, according to an analysis by the Washington Post. And some models by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration project future rises of 3 to 8 feet by 2100, depending on ocean warming and ice melt rates.

The big picture: The Climate Resilient Galveston report released this week by conservation groups National Wildlife Federation and Texas Living Waters identifies how solutions that restore and strengthen Galveston's natural features can protect the low-lying island and its unique ecosystems.

How it works: Natural projects include creating "living shorelines," restoring oyster reefs and salt marshes, protecting and restoring barrier beaches and dunes through renourishment and revegetation, and reducing the urban heat island effect , per the report.

State of play: Large physical infrastructure projects, like levees and sea walls, tend to be the first solution that leaders gravitate toward. But they're often costly, take too long to build, and are critiqued for possibly damaging existing ecosystems , per the report.

• Texas' storm coastal barrier project, dubbed the Ike Dike, is projected to cost $57 billion and to take nearly 20 more years to complete — if it's fully funded. It just received its first installment of federal funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Arsum Pathak, the author of the report, says the report is not a critique of the Ike Dike but rather to show the variety and effectiveness of the natural projects.

What they found: The report demonstrates that nature-based, on-the-ground projects are essential and involve building community engagement, supporting climate jobs and training, and creating policy that supports these projects.

• Plus: These solutions are largely cost-effective, according to the report.

What they're saying: "The main idea that we want to offer here is that nature-based solutions offer strategies that are available at the moment. A lot of these solutions can start happening right now and can happen in your own backyard," Pathak tells Axios.

• "Our natural features grow stronger with time. They are able to keep up with a lot of those future uncertainties and climate projections."

Case in point: Facing erosion and loss of critical salt marsh, canal-front property owners in West Galveston Island spent nearly $35,000 in 2006 to build a " living shoreline " that helped reduce erosion and withstood both Hurricanes Ike and Harvey, Pathak said.

• A living shoreline was also constructed in Lake Pasadena in 2011 for $120,000. A limestone rock barrier was added and volunteers planted 8,500 stems of native smooth cordgrass which helped trap sediment and decrease erosion. The area withstood Hurricane Harvey with minimal damage, per the Texas General Land Office.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show the Climate Resilient Galveston report was released jointly by the National Wildlife Federation and Texas Living Waters.

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