Harnessing nature for coastal protection and renewal
Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are gaining importance worldwide to address societal challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss, but also as an alternative to build infrastructure that remains financially sustainable in the long term. In Flanders, there is growing interest in deploying these solutions, especially in vulnerable locations along the coastline.
Important steps have been taken in recent years, both academically and practically. A growing consensus among companies, governments and researchers underlines that the time has come to implement NBS on a large scale.
Workshops
With this in mind, Blue Cluster initiated bilateral discussions in the summer of 2024 with various representatives from industry, academia and government: from ecologists and engineers to financial and sociological experts.
These discussions laid the foundation for a broader workshop series that started in October 2024. Within this scope, we adopted a clear definition of NBS: Nature-Based Solutions use and enhance natural processes with the purpose of creating social and economic added value.
NBS is not about nature conservation per se, but a functional approach that uses natural systems to address concrete challenges.
During several workshop sessions, topics such as design, governance, finance and location were discussed. Three concrete locations were examined in more detail: De Panne, Koksijde-Oostduinkerke and De Haan-Wenduine.
Here, human activities are given an extra dimension: they should not only be sustainable, but also contribute to the restoration and strengthening of natural systems.
Building a natural coast together
We are actively pursuing a large-scale pilot project combining nature and technology to make our coast stronger and more resilient. The sea is a very dynamic environment, and we have to learn to work and live together with these dynamics. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) play a central role in this.
In this project, we bring different NBS together into one integrated concept, such as dune in front of a dyke, artificial reefs, beach replenishment and foreshore reinforcement. By cleverly combining these solutions, we want to explore how they can reinforce each other and deliver more results together than each separately.
The benefits of this approach go beyond coastal protection alone. NBS also contribute to increased biodiversity, natural carbon sequestration and ecosystem services such as water purification or recreation. In this way, we not only strengthen the coastline, but also the life around it.
At the same time, we take into account local needs and human activities. The project should not only be good for nature, but also facilitate economic development, tourism and possibly even private investment.
Next steps
The work of the past year shows that Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are more than mere technical interventions. They also require a different way of thinking and working together: a mental shift, new governance models and adapted funding. Only then can we really work towards a resilient coast.
We are happy to continue this journey with the entire NBS community and are organising a follow-up workshop on 23/10/2025. The aim is to take further steps together towards a large-scale application of NBS along our coastline.
Put this date in your calendar; a detailed programme will follow soon.
Blue Cluster's role
Blue Cluster is engaged in building an ecosystem of companies, researchers and policymakers ready to make this vision a reality. We bring together insights and interests in one shared journey, with the goal of realising large-scale NBS infrastructure on the Belgian coast. In doing so, we focus on integrating local needs in specific coastal zones.
The momentum is building - not driven by problems, but by the belief that collaboration and the power of natural resilience offer the strongest foundations for a liveable future.
