Designing Resilient Coastlines Through the Power of Nature

Some of the most profound challenges of climate change are playing out along our coasts. Rising sea levels, intensifying storm surges and accelerating erosion are placing pressure on communities and ecosystems in equal measure. As these threats grow, so too does the need for solutions that protect people while restoring the natural systems that sustain us.

Nature-based solutions (NbS) — approaches that harness the power of natural features such as wetlands, dunes, reefs and mangroves — are emerging as transformative tools in this effort. As highlighted in recent award-winning research, coastal NbS can reduce flood and erosion risk while delivering wider environmental and social benefits, from biodiversity enhancement to carbon removal and storage and improved wellbeing. But to realize their full potential, we must understand where and how these solutions perform best — and design them with the same rigor as any engineered system.

At Jacobs, we bring together scientists, engineers and ecologists to integrate nature into coastal design — from restoring estuarine habitats that absorb wave energy to enhancing existing infrastructure with living features that improve ecological performance. Our global experience demonstrates that the most successful outcomes emerge when natural and engineered systems work in harmony.

It’s time to think differently about coastal protection.

Here’s how:

Design with nature, not against it

Traditional sea walls and barriers have their place, but we now know that in the correct locations living systems can deliver equivalent or complementary protection while creating thriving ecosystems. Reefs, saltmarshes and mangroves not only reduce wave energy but also provide habitat, improve water quality and trap carbon — turning coastal resilience into a driver of environmental recovery.

Embrace hybrid solutions

The future lies in blending the best of both worlds — coupling natural processes with smart engineering. Hybrid solutions can adapt dynamically to changing conditions, offering long-term cost efficiency and lower carbon footprints. Our work in managed realignment, dune restoration and “living shoreline” projects illustrates how hybrid approaches can offer a wider set of benefits than purely hard defenses over time.

Think beyond protection toward regeneration

Nature-based interventions do more than defend coastlines; they reconnect people with place. Coastal restoration can revitalize communities, create recreation opportunities and foster social cohesion. By designing projects that enhance access, health and wellbeing, we can create coastal systems that sustain both people and nature.

Plan for performance and permanence

While NbS can be “self-maintaining” in the correct settings their success depends on ongoing stewardship. Sediment supply, ecological succession and sea-level rise all influence performance. That’s why Jacobs takes a lifecycle view — integrating monitoring, adaptive management and maintenance to ensure resilience endures over decades.

Scale through collaboration

Delivering truly resilient coasts requires coordination across agencies, sectors and disciplines. Frameworks such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering with Nature and the Netherlands’ Building with Nature initiatives show the power of shared learning. Jacobs supports clients around the world to establish governance structures that embed NbS within broader coastal programs and policies.

As we navigate an era of climate uncertainty, nature-based solutions offer a pathway toward adaptation that is not only effective but inspiring. They remind us that the answers to our most complex challenges are often found in the systems that have sustained life for millennia.

At Jacobs, we’re making nature part of the solution — designing coastlines that protect, regenerate and endure. Because when we work with nature, resilience becomes more than protection — it becomes transformative.