Photo: Mike Freedman, Flickr

The new policy report Harnessing England’s Biodiversity Net Gain legislation to amplify urban flood risk
management, authored by Maeve Sherry (LSE occasional research fellow) and Jonathan Kassian (LSE Head of Research, Flood Re), advocates for the integration of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) with natural flood management strategies to strengthen urban resilience.

The BNG legislation came into effect in England from February 2024 and represents a significant shift in planning regulations. It is a land management approach seeking to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than before human development. Historically focused on large, rural land areas, lately the approach saw a shift to more developed sites, offering a unique opportunity to incentivize the creation of urban green spaces and contributing also to flood risk management efforts.

To successfully achieve this integration, the report calls for targeted policy measures, the strategic use of insurance solutions, and a focus on research and collaboration. The insurance sector, in fact, has a crucial role to play by developing innovative insurance solutions that protect biodiversity and support the long-term maintenance and restoration of nature, helping to reduce the risks associated with BNG and natural flood management investments.

Want to know more? The report is available here.