A Sustainable Asset Valuation Assessment of Nature-Based Solutions in the Dechatu River Catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

This report presents a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of nature-based solutions (NbS) implemented by the SUNCASA initiative in the Dechatu River catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. The assessment evaluates the economic, environmental, and social performance of interventions such as afforestation, agroforestry, and urban tree planting, finding that these measures provide significant returns in flood risk reduction, carbon sequestration, and job creation.

• The SUNCASA initiative's nature-based solutions in the Dechatu River catchment provide a positive return on investment, where every USD 1 invested generates USD 1.36 in benefits over a 25-year period.
• The most significant economic benefits of the NbS interventions are derived from avoiding flood damage to infrastructure, valued at USD 1.35 million, and savings in climate-related health expenses, valued at USD 930,000.
• Environmental and social impacts of the interventions include the sequestration of up to 175,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and the creation of nearly 7,000 jobs by the year 2050.
• The Dechatu River catchment in Dire Dawa is characterized by high vulnerability to seasonal flash floods, which cause recurring damage to livelihoods, infrastructure, and homes, exacerbated by rapid urban growth, land degradation, and deforestation.

APA

Kapetanakis,, M. (2025). A Sustainable Asset Valuation Assessment of Nature-Based Solutions in the Dechatu River Catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/nature-based-solutions-dire-dawa

Chicago

Kapetanakis,, Michail. A Sustainable Asset Valuation Assessment of Nature-Based Solutions in the Dechatu River Catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/nature-based-solutions-dire-dawa.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kapetanakis, |first1=Michail |title=A Sustainable Asset Valuation Assessment of Nature-Based Solutions in the Dechatu River Catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=20 November 2025 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/nature-based-solutions-dire-dawa |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kapetanakis2025sustainable, author = {Kapetanakis,, Michail}, title = {{A Sustainable Asset Valuation Assessment of Nature-Based Solutions in the Dechatu River Catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/nature-based-solutions-dire-dawa}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }