Search Climate Insights Directory

This case study describes the Kham River Restoration Initiative in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, India. The project transformed a polluted seasonal river, previously used as a dumping ground, into a community asset through a combination of waste management infrastructure, ecological restoration, and community engagement. The initiative is notable for establishing the first Urban River Management Plan for a seasonal river in India.

This research paper examines the 'restoration economy' in Africa, using South Africa's 'Working for Wetlands' program as a primary case study. It argues that ecological restoration can support economic recovery and resilience ('build back better') if integrated with development planning and funded by a mix of public and private sources, particularly from production sectors like mining and agriculture.

This report applies the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology to evaluate ecological restoration options for South-West Beira Lake in Colombo, Sri Lanka, focusing on the economic impacts on property values and recreational spending.

This 2006 report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) for the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission outlines a strategy to integrate environmental restoration with economic development along the Cuyahoga River ship channel in Cleveland. It proposes a transition from traditional industrial land use to a 'restoration economy' through projects focusing on stormwater management, aquatic habitat restoration, brownfield remediation, green industrial building standards, and industrial symbiosis (Waste = Revenue).

Expert affidavit by ecological scientist Peter Carrick regarding the proposed expansion of the Tormin Mine on the West Coast of South Africa. Carrick critiques the Terrestrial Ecology Specialist Study (Todd 2018), arguing that the proposed rehabilitation and restoration plans lack specialist knowledge and specific, measurable targets necessary to protect biodiversity and ecological integrity in the Namaqualand Strandveld.

This case study describes a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment conducted for Indocean Developers (Pvt) Ltd. to evaluate the economic impact of four ecological restoration scenarios for Beira Lake in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The analysis focuses on the relationship between water clarity improvements and their subsequent effects on property values and recreational spending between 2020 and 2025.

The research paper "SENSE AND RESPONSE: A BIOCLIMATIC DIALOGUE OF PLACE" by Victor Olgyay explores the evolution of human interaction with the environment, from preindustrial symbiotic relationships to the ecological degradation caused by industrialization. The author advocates for a "performance based" regionalism in architecture that moves beyond reducing negative impacts toward a restorative approach, where buildings function as "ecological utilities" that actively provide ecosystem services and repair degraded landscapes.

This policy briefing argues that while gender equity is recognized in international and regional frameworks, women in Africa still face systemic social, economic, and political barriers that hinder their equitable participation in the 'restoration economy'—the economic activity related to ecological restoration. The author contends that empowering women requires a multi-dimensional approach involving action-oriented decision-making, systemic legal reforms, and improved financial inclusion to move women beyond roles as mere providers of labor to active entrepreneurs and decision-makers across the restoration value chain.