Beyond Biodiversity: Securing Sustainability in Marine Eco-Engineering Practices

Interest in sustainable eco-engineering in marine infrastructure construction (MIC) is rising, particularly with increasing coastal urbanization and climate adaptation. However, current eco engineering efforts, through concrete modifications that support marine biodiversity, often lack comprehensive sustainability assessments that integrate environmental, social, and economic dimensions.

Summarizing previous projects along the three sustainability dimensions, we develop a sustainability framework for eco-engineering practices. The previous projects spanned across small scale MSc studies to large-scale projects like the Circle Reef in Køge Bay Marine Park, Denmark, and the Living Ports in Vigo, Spain.

While these projects demonstrate ecological innovation and stakeholder collaboration, they also reveal gaps in sustainability planning. Particularly concerning are the planning gaps relating to economic cost, social, and long-term ecological impacts and the degree of long-term monitoring (often lacking entirely).

Our framework is designed to guide MIC projects toward multifunctional, resilient, and societally beneficial outcomes. Our framework emphasizes early stakeholder engagement, quantitative goal definition, and integration of life cycle sustainability assessments in planning. We advocate for adaptable monitoring protocols tailored to quantitative project objectives and environmental conditions, including biotic and abiotic factors.

The framework highlights the importance of considering planetary boundaries through resource use and societal acceptance through ocean literacy efforts and public outreach. Achieving sustainability in eco-engineering requires balancing ecological benefits with economic feasibility and societal value. Using our framework, stakeholders can complete integrated approaches that align project design with broader sustainability goals.