How can a city enhance delivery of co-benefits from a green infrastructure program?

Abstract

This MP explores how cities can enhance delivery of co-benefits from green infrastructure investments designed and implemented to deliver specific water-related outcomes. Inter-linked methodological approaches used included review of scholarly literature with thematic analysis; case study analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Water program; and semi-structured informant interviewing. The MP concludes that issues including an absence of co-benefit indicators in the M&E framework, collaboration-related transaction costs from siloed government processes, and the water-focused ambition of the legal contract with the EPA have meant that the water investment has not yet been sufficiently leveraged to maximize co-benefit outcomes. Nevertheless, building off existing good practices identified, a number of very actionable ways that cities can enhance delivery of co-benefits are presented for consideration by municipal managers.