Table 1 Contribution of the Boston...

Table 1

Contribution of the Boston barrier scheme to individual UN SDG targets

UN SDG target	SDG target description	Boston barrier scheme contribution
1.5	Build the resilience of the poor and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related events	Boston contains some of the most deprived wards in England based on the index of multiple deprivation. These parts of Boston suffer from considerable deprivation and poverty, with a low skilled workforce and one of the lowest average weekly wages in England (EA, 2020). The Boston barrier reduces the exposure of these communities to extreme climate-related tidal events.
2.4	Ensure sustainable food production systems… that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change and flooding	Food production and farming within Lincolnshire contribute £1 billion to the economy each year. Lincolnshire is the largest producer of wheat, cereals and potatoes in the UK. Boston is at the centre of this agricultural heartland as a centre of food processing, packaging and export – contributing significantly to the nation’s food security. Flood protection of these assets increases security of food supply across the UK and provides employment opportunities within Boston.
3.8	Access to quality essential healthcare services	The scheme provides tidal flood protection to Pilgrim Hospital, the second largest hospital in Lincolnshire which provides major specialist treatment and 24 hour major accident and emergency services to the whole of south and south-east Lincolnshire. Pilgrim Hospital provides over 7000 jobs locally (NHS, 2020).
4.4	Increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills… for employment and decent jobs	The contractor provided apprenticeships to six young people, providing them with technical skills and employment opportunities. The contractor also has a scheme which provides return-to-work opportunities for people who have been out of work for several years. The Environment Agency engagement team worked with local schools and colleges to educate on flood risk and engineering.
5.1	End discrimination against all women	There was a good gender mix within the project delivery team; 41% of the design team were women, which was unusually high for the industry. The project was part of the ‘women in construction’ scheme.
6.3	Improve water quality by reducing pollution	There were numerous outfalls into the River Witham, including those associated with the sewerage network, wastewater treatment, flood risk and land drainage functions. Flood risk reduction limited the number of unplanned outfall events, reducing pollution into river and marine systems. Interceptors were provided at all surface water outfalls along the left bank to prevent accidental oil spills, and marine-safe hydraulic oil was used in the hydraulic cylinders controlling the rising sector gate.
6.6	Protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including wetlands and rivers	Tidal flood protection prevented permanent change to or impacts on freshwater ecological features due to regular sea water intrusion. Salt marsh restoration was provided where the scheme’s construction impacted on wetland habitats.
7.2	Increase substantially the share of renewable energy	A total of 32 photovoltaic panels were installed on the roof of the barrier control building, providing a 9.6 kW renewable power supply along with an air-source heat pump. Combined these provide an annual carbon dioxide offset of 6.1 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent.
8.3	Support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship	Over £6 million was spent on construction materials and services within 80 km of the site, and the value of money spent within the local economy was a key performance indicator for the contractor. The project provides flood protection to 582 local businesses and it is anticipated that reduced flood risk will encourage local investment and the development of new employment opportunities within Boston.
8.5	Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all
8.6	Reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training	See evidence for target 4.4.
9.1	Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure	The project provides significant tidal flood protection to local infrastructure assets, including the A16 trunk road which is also a vital emergency evacuation route; the railway line between Boston and Skegness; the Port of Boston; the local electricity sub-station; and emergency services such as Pilgrim Hospital, schools, fire service and police station.
10.1	Achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40% of the population.	See evidence for target 1.5.
10.2	Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all	Community engagement campaigns were inclusive. Boston has a high proportion of residents born in the EU or accession countries at 17.1% (ONS, 2020). Campaigns were multilingual across seven languages and run on several platforms. Translators were available at public drop-ins and sessions were run from 12.00–19.00 hours to allow access for those with differing working patterns. Sessions also included hearing aid loops during the public inquiry process, and plain text versions of the project newsletter were sent to the visually impaired.
11.1	Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing	After the 2013 Boston flood, 114 households approached being homeless or needing housing advice. The Boston barrier scheme protects 14 265 properties from tidal flooding, increasing access to safe and affordable housing. Reduced risk and potential increased insurance coverage can reduce the direct economic losses caused by tidal flooding for all.
11.5	Reduce the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses caused by disasters
11.7	Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible green spaces	Improvement was made to the Macmillan Way, a long-distance walking trail, along the right bank of the scheme. The path is now wheelchair accessible and inclusive to all. The project team held stakeholder workshops to improve the footpath’s new flood-walls which now include motifs depicting maritime imagery in keeping with Boston’s seafaring history (Figure 5). The project also supported Boston Borough Council’s local public landscape projects to create a sculpture trail from reclaimed buoys. It worked with local woodcarvers in creating sculptures along Macmillan Way using reclaimed wood dredged during the scheme.
12.2	Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources	The 2013 flood generated over 300 t of waste from flooded homes. Preventing tidal flooding stops the cycle of damage, disposal and rebuilding of the town. The contractor has reduced waste and recycled resources where possible. Examples included reuse of dredged material as backfill and capping at a local landfill site, avoiding the need for 30 000 lorry movements collaboration with concrete supplier to reduce the cement content of the actual supplied mix while still ensuring it met minimum strength requirements – this saved 120 t of cementitious material across the 6000 m³ of the primary barrier structure maximising the use of prefabricated elements in construction, such as the concrete gate recesses and pre-fixed rebar cages – this reduced waste materials produced on site and temporary formwork requirements.
12.5	Reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
13.1	Strengthen resilience and capacity to climate-related hazards	Climate change causes rising sea levels and increased risk of extreme weather events. These both increase the risk of tidal surges at Boston. The barrier prevents surges inundating the town and increases local resilience to these hazards.
13.3	Improve education and awareness raising… on climate change	Public engagement campaigns included awareness raising of climate hazards through the project. It was a project objective to share knowledge with technical experts and the local community. Outcomes include holding ‘lunch and learn’ webinars for the ICE educational outreach sessions and providing learning materials to local schools, colleges and scout groups holding talks for local interest groups and societies (see Figure 8).
14.1	Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds	See evidence for target 6.3.
15.5	Reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and protect threatened species	Tidal flood protection prevents permanent change to or impacts on freshwater ecological features and habitats due to regular sea water intrusion. The project team introduced a terrestrial plant population of nationally rare Boston horsetail along the Macmillan Way.
16.7	Ensure inclusive, participatory and representative decision making at all levels	Extensive consultation took place with the local community and river users to avoid any unintended negative impacts. Collaborating with the Port of Boston, the project team used HR Wallingford’s UK ship simulation centre to create a virtual navigation simulation, see Figure 10. This was the first time in the centre’s history when the system had been adapted to include leisure craft and it enabled all river users to pilot their vessels virtually. This helped the whole river community to understand the future navigation changes and allowed collaborative discussions between stakeholders, which directly influenced the navigation management plan.
17.16	Enhance multi-stakeholder partnerships that share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the SDGs

UN SDG target	SDG target description	Boston barrier scheme contribution
1.5	Build the resilience of the poor and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related events	Boston contains some of the most deprived wards in England based on the index of multiple deprivation. These parts of Boston suffer from considerable deprivation and poverty, with a low skilled workforce and one of the lowest average weekly wages in England (EA, 2020). The Boston barrier reduces the exposure of these communities to extreme climate-related tidal events.
2.4	Ensure sustainable food production systems… that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change and flooding	Food production and farming within Lincolnshire contribute £1 billion to the economy each year. Lincolnshire is the largest producer of wheat, cereals and potatoes in the UK. Boston is at the centre of this agricultural heartland as a centre of food processing, packaging and export – contributing significantly to the nation’s food security. Flood protection of these assets increases security of food supply across the UK and provides employment opportunities within Boston.
3.8	Access to quality essential healthcare services	The scheme provides tidal flood protection to Pilgrim Hospital, the second largest hospital in Lincolnshire which provides major specialist treatment and 24 hour major accident and emergency services to the whole of south and south-east Lincolnshire. Pilgrim Hospital provides over 7000 jobs locally (NHS, 2020).
4.4	Increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills… for employment and decent jobs	The contractor provided apprenticeships to six young people, providing them with technical skills and employment opportunities. The contractor also has a scheme which provides return-to-work opportunities for people who have been out of work for several years. The Environment Agency engagement team worked with local schools and colleges to educate on flood risk and engineering.
5.1	End discrimination against all women	There was a good gender mix within the project delivery team; 41% of the design team were women, which was unusually high for the industry. The project was part of the ‘women in construction’ scheme.
6.3	Improve water quality by reducing pollution	There were numerous outfalls into the River Witham, including those associated with the sewerage network, wastewater treatment, flood risk and land drainage functions. Flood risk reduction limited the number of unplanned outfall events, reducing pollution into river and marine systems. Interceptors were provided at all surface water outfalls along the left bank to prevent accidental oil spills, and marine-safe hydraulic oil was used in the hydraulic cylinders controlling the rising sector gate.
6.6	Protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including wetlands and rivers	Tidal flood protection prevented permanent change to or impacts on freshwater ecological features due to regular sea water intrusion. Salt marsh restoration was provided where the scheme’s construction impacted on wetland habitats.
7.2	Increase substantially the share of renewable energy	A total of 32 photovoltaic panels were installed on the roof of the barrier control building, providing a 9.6 kW renewable power supply along with an air-source heat pump. Combined these provide an annual carbon dioxide offset of 6.1 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent.
8.3	Support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship	Over £6 million was spent on construction materials and services within 80 km of the site, and the value of money spent within the local economy was a key performance indicator for the contractor. The project provides flood protection to 582 local businesses and it is anticipated that reduced flood risk will encourage local investment and the development of new employment opportunities within Boston.
8.5	Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all
8.6	Reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training	See evidence for target 4.4.
9.1	Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure	The project provides significant tidal flood protection to local infrastructure assets, including the A16 trunk road which is also a vital emergency evacuation route; the railway line between Boston and Skegness; the Port of Boston; the local electricity sub-station; and emergency services such as Pilgrim Hospital, schools, fire service and police station.
10.1	Achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40% of the population.	See evidence for target 1.5.
10.2	Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all	Community engagement campaigns were inclusive. Boston has a high proportion of residents born in the EU or accession countries at 17.1% (ONS, 2020). Campaigns were multilingual across seven languages and run on several platforms. Translators were available at public drop-ins and sessions were run from 12.00–19.00 hours to allow access for those with differing working patterns. Sessions also included hearing aid loops during the public inquiry process, and plain text versions of the project newsletter were sent to the visually impaired.
11.1	Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing	After the 2013 Boston flood, 114 households approached being homeless or needing housing advice. The Boston barrier scheme protects 14 265 properties from tidal flooding, increasing access to safe and affordable housing. Reduced risk and potential increased insurance coverage can reduce the direct economic losses caused by tidal flooding for all.
11.5	Reduce the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses caused by disasters
11.7	Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible green spaces	Improvement was made to the Macmillan Way, a long-distance walking trail, along the right bank of the scheme. The path is now wheelchair accessible and inclusive to all. The project team held stakeholder workshops to improve the footpath’s new flood-walls which now include motifs depicting maritime imagery in keeping with Boston’s seafaring history (Figure 5). The project also supported Boston Borough Council’s local public landscape projects to create a sculpture trail from reclaimed buoys. It worked with local woodcarvers in creating sculptures along Macmillan Way using reclaimed wood dredged during the scheme.
12.2	Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources	The 2013 flood generated over 300 t of waste from flooded homes. Preventing tidal flooding stops the cycle of damage, disposal and rebuilding of the town.The contractor has reduced waste and recycled resources where possible. Examples included reuse of dredged material as backfill and capping at a local landfill site, avoiding the need for 30 000 lorry movements collaboration with concrete supplier to reduce the cement content of the actual supplied mix while still ensuring it met minimum strength requirements – this saved 120 t of cementitious material across the 6000 m³ of the primary barrier structure maximising the use of prefabricated elements in construction, such as the concrete gate recesses and pre-fixed rebar cages – this reduced waste materials produced on site and temporary formwork requirements.
12.5	Reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
13.1	Strengthen resilience and capacity to climate-related hazards	Climate change causes rising sea levels and increased risk of extreme weather events. These both increase the risk of tidal surges at Boston. The barrier prevents surges inundating the town and increases local resilience to these hazards.
13.3	Improve education and awareness raising… on climate change	Public engagement campaigns included awareness raising of climate hazards through the project. It was a project objective to share knowledge with technical experts and the local community. Outcomes include holding ‘lunch and learn’ webinars for the ICE educational outreach sessions and providing learning materials to local schools, colleges and scout groups holding talks for local interest groups and societies (see Figure 8).
14.1	Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds	See evidence for target 6.3.
15.5	Reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and protect threatened species	Tidal flood protection prevents permanent change to or impacts on freshwater ecological features and habitats due to regular sea water intrusion. The project team introduced a terrestrial plant population of nationally rare Boston horsetail along the Macmillan Way.
16.7	Ensure inclusive, participatory and representative decision making at all levels	Extensive consultation took place with the local community and river users to avoid any unintended negative impacts. Collaborating with the Port of Boston, the project team used HR Wallingford’s UK ship simulation centre to create a virtual navigation simulation, see Figure 10. This was the first time in the centre’s history when the system had been adapted to include leisure craft and it enabled all river users to pilot their vessels virtually. This helped the whole river community to understand the future navigation changes and allowed collaborative discussions between stakeholders, which directly influenced the navigation management plan.
17.16	Enhance multi-stakeholder partnerships that share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the SDGs

ICE, Institution of Civil Engineers; SDG, sustainable development goal.

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