Learning from the 2020 floods in Tabasco: Moving beyond grey infrastructure

This report is based on the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance’s Post Event Review Capability (PERC) methodology, which was used to analyze flooding in Tabasco, Mexico, in 2020. This brief, based on key informant interviews and desk research, presents lessons learned surrounding flood resilience. Adaptation to future flooding requires a change in thinking and approach to protective infrastructure; the use of nature-based solutions as a complement to grey infrastructure presents itself as a comprehensive approach to the problem.

According to the study, grey infrastructure can only mitigate flood risk within the limits of the design’s capacity (when properly maintained). As climate change generates more intense rainfall, we can expect more and more intense floods that exceed the design thresholds of protective infrastructure. These constraints call for a change in the way we approach flood risk management and provide an opportunity to change practices. Naturebased solutions, both on their own and integrated with grey infrastructure, can help address the changing and increasing flood risk.