No regrets

No ragrets: take actions that pay off now and in the future, even if the climate (or spelling) is uncertain (movie scene from We're the Millers, 2013).

No regrets: implementing measures that deliver benefits today and in the future, regardless of how the climate may change (Blum, 2020).

Low Impact Development (LID) practices are highlighted across several studies as effective strategies for stormwater management that remain beneficial under both current and future climate conditions. Given that climate change projections are highly uncertain, particularly at local scales, LID represents a “no-regrets” option—actions that improve resilience to climate impacts while providing immediate environmental, social, and economic benefits (Heltberg et al., 2009; Huron River Watershed Council, 2013). Planning for climate change requires consideration of uncertainty in both the rate and magnitude of projected impacts. To address this, researchers have emphasized three guiding principles (Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts, 2011; Huron River Watershed Council, 2013):

• Triage: Focusing resources where they have the greatest impact.
• Precautionary principle: Acting even without certainty when risks are high.
• No-regrets strategies: Implementing actions that provide benefits under any climate scenario.

"Faced with uncertainty about future climate change, and given constraints on available resources, communities may choose to pursue no-regrets strategies – actions that are beneficial in addressing current stormwater management needs regardless of whether or how climate may change in the future" (Means, 2010)

No-regrets approaches, often described as proactive adaptive management, rely on risk-based design standards that account for climate uncertainty and promote actions—such as reducing impervious cover—that enhance watershed resilience under any scenario (Huron River Watershed Council, 2013). Evidence also shows that redevelopment strategies like increasing density and decreasing impervious cover function as effective no-regrets adaptations, reducing pollutant loads in stormwater runoff while addressing broader climate adaptation goals (Pyke et al., 2011). However, climate change adaptation in infrastructure planning remains complex due to the scale, interconnectedness, and uncertainty of the problem, requiring integrated solutions rather than single strategies (Blanco et al., 2009). Green infrastructure plays a key role in this risk-based framework by functioning as a buffer against uncertain climate impacts. Rather than offering only direct, measurable benefits, it reduces the risks of extreme weather events such as flooding, heat waves, and storms, helping communities avoid negative outcomes while also providing wider social and environmental benefits (Matthews et al., 2015). Together, these perspectives underscore why LID should be widely implemented: it supports current stormwater management needs while simultaneously preparing communities for uncertain future climate conditions.

MECP's Low Impact Development Stormwater Management Guidance Manual Draft (2022) presents several adaptation options, including "no regrets":

• Win-win options: cost-effective adaptation measures that minimize climate risks or exploit potential opportunities but also have other social, environmental or economic benefits.
• No-regrets options: cost-effective adaptation measures that are worthwhile whatever the extent of future climate change.
• Low-regrets (or limited-regrets) options: adaptation measures where the associated costs are relatively low and where the benefits, although mainly met under projected future climate, may be relatively large.

Scroll through the PDF on the right to learn more.

References

Low impact development is a stormwater management and land development strategy applied at the parcel and subdivision scale that emphasizes conservation and use of on-site natural features integrated with engineered, small scale hydrologic controls to more closely mimic pre-development hydrologic functions.

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

Low Impact Development. A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

A hard surface area (e.g., road, parking area or rooftop) that prevents or retards the infiltration of water into the soil.

The portion of water precipitated onto a catchment area, which then flows as surface discharge from the catchment area past a specified point.

Water from rain, snow melt, or irrigation that flows over the land surface.

Natural vegetation and vegetative technologies in urban settings such as: urban forests; green roofs; green walls; green spaces; rain gardens; bioswales; community gardens; natural and engineered wetlands and stormwater management ponds; and porous pavement systems. These systems are designed to provide multiple benefits, such as moderate temperatures, clean air and water, and improve aesthetics.

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

Any form of rain or snow.

Natural vegetation and vegetative technologies in urban settings such as: urban forests; green roofs; green walls; green spaces; rain gardens; bioswales; community gardens; natural and engineered wetlands and stormwater management ponds; and porous pavement systems. These systems are designed to provide multiple benefits, such as moderate temperatures, clean air and water, and improve aesthetics.