Protecting undeveloped lands in areas at risk for flooding avoids needlessly placing more people and property in harm's way and can reduce future flood damages while also preserving habitat, improving water quality and providing a range of other valuable benefits.

The work life of a researcher working sustainable development can be frustrating at times, owing to widespread pay-wall publishing, poor data reporting practices, and in parts low standards for conducting sound and reproducible research.

By Daniela Zuluaga, Adrien Vogt-Schilb, Kuishuang Feng