Nature Based Solutions for re-naturing cities – latest project results

As partner of the European research project “Nature Based Solutions for re-naturing cities: knowledge diffusion and decision support platform through new collaborative models” (Nature4Cities), the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) has contributed to the first official successful public deliverables.

Based on a detailed mapping of urban challenges and relevant nature-based solutions (NBS), Nature4Cities aims at developing complementary and interactive modules to engage urban stakeholders in a collective-learning process about renaturing cities, develop and circulate new business, financial and governance models for NBS projects, as well as provide tools for the impacts assessment, valorisation and follow-up of NBS projects.

Nature-based Solutions Integrated Analysis Framework

Taking a look at the work of LIST researcher specialised in Environmental Sustainability Assessment and Circularity, Javier Babí Almenar in particular has contributed to the first two public deliverables belonging to the work package 1 of Nature4Cities (entitled “NBS Integrated Analysis Framework”):

• NBS multi-scalar and multi-thematic typology and associated database (Deliverable D1.1): from the beginning of the project, the concept of “Nature-Based Solutions” (NBS) has been discussed and compared to other concepts already used in reference to nature. The main goal of this theoretical work was to be able to clearly explain this new concept, to build the framework that will be the basis of Nature4Cities further developments for the application of the NBS concept to the urban development context. Read the full deliverable.
• Nature4Cities studied pioneering experiences to create a Nature Based Solutions projects observatory (Deliverable D1.3): one main purpose of Nature4Cities upcoming platform is to propose a Nature Based Solutions (NBS) project observatory containing first pioneering experiences and later extended to other cases that won't all have a pionneer feature. Read the full deliverable.

LIST and Nature4Cities

Benedetto Rugani, Nature4Cities project manager at LIST, talks about LIST: “The contribution of LIST to those activities linked with Work package (WP) 1, was key to the identification and interpretation of the links between urban challenges and nature-based solutions through the concept of ecosystem services in the D1.1, and to feed with expert knowledge on the benefits and co-benefits underpinning NBS the set of specifications developed for the NBS Project Observatory in the D1.3.”

Rugani goes on: “The LIST research team, leading the WP4 of Nature4Cities - entitled NBS Socio-Economic Values Assessment -  is now moving towards the development of an operational NBS modelling tool to support the sustainable urban planning based on the characterization of ecosystem services associated with nature-based solutions. This knowledge will be key to aid the decision at different urban scales on the implementation of such type of alternative or complementary solutions to “grey” or unsustainable infrastructure in cities.”

> More information about Nature4Cities and latest results, on the dedicated official project website (information sources): www.nature4cities.eu/n4c-publications-and-results.

> For any further information on this topic, please contact Benedetto Rugani or Javier Babí Almenar via email.