Resources

  • Final Conference

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    Announcement
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    Agenda
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    Practical Information
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    Conference Booklet
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    Goody Bag Best of REGREEN
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    Additional Info to the Sessions
  • Deliverables

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    D 2.1 Report on assessment of drivers and pressures leading to urban challenges, across the ULLs, including spatial and temporal components
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    D 2.2 NBS Knowledge Base Collective Report
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    D 2.3 Cost-effectiveness of NBS in the urban environment
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    D 2.4 Guidance on development of the toolkit for exploring options and potential benefits of NBS design
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    D 3.1 Synthesis report on current datasets and their applicability of ecosystem services mapping and modelling
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    D 3.2 Guidelines for a “depaving” and “re‐greening” strategy in cities
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    D 3.3 Conceptual framework for mapping and modelling ecosystem services (pending EC review)
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    D 3.4 Tools and guidelines for mapping and modelling approaches (pending EC review)
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    D 3.5 Recommendations for potential target values for cities (pending EC approval)
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    D 4.2 Benefit Valuation of NBS CLD & street trees
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    D 4.5 Mixed-method integration of evidence and valuation findings for ULLs (pending EC review)
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    D 4.6 Perceptions interactions responses EMA (pending EC review)
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    D 5.1 Children, Education and Nature-Based Solutions: Review report
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    D 5.2 Implementation of the educational digital platform
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    D 5.4 Effects and Consequences of Implementing Citizen-Science Programmes in Schools (pending EC review)
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    D 5.7 Children & Youth Participation (pending EC review)
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    D 6.1 Research protocol for the analysis of governance systems in European ULLs
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    D 6.5 Guidelines for urban and territorial planning: Incorporating NBS in urban land use planning (Pending EC review)
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    D 7.1 Activity programme for the ULLs
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    D 7.2 Training kit for training workshops
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    D 7.3 Report on the Transition Workshops (pending EC review)
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    D 7.4 NbS Transition Handbook (pending EC review)
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    D 7.5 Knowledge co-production
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    D 8.4 Report on the stakeholder dialogue (Pending EC review)
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    D 8.5 Decision Support Tool
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    D 8.6 Report on Start-Up Accelerator Programme (Pending EC review)
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    D 8.7 Exploitation and Replication Plan
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    D 8.8 Prospectus for nature-based solutions business investment
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    D 8.9 Report on the REGREEN final conference (pending EC review)
  • Policy Briefs

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    REGREEN Policy Briefs Bundle. REGREEN - Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China.

    Zandersen, M., Knopp, J., Banzhaf, E., Jones, L., Lovell, R., Rice, M., Wheeler, B., Pedersen, A. B., Petersen, C., Jensen, A., Russel, D., Grandin, G., Barra, M., Dai, K., Hardiman, R., Kaltenegger, I., Sang, Å. O., Vogel, N., Ellmer, H.-P., … Læssøe, J. (2024). REGREEN Policy Briefs Bundle. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732792

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    Brief_1 Fostering Nature-based Solutions for equitable, green and healthy urban transitions

    Zandersen, M. (2024). Fostering Nature-based Solutions for equitable, green and healthy urban transitions. REGREEN Policy Brief no. 1/12. REGREEN. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732773

     

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    Brief_2 High resolution land cover. Multiple use cases, different data sets, comparable results

    Knopp, J., & Banzhaf, E. (2024). High resolution land cover. Multiple use cases, different data sets, comparable results. REGREEN Policy Brief 2/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732748

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    Brief_3 Using dasymetric mapping. What is the socio-spatial distribution like in your city?

    Knopp, J., & Banzhaf, E. (2024). Using dasymetric mapping. What is the socio-spatial distribution like in your city? REGREEN Policy Brief 3/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732718

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    Brief_4 Ecosystem services modelling

    Jones, L. (2024). Ecosystem services modelling. REGREEN Policy Brief 4/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732684

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    Brief_5 City Explorer Toolkit

    Jones, L. (2024). City explorer tool. REGREEN Policy Brief 5/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China.

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    Brief_6 Mixed-method integration of evidence and valuation findings

    Lovell, R., Rice, M., & Wheeler, B. W. (2024). Mixed-method integration of evidence and valuation findings. REGREEN Policy Brief 6/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732665

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    Brief_7 Barriers and enablers in local NbS governance in Europe

    Pedersen, A. B., Petersen, C., Jensen, A., Russel, D., Grandin, G., Barra, M., Dai, K., Hardiman, R., & Kaltenegger, I. (2024). Barriers and enablers in local NbS governance in Europe. REGREEN Policy Brief 7/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732624

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    Brief_8 Engaging children in NbS

    Anderson, S. (2024). Engaging Children in Nature-based solutions. REGREEN Policy Brief 8/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China.

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    Brief_9 Knowledge co-production in the Urban Living Labs

    Sang, Å. O., & Vogel, N. (2024). Knowledge co-production in the Urban Living Labs. REGREEN Policy Brief 9/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732589

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    Brief_10 A methodology for identifying areas with high renaturation potential

    Grandin, G. (2024). A methodology for identifying areas with high renaturation potential. REGREEN Policy Brief 10/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732579

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    Brief_11 Nature-based solutions business development and business models

    Ellmer, H.-P. (2024). Nature-based solutions business development and business models. REGREEN Policy Brief 11/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732493

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    Brief_12 Meeting on the map: Innovative platform for stakeholder learning, dialogue and engagement with nature-based solutions (NbS)

    Elze, S., Petersen, C., Læssøe, J., Banzhaf, E., Jensen, A., Russel, D., & Anderson, S. (2024). Meeting on the map: Innovative platform for stakeholder learning, dialogue and engagement with nature-based solutions (NbS). REGREEN Policy Brief 12/12. REGREEN – Fostering nature‐based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10732498

  • Reports

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    Désimperméabilisation et renaturation des sols en milieux urbains : une estimation du potentiel en Île-de-France
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    RENATURER LES VILLES - Méthod, Exemples et Préconisations
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    RENATURING CITIES - Method, Examples and Recommendations
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    RENATURING CITIES - Metode, Eksempler og Anbefalinger
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    FACT SHEETS FOR MAPPING AND MODELLING PROCEDURES
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    Report on REGREEN Workshop in Ningbo, China
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    Play biotopes - where both children and nature thrive
  • Newsletters

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    Newsletter N°1
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    Newsletter N°2
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    Newsletter N°3
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    Newsletter N°4
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    Newsletter N°5
  • Films/Videos

    REGREEN Animation Video (English)
    04-6 Nature-based solutions: a new ecological term 基于自然的解决方案:一个生态学新名词
    The Vignois urban floodplain in Gonesse (France)
    URP2020: S16 "Urban – Rural (Dis-)continuities"

    URPII – Sustainable and Resilient Urban-Rural Partnerships. REGREEN Co-hosting of session: “Urban – rural (dis-)continuities – Better understanding the urban-rural interactions to ensure equitable, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China through nature-based solutions.

    Presentations by REGREEN :

    • Cities at a cross-road: Nature-Based Solutions and meta-governance of urban green transitions in Europe – Anne Jensen (AU)
    • A framework for multi-scale benefits in Urban-Rural Interactions – Laurence Jones (UKCEH) et al.
    • Biodiversity patterns of urban trees under urban rural gradients in Shenzhen, China – Luo, X., Yang, J., (THU)
    • Gaps and potentials – NBS in rural areas solve challenges in the urban areas – Lene Vinther Larsen (AAKS)
    • Measuring quantity and quality of urban green space in the face of Chinese policy to restore urban areas: A Lesson from 107 Chinese Cities – Wanben Wu (FU)
    • Nature-based solutions in rural areas for urban flood protection – Marianne Zandersen (AU)
    NBS Final Event - Let Nature Be the Solution - Sally Anderson
  • Dissemination Material

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    REGREEN Poster (English)
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    REGREEN Poster (Chinese)
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    REGREEN Banner/Roll-Up (English)
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    REGREEN Banner/Roll-Up (Chinese)
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    REGREEN Brochure (English)
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    REGREEN Brochure (Chinese)
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    REGREEN Poster (Interactive Walkakble Floor Map, GI_Salzburg 2023 Conference)
  • Factsheets in English

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    THE REGREEN FACT SHEETS - FROM START TO FINISH
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    POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY FOOD FOREST, DORTMUND
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    LIVING LANDSCAPES IN EDINBURGH
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    GREEN ROOF STRATEGY OF HAMBURG
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    THAMESMEAD NATURE FORUM OF LONDON
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    FARFALLE IN TOUR PROJECT OF TURIN
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    “LET’S MAKE OUR SCHOOL A GROWING PLACE” PROJECT OF SANTHIÀ
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    GORLA MAGGIORE WATER PARK
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    THE REDUNA PROJECT IN ALMADA
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    GREEN NOISE BARRIER OF SACHSENHEIM
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    BIOTOPE CITY VIENNA
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    GREEN CORRIDORS IN STUTTGART
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    RICHWATER®, RECLAIMED WATER FOR IRRIGATION, MALAGA
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    GREEN LIVING ROOM LUDWIGSBURG
    Article "Regreen fact sheets - showcasing inspiring NBS from across Europe"
  • Factsheets in Chinese

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    REGREEN 情况说明书 - 从开始到结束
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    授粉者友好的食物森林,多特蒙德
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    爱丁堡的生活景观
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    汉堡的绿色屋顶战略
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    伦敦泰晤士河畔自然论坛
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    FARFALLE IN TOUR 都灵项目
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    SANTHIÀ 的“让我们的学校成为成长的地方”项目
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    大猩猩马焦雷水上乐园
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    阿尔马达的REDUNA项目
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    萨克森海姆的绿色噪音屏障
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    维也纳生态城
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    斯图加特的绿色走廊
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    RICHWATER®,用于灌溉的再生水,马拉加
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    绿色客厅路德维斯堡
  • Journal papers

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    Baker, H.J., Hutchins, M.G., Miller, J.D., 2021. How robust is the evidence for beneficial hydrological effects of urban tree planting? Hydrol. Sci. J. doi:10.1080/02626667.2021.1922692

    Sustainable urban water management initiatives are increasingly required to combat rapid urbanization and climate pressures. Initiatives include the role of tree planting, for which there is a need for strong evidence of benefits and drawbacks to support effective future planning. We report on the robustness of evidence from an assimilated database of urban hydrological impact studies which often had differing primary purposes. Consistent impacts were found at the local level, with trees reducing runoff and infiltration. Despite the consistency of evidence, much is undermined by the studies being somewhat lacking in robustness and scientific rigour. Many studies lack adequate controls, and models are often not strongly tested against observations. Moreover, evidence of impact at larger scales is lacking. Effects of  tree characteristics were also investigated, such as maturity and species (for which evidence is consistent and detailed) and arrangement (for which there is less evidence). Realizing the full potential of trees in urban water management decision-making would benefit from more rigorous evidence.

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    Banzhaf, E., Wu, W., Luo, X., Knopp, J., 2021. Integrated mapping of spatial urban dynamics-a european-chinese exploration. Part 1-methodology for automatic land cover classification tailored towards spatial allocation of ecosystem services features. Remote Sens. 13, 1744. doi:10.3390/rs13091744

    Urbanisation processes inherently influence land cover (LC) and have dramatic impacts on the amount, distribution and quality of vegetation cover. The latter are the source of ecosystem services (ES) on which humans depend. However, the temporal and thematical dimensions are not documented in a comparable manner across Europe and China. Three cities in China and three cities in Europe were selected as case study areas to gain a picture of spatial urban dynamics at intercontinental scale. First, we analysed available global and continental thematic LC products as a data pool for sample selection and referencing our own mapping model. With the help of the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform and earth observation data, an automatic LC mapping method tailored for more detailed ES features was proposed. To do so, differentiated LC categories were quantified. In order to obtain a balance between efficiency and high classification accuracy, we developed an optimal classification model by evaluating the importance of a large number of spectral, texture-based indices and topographical information. The overall classification accuracies range between 73% and 95% for different time slots and cities. To capture ES related LC categories in great detail, deciduous and coniferous forests, cropland, grassland and bare land were effectively identified. To understand inner urban options for potential new ES, dense and dispersed built-up areas were differentiated with good results. In addition, this study focuses on the differences in the characteristics of urban expansion witnessed in China and Europe. Our results reveal that urbanisation has been more intense in the three Chinese cities than in the three European cities, with an 84% increase in the entire built-up area over the last two decades. However, our results also show the results of China’s ecological restoration policies, with a total of 963 km2 of new green and blue LC created in the last two decades. We proved that our automatic mapping can be effectively applied to future studies, and the monitoring results will be useful for consecutive ES analyses aimed at achieving more environmentally friendly cities.

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    Kirsop-Taylor, N., Russel, D., Jensen, A., 2021. Urban governance and policy mixes for nature-based solutions and integrated water policy. J. Environ. Policy Plan. 0, 1–15. doi:10.1080/1523908X.2021.1956309

    This paper explores how varied systems of governance work at the European city level to deliver different policy mixes for implementing nature-based approaches which support integrated water management and policy. Urban systems provide unique insights here due to the concentration of consumption, economic activities and excessive land-use pressures. However, few studies are providing generic insights, rooted in policy and political theory perspectives, on the dynamic impact of urban governance systems on different mixes of policies to integrate urban nature and water management approaches. The paper fills this gap through an extensive literature review. It first draws on analysis that focuses on institutional logics of operation to understand how urban institutional arrangements of governance shape the framing of the policy problem and how this influences the choice of policy approaches. It then explores the related administrative processes including decision support tools, participatory approaches, and funding regimes. These administrative approaches deliver, potentially, different policy responses that take into account integrated nature-based policy approaches to urban water governance.

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    Mayor, B., Toxopeus, H., McQuaid, S., Croci, E., Lucchitta, B., Reddy, S.E., Egusquiza, A., Altamirano, M.A., Trumbic, T., Tuerk, A., García, G., Feliu, E., Malandrino, C., Schante, J., Jensen, A., López Gunn, E., 2021. State of the art and latest advances in exploring business models for nature-based solutions. Sustain. 13, 1–21. doi:10.3390/su13137413

    Nature-based solutions (NBS) offer multiple solutions to urban challenges simultaneously, but realising funding for NBS remains a challenge. When the concept of NBS for societal challenges was first defined by the EC in 2017, financing was recognised as one of the major challenges to its mainstreaming. The complexity of NBS finance has its origin in the multiple benefits/stakeholders involved, which obscures the argument for both public and private sector investment. Since 2017, subsequent waves of EU research- and innovation-funded projects have substantially contributed to the knowledge base of funding and business models for NBS, particularly in the urban context. Collaborating and sharing knowledge through an EU Task Force, this first set of EU projects laid important knowledge foundations, reviewing existing literature, and compiling empirical evidence of different financing approaches and the business models that underpinned them. The second set of EU innovation actions advanced this knowledge base, developing and testing new implementation models, business model tools, and approaches. This paper presents the findings of these projects from a business model perspective to improve our understanding of the value propositions of NBS to support their mainstreaming.

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    Banzhaf, E.; Anderson, S.; Grandin, G.; Hardiman, R.; Jensen, A.; Jones, L.; Knopp, J.; Levin, G.; Russel, D.; Wu, W.; Yang, J.; Zandersen, M. Urban-Rural Dependencies and Opportunities to Design Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience in Europe and China. Land 2022, 11(4), 480. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11040480.

    Interrelationships between urban and rural areas are fundamental for the development and safeguarding of viable future living conditions and quality of life. These areas are not well-delineated or self-sufficient, and existing interrelations may privilege one over the other. Major urban challenges facing China and Europe are related to changes in climate, environment, and to decision-making that makes urban and rural landscapes more susceptible to environmental pressures. Focusing on the six European and Chinese cities and surrounding rural areas, under study in the joint EC and MOST-funded REGREEN project, we examine how nature-based solutions (NBS) may assist in counteracting these pressures. We explore urban-rural dependencies and partnerships regarding NBS that can enhance resilience in Europe and China. We analyse differences between European and Chinese systems of governance, reflecting on the significance of the scale of research needed to understand how NBS provide benefits. We highlight interactions between differently delineated sheds (watershed, airshed, natureshed, and peopleshed), which influence the interrelationships between urban and rural areas. There may be one-way or two-way interdependence, and the impact may be uni or multi-directional. The European and Chinese solutions, exemplified in this article, tackle the nexus of environmental and peoplesheds. We discuss complex human interactions (and how to model them) that may, or may not, lead to viable and equitable partnerships for implementing NBS in cities within Europe and in China.

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    Elze S., Banzhaf E., 2022, High-precision monitoring of urban structures to understand changes in multiple ecosystem services, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 73 (2022) 127616, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127616

    To safeguard the well-being of urban dwellers, it is vital to restore, protect and enhance urban green infrastructures (uGI), their related ecosystem services (ES) and the associated benefits for a large number of inhabitants. This study maps and monitors land cover between 2012 and 2018 in the fast-growing German city of Leipzig to produce precise information using OBIA and very high-resolution digital orthophotos. Based on this, this research pinpoints spatially differentiated multiple ES. Research has revealed that essential ES, which comprise regulating, socio-cultural and cultural-aesthetic services, have a multifunctional impact on the human urban habitat. The study provides insight into each ES type by evaluating specific classes of objects within the urban environment in a spatially explicit way and at a very high scale of resolution. In doing so, it illustrates variations in the provision of ES and renders visible disparities in the accessibility to uGI in Leipzig. By analysing the number and stands of trees and their respective height development, the study confirms that intensive management is successfully rejuvenating the urban forest, but also that foliage in this forest is suffering from drought. The mapping procedure reveals a high spatial and temporal variation in the rates of carbon storage. This is also the case for the provision of recreation areas which has an impact on the equitable distribution of ES to Leipzig’s inhabitants. Residential areas with a relatively high uGI on the outskirts of the city actually register lower market rents and rent growth rates than in those districts which lie closer to the city centre and have a comparably lower uGI. Thus, market rents and uGI have become decoupled in the fast growing city. In order to ensure and maintain the well-being of all residents in a fair way, fast growing cities like Leipzig must make even greater efforts in urban planning.

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    Wu, W.; Luo, X.; Knopp, J.; Jones, L.; Banzhaf, E. A European-Chinese Exploration: Part 2—Urban Ecosystem Service Patterns, Processes, and Contributions to Environmental Equity under Different Scenarios. Remote Sens. 2022, 14, 3488. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14143488

    Urban expansion and ecological restoration policies can simultaneously affect land-cover changes and further affect ecosystem services (ES). However, it is unclear whether and to what extent the distribution and equity of urban ES are influenced by the stage of urban development and government policies. This study aims to assess the quantity and equity of ES under different scenarios in cites of China and Europe. Firstly, we used the Conversion of Land Use and its Effects at Small regional extent (CLUE-S) model to simulate future land cover under three scenarios: business-as-usual (BAU), a market-liberal scenario (MLS), and an ecological protection scenario (EPS). Then using ecosystem service model approaches and the landscape analysis, the dynamics of green infrastructure (GI) fraction and connectivity, carbon sequestration, and PM2.5 removal were further evaluated. The results show that: (1) over the past 20 years, Chinese cities have experienced dramatic changes in land cover and ES relative to European cities. (2) Two metropolises in China, Shanghai and Beijing have experienced an increase in the fraction and connectivity of GI and ES in the long-term built-up areas between 2010 and 2020. (3) EPS scenarios are not only effective in increasing the quantity of ES but also in improving the equity of ES distribution. The proposed framework as well as the results may provide important guidance for future urban planning and sustainable city development.

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    Bird, D.N.; Banzhaf, E.;  Knopp, J.; Wu, W.; Jones, L.   Combining Spatial and Temporal  Data to Create a Fine‐Resolution  Daily Urban Air Temperature   Product from Remote Sensing Land  Surface Temperature (LST) Data.   Atmosphere 2022, 13, 1152. https://doi.org/10.3390/  atmos13071152

    Remotely sensed land surface temperature (LST) is often used as a proxy for air temperature in urban heat island studies, particularly to illustrate relative temperature differences between locations. Two sensors are used predominantly in the literature, Landsat and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). However, each has shortcomings that currently limit its utility for many urban applications. Landsat has high spatial resolution but low temporal resolution, and may miss hot days, while MODIS has high temporal resolution but low spatial resolution, which is inadequate to represent the fine grain heterogeneity in cities. In this paper, we overcome this inadequacy by combining high spatial frequency Environmental Services (ES), Landsat‐driven Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and MODIS low spatial frequency background LST at different spatial frequency bands (spatial spectral composition). The method is able to provide fine scale LST four times daily on any day of the year. Using data from Paris in 2019 we show that (1) daytime cooling by vegetation reaches a maximum of 30 °C, above which there is no further increase in cooling. In addition, (2) the cooling is relatively local and does not extend further than 200 m beyond the boundary of the NBS. This model can be used to quantify the benefits of NBS in providing cooling in cities.

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    Fletcher, D.H.; Garrett, J.K.; Thomas, A.; Fitch, A.; Cryle, P.; Shilton, S.; Jones, L. Location, Location, Location: Modelling of Noise Mitigation by Urban Woodland Shows the Benefit of Targeted Tree Planting in Cities. Sustainability 2022, 14, 7079. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127079

    Noise pollution from road traffic is ubiquitous in modern cities and is the second greatest environmental risk to health in Western Europe. Urban woodland can provide substantial noise mitigation if located properly, yet such considerations are often absent from the urban planning process. Current approaches for quantifying this important ecosystem service (ES) do not account adequately for important spatial factors and are unable to identify effectively the best locations to place new woodland for noise mitigation. We present new methods, in which we exploit the concept of least-cost-distance, to map and value the mitigating effect of urban woodland, and to identify optimal locations to place new  woodland. Applying these methods, we show that urban woodland currently provides Birmingham City (UK) with over GBP 3.8  million in noise mitigation benefits, annually. We also show that our new ‘opportunity’ mapping methods effectively identify the best locations for new woodland, achieving close to a maximum  service with less than a quarter of the additional woodland needed to achieve it. This has important implications for the design and implementation of urban tree planting for noise mitigation, and these methods can be adapted for other ES, allowing consideration of multiple service outcomes.

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    David H. Fletcher, Patrick J. Likongwe, Sosten S. Chiotha, Gilbert Nduwayezu, Dwijen Mallick, Nasir Uddin Md., Atiq Rahman, Polina Golovátina-Mora, Laura Lotero, Stephanie Bricker, Mathews Tsirizeni, Alice Fitch, Marios Panagi, Cristina Ruiz Villena, Christian Arnhardt, Joshua Vande Hey, Richard Gornall, Laurence Jones, Using demand mapping to assess the benefits of urban green and blue space in cities from four continents, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 785, 2021, 147238, ISSN 0048-9697, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147238

    The benefits of urban green and blue infrastructure (UGI) are widely discussed, but rarely take into account local conditions or contexts. Although assessments increasingly consider the demand for the ecosystem services that UGI provides, they tend to only map the spatial pattern of pressures such as heat, or air pollution, and lack a wider understanding of where the beneficiaries are located and who will benefit most. We assess UGI in five cities from four continents with contrasting climate, socio-political context, and size. For three example services (air pollution removal, heat mitigation, accessible greenspace), we run an assessment that takes into account spatial patterns in the socio-economic demand for ecosystem services and develops metrics that reflect local context, drawing on the principles of vulnerability assessment. Despite similar overall levels of UGI (from 35 to 50% of urban footprint), the amount of service provided differs substantially between cities. Aggregate cooling ranged from 0.44 °C (Leicester) to 0.98 °C (Medellin), while pollution removal ranged from 488 kg PM2.5/yr (Zomba) to 48,400 kg PM2.5/yr (Dhaka). Percentage population with access to nearby greenspace ranged from 82% (Dhaka) to 100% (Zomba). The spatial patterns of pressure, of ecosystem service, and of maximum benefit within a city do not necessarily match, and this has implications for planning optimum locations for UGI in cities.

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    Marcus Hedblom, Anne-Caroline Prévot, Axelle Grégoire, Science fiction blockbuster movies – A problem or a path to urban greenery?, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Volume 74, 2022, 127661, ISSN 1618-8667, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127661

    Urban greenery in cities is important for human health, for resilient and sustainable cities, and for flora and fauna. The importance of urban greenery is highlighted in numerous global, national and local policies. However, the rapid increase of urban sprawl and densification globally has reduced access, availability and quality of urban greenery. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), cities “do not know how to incorporate nature and nature contribution to people into city planning”. Perhaps this limitation is because urban planners, architects, landscape architects (urban designers) and urban ecologist (nature conservationist) view nature in cities differently. In addition, few studies on cities focus on nature and ecology. In this paper, we highlight the need to develop new designs and nature conservation approaches that promote biodiversity in cities. Science fiction (SF) and science have a history of inspiring each other and inspiring innovative solutions. For example, SF blockbusters have affected people’s engagement in climate change. Here, we evaluate how 44 of the most viewed American SF movies depict nature in cities, including diversity of species and how characters interact with nature. We reveal that these movies tend to ignore nature in their depictions of future cities. If nature is depicted in SF it is very similar to contemporary cities with monoculture lawns and ornamental gardens. Moreover, SF movies do not depict innovative ways of including nature in cityscapes, they illustrate unrealistic settings without basic ecological functions (e.g., pollinators), and their characters do not interact with nature when nature is depicted or only frame the scene as a façade. We suggest that urban designers, urban ecologists, and SF artists collaborate to imagine how to integrate nature and biodiversity into the depictions of future cities, a strategy that could help change norms about urban greenery.

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    Laurence Jones, Sally Anderson, Jeppe Læssøe, Ellen Banzhaf, Anne Jensen, David Neil Bird, James Miller, Michael G. Hutchins, Jun Yang, Joanne Garrett, Tim Taylor, Benedict W. Wheeler, Rebecca Lovell, David Fletcher, Yueming Qu, Massimo Vieno, Marianne Zandersen, A typology for urban Green Infrastructure to guide multifunctional planning of nature-based solutions, Nature-Based Solutions, Volume 2, 2022, 100041, ISSN 2772-4115, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbsj.2022.100041

    Urban Green Infrastructure (GI) provides multiple benefits to city inhabitants and can be an important component in nature-based solutions (NBS), but the ecosystem services that underpin those benefits are inconsistently quantified in the literature. There remain substantial knowledge gaps about the level of service supported by less studied GI types, e.g. cemeteries, or less-studied ecosystem services, e.g. noise mitigation. Decision-makers and planners in cities often face conflicting or incomplete information on the effectiveness of GI, particularly on their ability to provide a suite of co-benefits. Here, we describe a feature-based typology of GI which combines elements of land cover, land use and both ecological and social function. It is consistent with user requirements on mapping, and with the needs of models which can conduct more detailed ecosystem service assessments which can guide NBS design. We provide an evidence synthesis based on published literature, which scores the ability of each GI type to deliver a suite of ecosystem services. In the multivariate analysis of the typology scores, the main axis of variation differentiates between constructed (or hybrid) GI types designed primarily for water flow management (delivering relatively few services) and more natural green GI with trees, or blue GI such as lakes and the sea, which deliver a more multi-functional set of regulating services. The most multi-functional GI on this axis also score highest for biodiversity. The second element of variation separates those GI which support very few cultural services and those which score highly in enabling physical wellbeing and social interaction and, to a lesser extent, restoring capacities. Together the typology and multi-functionality matrix provide a much needed assessment for less studied GI types, and allow planners and decision-makers to make a-priori assessments of the relative ability of different GI as part of NBS to address urban challenges.

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    Laurence Jones, Stefan Reis, Mike Hutchins, James Miller, Baihuiqian He, Isabel Seifert-Dähnn, Chong-Yu Xu, Alex Hagen-Zanker, Jingyan Yu, Tao Lin, Haifeng Jia, Steven Loiselle, Duncan Russel, Clive E. Sabel, David Fletcher, Alice Fitch, Luis Inostroza, Airsheds, watersheds and more – The flows that drive intra-extra-urban connections, and their implications for nature-based solutions (NBS), Nature-Based Solutions, Volume 2, 2022, 100040, ISSN 2772-4115, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbsj.2022.100040

    Cities are highly complex, inter-connected social-ecological systems, encompassing social, built and natural/semi-natural components. They interact with their surrounding extra-urban areas at varying scales, from peri-urban and rural to global. Space is a valuable commodity in cities. However, in most instances, city planners tend to think about interventions only within cities and rarely about the wider connected domains outside. Yet, considering the wider spatial context, including space outside of the city boundaries, may open up opportunities to achieve substantially greater benefit for city residents without sacrificing valuable space, leading to more sustainable city design for people and the environment. In this paper we discuss the intra-extra-urban flows which connect cities to their wider airsheds, watersheds, biosheds and resourcesheds, which in turn interact with their peoplesheds. For each domain, we illustrate the processes and the scales they operate at, and discuss the implications for optimum location of nature-based solutions (NBS) to address urban challenges. We suggest that integrating knowledge about these multiple sheds can inform holistic design of NBS to deliver greater benefit for city residents. This takes into account the synergies and multi-functional co-benefits which arise from a careful consideration of place and people, while minimising potential disbenefits and trade-offs.

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    Morère Lucie, Grandin Gwendoline, Huart Gabrielle, Barra Marc, Sierra-Jimenez Mara, Turpin Sébastien, Prévot Anne-Caroline, Auteroche Lucie, 2021. Les solutions fondées sur la nature. Défis et opportunités pour la mégarégion parisienne. In Atlas collaboratif de la mégarégion parisienne [en ligne]. Rouen : UMR CNRS 6266 IDEES, Université de Rouen Normandie. URL : https://atlas-paris-mega-region.univ-rouen.fr/node/157 https://doi.org/10.48390/ds8t-j329

    Le concept de solutions fondées sur la nature est issu de la rencontre des sciences de l’écologie et des sciences économiques et se concrétise par une diversité de projets opérationnels ayant pour but de faire face aux défis du changement global (chaleur urbaine, perte de biodiversité, inondation, pollution de l’air) et autres maux de notre société (déconnexion à la nature, santé, bien-être, alimentation). Pour l’espace mégarégional, qui comprend des zones d’urbanisation très denses ainsi que des zones de biodiversité à préserver, ces solutions fondées sur la nature répondent à des problématiques à long terme. Plusieurs projets ont déjà vu le jour en région Île-de-France, mais restent encore discrets par rapport à l’ampleur du défi.

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    Wan-Ben Wu, Jun Ma, Michael E. Meadows, Ellen Banzhaf, Tian-Yuan Huang, Yi-Fei Liu, Bin Zhao, Spatio-temporal changes in urban green space in 107 Chinese cities (1990–2019): The role of economic drivers and policy, International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, Volume 103, 2021, 102525, ISSN 1569-8432, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2021.102525

    Urban green space (UGS) has gained increasing attention due to its environmental and social functions. However, the compound effects of climate change, population growth and economic development on UGS are largely unknown. We selected 107 medium-sized and large cities in China to investigate dynamics in the spatial pattern of UGS in relation to government policy and other drivers based on remote sensing data for the period 1990 to 2019. To explore the effect of different levels of urbanization on changes in green space, we develop a new Normalized Urban Development Index (NUDI) to classify urban-suburban-rural gradients, viz. Long-term Built-up, New Built-up and Non-Built-up. Then, we analysed changes over time in the annual peak value of fraction of vegetation cover (FVC) for 380,000 cloud-free Landsat images, and regional UGS dynamics were evaluated using the proposed Regional Greenness Dynamic Index (RGDI). Finally, to reveal the major driver(s) of changes in UGS and estimate the extent to which patterns of urban greening are due to differences in economic development, we compared the observed UGS spatio-temporal dynamics with data on several climatic, social-economic and land use related factors for the same period. The NUDI are shown to be highly effective in mapping urban development gradients, with overall accuracy in the identified classes of 89%. Annual maximum FVC analysis indicates that there was significant greening between 1990 and 2019 in both the long-term built up (10,667.52 km2) and the non-built up areas (529,310.47 km2), while there was a major increase in browning (25,110.43 km2) in the newly built-up areas. The RGDI results indicate that 65% (71/107) of long-term built-up areas in cities trended greener over 2010 to 2019 under consideration. At the whole city scale, RGDI is negatively correlated with gross domestic product (GDP), although when considering the long-term built-up areas only, economic growth exhibits a significant positive correlation during 2010 to 2019 (R = 0.62, p < 0.01). This study offers important insights as to the patterns of change in urban greening extent over time and its underyling drivers across urban-suburban-rural gradients against the background of urban expansion, afforestation, climate change and economic development.

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    Fredrika Mårtensson, Anna Litsmark, Björn Wiström & Marcus Hedblom, Movium Fakta 2022 #3

    LEKOTOPER – PLATSER DÄR BÅDE BARN OCH NATUR TRIVS
    Går det att kombinera barns behov av naturkontakt med behovet hos olika
    arter i djur- och växtriket så att resultatet både blir en hållbar lekplats och en
    hållbar livsmiljö med hög biologisk mångfald?

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    Miller James D, Gianni Vesuviano, John R Wallbank, David H Fletcher, Laurence Jones, 2023, Hydrological assessment of urban Nature-Based Solutions for urban planning using Ecosystem Service toolkit applications, Landscape and Urban Planning 234 (2023) 104737, ELSEVIER, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104737

    Ecosystem Service (ES) toolkits are increasingly used to quantify and visualize the benefits gained from Nature-based-solutions (NBS) but modules for hydrology are often absent, or if present they lack meaningful hydrological functionality or validation. This leads to gaps in the evidence base required by decision makers. To bridge the gap between such limitations and more complex hydrological models this paper presents a hydrologically based NBS model compatible with spatial ES toolkits. The approach ‘Adapted Nature-based-solutions Rational Method’ (ANaRM) is based on the Rational Method, widely used in hydrology. We apply this model to the city of Birmingham, England, to validate its performance and to analyse the effects of different NBS scenarios. The validated ANaRM model provided robust estimates of peak flow using design storm rainfall. It proved capable of simulating the hydrological effects of NBS such as land use change from urban to green, or installation of SuDS and ponds. Results suggest ponds are found most effective for achieving peak flow reduction in channels and are the best option for mitigating fluvial flooding downstream. Reduction in localised runoff and pluvial flooding is best achieved by converting impervious surfaces such as buildings, hardstanding and roads to green solutions such as green roofs, permeable pavements and greenspace. This paper highlights the importance of considering the spatial effects of urban NBS on hydrology, and that these can be captured with relatively simple modelling approaches such as ANaRM. Its ease of use means it suits any level of user looking to represent the flood mitigation aspect of NBS spatially and has high potential as part of any ES toolkit focused on representing the spatial effects of NBS on ecosystem services.

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    Knopp Julius M., Gregor Levin, and Ellen Banzhaf, 2023, Aerial Data Analysis for Integration Into a Green Cadastre - An Example From Aarhus, Denmark, IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATIONS AND REMOTE SENSING, VOL. 16, 2023, doi:10.1109/JSTARS.2023.3289218, https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10168752

    Fostering urban resilience and adaptation to climate change pose new demands on the knowledge of land use and land cover (LULC) in heterogeneous urban spaces. High-resolution urban mapping is a valuable tool, which serves to map detailed categories. Such semantic data are integrated in national and regional administration as public goods. In the light of many countries around the globe making their data publicly available, we present a method to map urban areas based on multitemporal orthophotos and LiDAR-derived digital surface model, and extract information about vegetation in an automated processing chain. This approach is threshold driven and relies on an automatic generation of spectral thresholds and existing real-world-based classifications. We included cadastral data to add land-use information for specific categories, such as agricultural land use and to assess the product’s accuracy. Adding these data creates an LULC product and makes a seamless integration into urban planning routines possible. The results of the study provide a detailed LULC map for the municipality of Aarhus in 2015 with a spatial resolution of 20 cm and ten thematic classes. Depending on the reference data, we achieved thematic overall accuracies of 34% and 64% using a polygon-based approach. Our study has found that utilizing both multitemporal orthophotos and elevation data can enhance the LC mapping of urban landscapes. The methodology could be transferred to other areas in Denmark or to countries providing similar datasets, and lends itself to a repeatable LULC mapping with minimal user interaction.

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    Zandersen, M. et al. (2024). Naturbasierte Lösungen zur Stärkung der Resilienz in Städten. In: Kabisch, S., Rink, D., Banzhaf, E. (eds) Die Resiliente Stadt. Springer Spektrum, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-66916-7_10

    Als naturbasierte Lösungen (NBL) werden auf EU-Ebene naturbezogene Ansätze bezeichnet, die als Instrumente zur Bewältigung gesellschaftlicher Herausforderungen hinsichtlich des Klimawandels dienen. Eine Stadt erhöht ihre Resilienz, wenn ihre NBL-Ansätze auch soziale Probleme und das Wohlergehen der Bürger*innen ansprechen. Dieser Beitrag ist der beispielhaften Anwendung von NBL in drei europäischen Städten unterschiedlicher Größe gewidmet: einer Megacity (Region Paris, Frankreich), einer mittelgroßen Stadt (Aarhus, Dänemark) und einer Kleinstadt (Velika Gorica, Kroatien). Dabei wird untersucht, welche Herausforderungen und Chancen bei der Anwendung von NBL in verschiedenen sozialen und ökologischen Systemen auftreten und inwiefern NBL ein Schlüssel zur städtischen Resilienz sind.

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    Hutchins Michael, Yueming Qu, Isabel Seifert-Dähnn, Gregor Levin, (2024). Comparing likely effectiveness of urban Nature-based Solutions worldwide: The example of riparian tree planting and water quality, Journal of Environmental Management 351 (2024) 119950, Elsevier, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119950

    Amongst a spectrum of benefits, Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are increasingly being advocated as improving the quality of aquatic environments in urban areas. Of these, a widely adopted measure is tree planting. Yet, because of the local complexities and spatial variability of urban hydrological response, it is difficult to predict to what extent improvements in water quality will arise. To overcome this barrier, a standardised approach to process-based model simulation of urban river quality is described (QUESTOR-YARDSTICK (QUESTOR-YS)). The approach eliminates the influence of point sources of pollution and harmonises the way in which river hydro-dynamics and contributory catchment size are represented. Thereby, it focuses on differences in water quality between cities due solely to climate, river discharge and urban diffuse nutrient pollution factors. The relative sensitivity to NBS establishment between urban water bodies in different cities anywhere across the world can also potentially be quantified. The method can be readily extended to include wastewater effluents. The validity of the approach is demonstrated for a small river in Birmingham, UK; and thence demonstrated for the case of 10 km of riparian tree planting in Birmingham, Oslo (Norway) and Aarhus (Denmark). Modelling suggests that riparian tree planting can substantially improve water quality in each example city for three key indicators of water quality in sensitive summer conditions (water temperature, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen). Results show the level of benefit achievable in response to a fixed amount of planting will depend on the existing level of riparian tree occupancy.

  • Educational Materials

    Field E-books for Eco-Explorer
    „Interactive Walkable Floormaps“ – Guideline for teachers
    Teacher guide_Field E-books and Nature Based Solutions
    Greenopolis - Educational Digital Platform
    Playbiotopes
    Vigie-Nature École: A document that provides all the keys you need for you and your classes to join this citizen science programme.
    In-class trials of digital educational platform, GREENOPOLIS, in schools in Velika Gorica, Croatia, and in Paris Region, France
  • Sister Projects

  • Podcasts

  • EMMA App

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Intugreen
Shanghai University of International Business and Economics
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helmholtz zentrum
The Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IUE)
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L'institut Paris Region
SLU
Zelena Energetska Zadruga

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