Key insights from the Urban Nature Exchange #5: Innovative Solutions for Urban Planning
The latest session of the Urban Nature Exchanges (UNEs), organised by ICLEI Europe, focused on spatial planning and the implementation of urban nature-based solutions. The program, part of UrbanByNature, promotes peer-to-peer learning and capacity building for Urban Nature Plans (UNPs). The program combined brief presentations from Barcelona, Paris, Belgrade, Mannheim, and Burgas (asynchronously) with interactive exchange sessions among cities, fostering collaboration and the sharing of expertise.
Led by TECNALIA, the session highlighted key themes and challenges around the role of spatial planning in mainstreaming nature and biodiversity protection/enhancement. The conversation walks around two main questions:
1) What are the main enabling conditions for effectively mainstreaming nature and biodiversity within the context of urban and land use planning frameworks such as Urban Master Plans and Urban Development Plans?
2) What tools and practices are being used and have been proved successful for supporting mainstreaming?
Cities shared their strengths and challenges regarding these two questions:
Barcelona: Balancing traditional statutory planning with emerging strategic approaches. Challenges include unclear long-term maintenance agreements and coordination between public and private sectors.
Paris: A standards-based approach that combines regulations with strategic flexibility. Strong technical support and digital tools assist planners and stakeholders, though resource-intensive.
Mannheim: Communication challenges in promoting biodiversity and urban greening. Statutory planning meets flexibility issues in interactions with operators. Multi-level governance complicates implementation, requiring better transition strategies.
Belgrade: Focusing on strategic planning to enhance nature through green infrastructure, the city tackles financing and public-private collaboration challenges while integrating ecological indicators into projects for long-term viability.
Addressing Challenges in Urban Planning
The need for a balance between statutory (regulatory) and flexible (strategic) planning approaches is still a relevant issue in urban planning and still unresolved challenge in many cities in Europe. Besides, transitioning from policy design to effective implementation is still also a challenge. Governance structures often impose planning requirements but fail to enforce execution and support financially. Cities showcase several practical examples that underscored the importance of leveraging cross-sector knowledge and creating tools to bridge this gap, ensuring plans materialize into tangible outcomes.
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