NbS and Urban Nature Planning – the GREENSCAPE CE Final Conference in Brussels
Ian Whitehead from the European Forest Institute (EFI) in Bonn attended the Greenscape CE Final Conference on Resilient Cities through Nature-based Solutions, held in the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce in Brussels on the 5th of February.
Greenscape CE is an initiative funded through the European Commission’s Interreg Europe Programme involving cities from Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Slovenia. The primary mission of the Project has been to integrate nature-based solutions (NBS) and green infrastructure (GI) into grey urban environments through using a multifaceted approach, peer-to-peer learning, transnational capacity building and participatory decision-making. The event provided a great opportunity to promote the effective and joined up approach being developed through the Urban Nature Plans (UNP) process, particularly through the work being taken forward by the UNP+ Project.
Ian Whitehead from the European Forest Institute (EFI) in Bonn attended the Greenscape CE Final Conference on Resilient Cities through Nature-based Solutions, held in the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce in Brussels on the 5th of February.
Greenscape CE is an initiative funded through the European Commission’s Interreg Europe Programme involving cities from Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Slovenia. The primary mission of the Project has been to integrate nature-based solutions (NBS) and green infrastructure (GI) into grey urban environments through using a multifaceted approach, peer-to-peer learning, transnational capacity building and participatory decision-making. The Project has aimed to benefit both local governments and citizens alike through knowledge exchange, multi-level governance reinforcement, tailored capacity building events and implementation of NBS pilot actions (whilst aiming to improve well-being and social inclusion overall).
Ian from EFI was invited along to contribute as an external expert in the round-table session of the event, focussing on the role of participation and community involvement in NbS projects. This considered the balance between participatory processes and the responsibility of planners and designers, including why professional expertise is still crucial. The discussion considered drivers and barriers for change and how European municipalities can move forward through co-creation, policy synergy, partnerships, effective leadership and political endorsement.
The event provided a great opportunity to promote the effective and joined up approach being developed through the Urban Nature Plans (UNP) process, particularly through the work being taken forward by the UNP+ Project. In this respect, it was also inspiring to hear about the positive experiences of the Greenscape CE partner cities; for example, the City of Ptuj in Slovenia, has already developed its own Urban Nature Plan using the UNP 10 Step approach. This forward-looking city has committed to enhancing its urban climate resilience through integrating green infrastructure with the wellbeing of citizens and urban regeneration initiatives.
It is inspiring to learn of such examples of good practice from the field and to appreciate that the UNP approach is being actively adopted by cities around Europe.
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