Enhancing Green Spaces in Cities

Beyond nature conservation, ecosystem restoration has been recognised as a fundamental action in the fight against the climate crisis. In the framework of the European Green Deal and the ambition to become a climate-neutral continent by 2050, the proposed Nature Restoration Law of the European Commission establishes for the first time binding targets for the restoration of ecosystems, including in urban areas. Proposed greening targets and renaturation goals will have clear implications for regions and cities, calling for multi-level governance and cooperation. To energise coordination of actions across levels of government, ICLEI Europe will support regional and local authorities with strategic guidance and tools for drafting Urban Greening Plans (UGPs), one of the main instruments to build on existing local planning strategies and efficiently integrate renaturation objectives.

As solutions inspired and supported by nature, NBS also encompass actions in the built environment that facilitate or mimic natural processes and ecosystem services. Through this expanded understanding, the Urban Planning Institute of Slovenia has developed a systemic methodology for categorising NBS based on types, functions, and overall contexts that can inform tailored urban planning strategies for greening cities. The intervention pointed to the need for context specificity in planning as different urban scapes will need different NBS. According to Mrs Goličnik Marušič, in order to mainstream nature into urban strategies, a number of place-specific variables relating to proximity, residential density, and other socio-environmental conditions need to taken into account.

Why are green cities better cities? While contributing to climate neutrality and other environmental services, green cities are also more liveable and provide a wide range of socio-economic benefits for their residents. In partnership with the Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Regional coordinates projects that leverage the multifunctionality of green infrastructure and urban green spaces such as urban allotments and city parks. The extensive mapping exercise undertaken to understand the geography of urban green in Barcelona helped to identify spatial gaps and deprived areas, informing more inclusive planning. This was accompanied by an assessment of the socio-environmental benefits of 355 urban parks and 29 urban allotments, evidencing the fundamental role of NBS in enhancing residents’ health, agency, and overall quality of life.

A number of H2020 projects have emphasised the need for long-term financing as a grand challenge for the large scale implementation of NBS in urban settings. While the share of public funding for NBS projects continues to be the most dominant, the growing demand and market for NBS will require stronger partnership with private sector actors in the years to come. A main contribution of the ConnectingNature project has been to identify the financing needs of NBS throughout their implementation cycle, pointing to the importance of developing future-looking, sustainable NBS business models that can amplify returns on investment. The project has produced a variety of guidebooks and tools that NBS enablers can use to promote financial viability and trickle down benefits of urban greening interventions. Ms Fletcher presented the four key steps of this process: 1) consolidating political support; 2) co-creating sustainable business models and multi-actor partnerships; 3) securing funds and exploring alternative financing instruments; and 4) measuring impact and return on investment.