Policy Instruments to Promote Implementation of Nature-based Solutions

Presentation at COP27

Presentation: Speech
Date: 16 November 2022
Location: hybrid, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt
Speech: Ewa Iwaszuk

Ewa Iwaszuk, a Fellow at Ecologic Institute, held a presentation "Policy instruments to promote implementation of nature-based solutions" at a side-event "Nature-based solutions for building performance" during the global climate conference COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt). Ewa's presentation made the case that policy instruments and their governance act as critical enablers or barriers to adoption of nature-based solutions. She presented the Urban Governance Atlas that Ecologic Institute is currently developing in the frames of the INTERLACE project and discussed good practice examples of policy instruments from around the world that support the implementation of nature-based solutions at a building level.

The event "Nature-based solutions for building performance" was held in the Buildings Pavilion at COP27. The event featured speakers from policy and business as well as engineering experts and discussed how mainstreaming nature-based solutions in the building sector, can improve the sector's contribution to nature-positive economy. The speakers made the case for concrete technical guidance and skill development for professionals in construction sector; a dialogue between construction sector professional and the NBS professionals, including landscape planners, ecologists and policy experts; well-designed, locally appropriate policy instruments and action and guidance for nature-based solutions in building sector to be included in the countries' Nationally Determined Contributions.

Ecologic Team Active at the Network Nature Annual Events in Brussels

25 - 26 September 2024
McKenna Davis

Event:Digital Event

Urban areas across the globe are facing unprecedented challenges, including urban sprawl, pollution, and the increasing impacts of climate change. To help address these pressing issues, the INTERLACE project is pleased to announce the launch of a new, free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled: "Nature-based solutions: How nature restoration can make more livable, biodiverse, and climate resilient neighbourhoods". The course was introduced in a launch webinar on 8 October 2024.

Creating More Livable, Biodiverse and Climate Resilient Cities with Nature-based Solutions

MOOC Launch Event

8 October 2024
online

Publication:Web Application

Urban areas across the globe are facing unprecedented challenges – pollution, climate change, urban sprawl – and traditional solutions are falling short. Join the Interlace project's free online course to discover how nature-based solutions offer a promising approach to help create resilient, sustainable cities.

Nature-based Solutions: How to regenerate nature to make neighborhoods more livable, biodiverse, and resilient to climate change

MOOC

Year 2024

Publication:Article

Nature-based solutions (NbS) hold immense potential to address global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss – but how can ambitious goals finally be translated into action? This article provides valuable insights into 250 practical policy instruments from 41 countries that successfully promote NbS. For the first time, a systematic evaluation of good practice examples is presented, aimed at helping cities and communities implement NbS effectively. From innovative approaches to long-term sustainable solutions, the authors highlight how policy design around NbS can be optimized globally. The article provides concrete recommendations and inspiring success stories to advance the implementation of NbS in your region!

Transforming Ambition into Action to Catalyse Nature-based Solutions

Insights from 250 good practice policy instruments

Year 2024

Presentation:Interview

The podcast "Polski Kongres Klimatyczny 2024" features highlights from the discussion that took place at the Polish Climate Congress in March 2024. In the podcast, Ewa Iwaszuk, Fellow at Ecologic Institute, discusses the importance of "green synergy" in municipal cooperation and emphasizes the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in the development of sustainable cities. Ewa Iwaszuk highlighted how the work of Ecologic Institute and its partners supports cities to effectively integrate these approaches into their infrastructure projects in order to tackle climate change and improve quality of life.

Green Synergies in Municipalities: Applying nature-based solutions in cities

19 June 2024
Ewa Iwaszuk

News

This survey aims to collect your experiences and perspectives on inclusive engagement in NbS co-creation. We seek to identify successful strategies, critical challenges, and lessons learned in meaningfully engaging commonly excluded stakeholders in NbS co-creation processes.

Fostering Inclusive Engagement in Co-creating Nature-based Solutions

Online Survey

16 August 2024

Presentation:Speech

At the occasion of the 16th NESS – Nordic Environmental Social Science Conference in Turku (Finland), from 4 to 6 June 2024, Ecologic Institute's Doris Knoblauch presented the findings of two projects in a workshop dealing with "Governing urban climate transformations: Towards climate neutrality and resilience".

Navigating Urban Climate Transformations: Unravelling the Mechanisms of Successful Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies in Cities

4 - 6 June 2024
Doris Knoblauch

Presentation:Speech

From 15 to 17 May 2024, Barcelona hosted the CONEXUS Conference, a flagship event bringing together over 100 experts from Europe and Latin America to discuss nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate-resilient cities. This conference was a melting pot of ideas and innovations, fostering exchange on the economic, social, environmental, and political facets of NBS implementation. Among the key sessions were "Governance, Politics, and Planning" and "Economics, Values, and Work," where Ecologic experts Dr. Ulf Stein, McKenna Davis, and Jenny Tröltzsch shared their research and insights.

A Spotlight on Nature-Based Solutions

15 - 17 May 2024
Dr. Ulf Stein

Presentation:Lecture

Niepołomice, a Polish city with almost 30,000 inhabitants, has received customised training on how to tackle challenges in their community with nature-based solutions. Marcela Gutierrez (University of Costa Rica), Natalia Burgos Cuevas and Doris Knoblauch (both Ecologic Institute) presented concrete options for the municipality to representatives of the city of Niepołomice in March 2024, after the city representatives had presented the urban challenges in December 2023.

Integrating Nature: Promoting nature-based solutions (NbS) in Niepołomice (Poland)

12 March 2024
Doris Knoblauch

Event: COP27 side event: Nature-based solutions for building performance
Organizer: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), International

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International
Speech: Ewa Iwaszuk
Date: 16 November 2022
Location: hybrid, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt
Language: English
Project: International Cooperation to Restore and Connect Urban Environments in Latin America and Europe (INTERLACE)
Project ID: 33001
Keywords: Governance

Nature-based Solutions and Green Infrastructure

Nature-based solutions, NBS, International Development, cities, urban restoration, ecosystem-based adaptation, urban ecosystem restoration, sustainable urban development, co-production of knowledge, ecosystem services

Latin America, Europe, Granollers, Spain, Envigado, Colombia, Portoviejo, Ecuador, Chemnitz, Germany, Metropolia Krakowska, Poland, Corredor Biológico Interurbano Río María Aguilar-San José, Costa Rica

Presentation slides

PolicyInstrumentsNBS-EwaIwaszuk-Ecologic.pdf (2.04 MB)

Further Links

NewsCreating Green Cities – NATURVATION Podcast

ProjectHorizon 2020Nature Based Urban Innovation (NATURVATION)

| Fotolia © kalafoto

Nature is important for the urban environment: trees grant shade during the summer months, while parks and lakes function as areas for relaxation, as places where the urban population comes together, and as space where children can experience nature and learn about it... Read more

Nature Based Urban Innovation (NATURVATION)

Duration: Nov 2016 - Oct 2020
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation (DG Research & Innovation), International

PublicationReportNature-based Solutions and Global Climate Protection

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are playing an increasingly prominent part in discussions of global climate change mitigation. This study, for the German Environment Agency (UBA), has critically examined the potential impact of NBS. The results show that the potential of... Read more

Judith Reise, Anne Siemons, Hannes Böttcher, Anke Herold, Cristina Urrutia, Lambert Schneider, Ewa Iwaszuk, Hugh McDonald, Ana Frelih-Larsen, Laurens Duin, McKenna Davis 2022: Nature-Based Solutions and Global Climate Protection. Assessment of their global mitigation potential and recommendations for international climate policy. Climate Change 01/2022. German Environment Agency, Dessau-Roßlau.

PublicationPolicy BriefUrban Nature: A Shared Solution to the Climate and Biodiversity Crises?

NATURVATION Publication Cover Image with text and a photograph of a city garden

Cities are increasingly recognised as key arenas for governing and tackling global environmental challenges, including the interlinked climate and biodiversity crises. Urban nature-based solutions have the potential to jointly address these issues. However, evidence... Read more

Davis, McKenna, et al., 2021. Urban Nature: A Shared Solution to The Climate And Biodiversity Crises?

PublicationReportAddressing Climate Change in Cities – Policy Instruments to Promote Urban Nature-based Solutions

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are solutions that are inspired and supported by nature. They can be used in urban settings to complement or replace "traditional" or "grey" solutions to social and environmental challenges, such as air pollution, the heat island effect,... Read more

Naumann, S., Davis, M., Iwaszuk, E., Freundt, M., Mederake, L., 2020: Addressing climate change in cities – Policy instruments to promote urban nature-based solutions. Ecologic Institute, the Sendzimir Foundation: Berlin, Krakow.

Naumann, S., Davis, M., Iwaszuk, E., Freundt, M., Mederake, L., 2020: Błękitno-zielona infrastruktura dla łagodzenia zmian klimatu w miastach. Narzędzia strategiczne. Ecologic Institute, Fundacja Sendzimira: Berlin, Krakow.

PublicationPodcastInnovating with Nature, People and Places

The city of Barcelona is reinventing the work soil; a social entrepreneur in Utrecht is trying to challenge the way the government cooperates with local green initiatives; and a housing company in Malmo is redefining neighbourhood design for the 21st century. All these... Read more

Ecologic Institute, 2020: Innovating with Nature, People and Places. 24 August 2020. Online: https://creating-green-cities.podigee.io/5-innovating-with-nature-people-and-places

PublicationReportBiodiversity and Nature-based Solutions

The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 aims to secure healthy, resilient, biodiversity-rich ecosystems that deliver the range of services essential to the prosperity and well-being of citizens. Nature-based solutions (NBS) are central to achieving the objectives of this... Read more

Naumann, Sandra and Davis, McKenna. (2020): Biodiversity and nature-based solutions: analysis of EU-funded projects. Brussels: European Commission.

PublicationPodcast Bringing Nature Back into Cities

Green roofs make buildings cool. Literally. As cities deal with the impacts of climate change, green roofs can offer solutions and help with rainwater management, insulation and cooling, amongst other benefits. No matter the weather, installing a green roof also... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2020: Bringing Nature Back into Cities. Creating Green Cities. Podcast. 25. June 2020. Online: https://creating-green-cities.podigee.io/1-bringing-nature-back-into-cities

PublicationBookAddressing Climate Change in Cities – Catalogue of urban nature-based solutions

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are solutions that are inspired and supported by nature. They can be used in urban settings to complement or replace "traditional" or "grey" solutions to perform functions, such as thermal insulation and stormwater retention and filtration.... Read more

English version: Iwaszuk, E., Rudik, G., Duin, L., Mederake, L., Davis, M., Naumann, S., Wagner, I., 2019: Addressing Climate Change in Cities. Catalogue of Urban Nature-Based Solutions. Ecologic Institute, the Sendzimir Foundation: Berlin, Krakow.

Polish version: Iwaszuk, E., Rudik, G., Duin, L., Mederake, L., Davis, M., Naumann, S., Wagner, I., 2019: Błękitno-zielona
infrastruktura dla łagodzenia zmian klimatu w miastach. Katalog techniczny. Ecologic Institute, Fundacja Sendzimira: Berlin, Krakow.

INTERLACE project website