Step into a realm of collaborative innovation with our insightful briefing paper, a product of the Nature Based Solutions Task Force 6 joint efforts. This paper focuses on co-creation for nature-based solutions, providing practical examples and guidance for local decision-makers. It sheds light on the effective utilization of co-governance approaches, encouraging participatory processes and collaborative creation in the realm of nature-based solutions.

The 3rd episode of the 4i-TRACTION podcast series uncovers the essential role of infrastructure in climate policy by examining the EU's role in rolling out the infrastructure for a resilient climate-neutral economy. The hosts, together with infrastructure and energy experts Bettina Kampman (CE Delft) and Katharina Umpfenbach (DENA, the German Energy Agency), discuss how recent EU policies are proving to be a good driver to speed up the energy transition and how more attention to infrastructure as a separate topic is needed.

The topic of plastic recycling and its significance for the environment is playfully conveyed in two new children's books. In the special edition of "Lesemaus" titled "Old Bottles, New Bottles!", children learn how glass and plastic bottles are reused The PIXI story "The Witching Hour" follows Flupp, a bottle ghost from a plastic bottle, as he joins children on an adventure to explore how plastic bottles are recycled. These books are part of the BMBF research focus on "Plastics in the Environment" and were developed in collaboration with the Stiftung Lesen and Carlsen Verlag. The aim is to sensitize children at an early age to the importance of recycling and responsible handling of plastics.

Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf

Surveys conducted by More in Common and the Mercator Forum on Migration and Democracy conclude that the German society has become more polarized when it comes to climate change, and that perspectives on the climate movement have noticeably shifted. In an interview with klimafakten.de, Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses the survey results and their significance for the climate movement.

The issue of fish protection and downstream fish migration is discussed intensively - even controversially - between and within the individual disciplines and areas of competence. The German Participatory Forum on Fish Protection and Downstream Migration has been dedicated to this discussion since 2012. This report, which concludes the German Participatory Forum on Fish Protection and Downstream Migration, summarizes a selection of key issues from the forum's workshops across six central topics.

Natalia Burgos Cuevas

At the NetworkNature Annual Event held on 8 June 2023 participants gathered to explore the transformative potential of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) across sectors and communities. During a panel discussion with representatives from the European Commission, the European Environmental Bureau and the German Federal Environmental Agency, Natalia Burgos, representing the INTERLACE project, emphasized the importance of participatory processes for the effective and inclusive use of NBS. She presented examples from the Urban Governance Atlas and showed how policies in Latin America and Europe support the use of NBS in different ways. The event documentation is available online.

Gregory Fuchs

The 87th UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV International Short Course, hosted by Dresden University of Applied Sciences, focuses on ecosystem restoration for the SDGs. For this, Gregory Fuchs from Ecologic Institute deliver a lecture on marine and coastal ecosystem restoration. The course is specifically designed for professionals who prepare and implement policy decisions and practical actions related to the Ecosystem Restoration and Sustainable Development Goals. Effective and innovative approaches to prevent and mitigate ecosystem degradation and restore already degraded ecosystems will be discussed and presented. Presentation slides are available online.

To combat the consequences of climate change, multifunctional nature-based solutions for climate adaptation, such as sponge city concepts, are increasingly coming into focus. However, at the municipal level, these have not yet been anchored in political strategies in many places. On September 19, 2023, we would like to present and discuss policy and legal options for actions to promote nature-based solutions for municipal climate adaptation with you. Please register your participation.