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

MOOC

Publication: Web Application
Citation: INTERLACE 2024: Nature-based Solutions: How to regenerate nature to make neighborhoods more livable, biodiverse, and resilient to climate change. Massive Open Online Course. Online: https://learningwith.uclg.org/p/restoring-urban-ecosystems.

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.

The course has been developed with a strong focus on the needs of practitioners and decision-makers, aiming to complement theory with practice by drawing on insights and resources developed within the INTERLACE project, coordinated by Ecologic Institute. Through seven interactive modules featuring videos from industry leaders, case studies, quizzes and additional readings, you will be able to learn how to:

Design and implement effective nature-based solutions,
Engage local communities with municipal actors in the co-creative processes involved,
Generate environmental, social and economic benefits for your city.

More specifically, the following seven modules will give you the knowledge and resources to design and implement effective nature-based solutions which engage your communities:

INTRODUCTION to urban nature-based solutions as a tool to address global challenges
POLICY INSTRUMENTS for mainstreaming NbS in urban governance
CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT as a tool to build local awareness and participation around NbS
CO-CREATION as a form of collaborative NbS governance
SPATIAL PLANNING and prioritising NbS to address urban challenges
URBAN DESIGN for resilient cities, using social and nature-based tools
MONITORING and evaluating NbS using a co-creation approach

We hope you enjoy the course!

Learn how to transform your city with nature-based solutions!

Nature-based Solutions to Urban Challenges

Year 2024

Publication:Report

Der Bericht "Findings and Lessons from INTERLACE Cities" (dt.: Erkenntnisse und Lektionen aus den INTERLACE-Städten), fasst die Erfahrungen der sieben Partnerstädte in Europa und Lateinamerika zusammen. Er richtet sich an politische Entscheidungsträger:innen und Stadtplaner:innen, die naturbasierte Lösungen (NbS) systematisch in ihre städtischen Planungs- und Governance-Strukturen einbinden möchten. Dabei betont die Publikation die Bedeutung inklusiver Beteiligungsprozesse sowie den Einsatz moderner Daten- und Finanzierungsinstrumente, um NbS auf eine breitere Ebene zu skalieren.

Integrating Nature-Based Solutions in Policy and Planning

Findings and Lessons from INTERLACE Cities

Year 2024

Publication:Report

The report ‘From Ideas to Action’ presents the strategy papers of the seven INTERLACE partner cities, which were developed in close cooperation with local stakeholders in Europe and Latin America. These papers highlight tailor-made strategies for nature-based solutions (NbS), including the revitalisation of urban parks in Chemnitz and the development of a search engine for green infrastructure projects in Kraków. The aim is to effectively address the unique challenges of each city, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and social inequality.

From Ideas to Action

INTERLACE impulses for successfully implementing NbS in cities

Year 2024

Presentation:Speech

On 25 and 26 September 2024, McKenna Davis and Natalia Burgos of Ecologic Institute contributed to two landmark nature-based solutions (NbS) events in Brussels, focusing on advancing NbS through collaborative efforts.

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: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

Language: English
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation (DG Research & Innovation), International
Published in: LearningWithUCLG platform
Published by: World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), International

Ecologic Institute, Germany

Sendzimir Foundation, Poland

Alcaldia de Envigado, Colombia

Granollers, Spain

City of Chemnitz, Germany

Gobierno Autónomo Descentralizado Municipal de Portoviejo, Ecuador

Stowarzyszenie Metropolia Krakowska, Poland

OPPLA EEIG, International

YES Innovation (YES), Ecuador

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain

Humboldt Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (Instituto Humboldt), Colombia

Asociación de Desarrollo Salitrillos, Concepción (CBIMA), Costa Rica

WWF, Colombia, Colombia
Year: 2024
Dimension: seven interactive modules
Project: International Cooperation to Restore and Connect Urban Environments in Latin America and Europe (INTERLACE)
Project ID: 33001
Keywords: Adaptation

Biodiversity

Cities

Communication

Education

Governance

International Development

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

Co-creation processes, community engagement, case studies, interactive learning, quizzes and assessments, municipal actor collaboration, sustainable urban design, resilience-building strategies, video-based learning, additional readings, multi-stakeholder collaboration, practical implementation frameworks, MOOC, Massive Open Online Course

Further Links

Urban Governance Atlas (UGA)

INTERLACE – Restoring Urban Ecosystems