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Poorly planned urbanisation can lead to societal challenges as social deprivation, climate change, deteriorating health and increasing pressure on urban nature. Urban ecosystem restoration can contribute to lessen these challenges, e.g. through implementing nature-based solutions (NBS). These key messages are based onthe online webinar ‘Sustaining cities, Naturally: Urban ecosystem restoration in Europe, China and Latin America’, which took place as an official side-event of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2022 on 13th and 14th October 2023. The webinar was jointly organised by the projects: INTERLACE, CONEXUS, Regreen and CLEARING HOUSE. The webinar illustrated how Horizon 2020 projects support international cooperation in knowledge creation and knowledge exchange between local authorities and researchers to promote urban ecosystem restoration in Europe, China and Latin America and brought together cities, regions and local authorities, city network representatives, policy makers, researchers, civil society and experts on nature-based solutions and urban ecosystem restoration from Europe, China and Latin America.&nbsp

Poorly planned urbanisation can lead to societal challenges as social deprivation, climate change, deteriorating health and increasing pressure on urban nature. Urban ecosystem restoration can contribute to lessen these challenges, e.g. through implementing nature-based solutions (NBS). This presentation was made as part of the online webinar ‘Sustaining cities, Naturally: Urban ecosystem restoration in Europe, China and Latin America’, which took place as an official side-event of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2022 on 13th and 14th October 2023. The webinar was jointly organised by the projects: INTERLACE, CONEXUS, Regreen and CLEARING HOUSE. The webinar illustrated how Horizon 2020 projects support international cooperation in knowledge creation and knowledge exchange between local authorities and researchers to promote urban ecosystem restoration in Europe, China and Latin America and brought together cities, regions and local authorities, city network representatives, policy makers, researchers, civil society and experts on nature-based solutions and urban ecosystem restoration from Europe, China and Latin America.&nbsp

Agenda for the online webinar ‘Sustaining cities, Naturally: Urban ecosystem restoration in Europe, China and Latin America’, which took place as an official side-event of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2022 on 13th and 14th October 2023. The webinar was jointly organised by the projects: INTERLACE, CONEXUS, Regreen and CLEARING HOUSE. The webinar illustrated how Horizon 2020 projects support international cooperation in knowledge creation and knowledge exchange between local authorities and researchers to promote urban ecosystem restoration in Europe, China and Latin America and brought together cities, regions and local authorities, city network representatives, policy makers, researchers, civil society and experts on nature-based solutions and urban ecosystem restoration from Europe, China and Latin America.&nbsp

In this deliverable D2.3 in the REGREEN project, we provide an overview of costs for nature areas that can serve as NBS. We provide cost estimates for green and blue spaces in urban and peri‐urban areas. We also provide cost estimates for de‐pavement projects, street trees, green roofs and green walls. We show that these cost estimates can be applied in cost‐effectiveness analysis in three different examples. We furthermore discuss how the cost‐effectiveness analysis can be expanded to account for the potential multiple benefits provided by nature in urban and peri‐urban areas that are in line with the spatial planning policy objectives by local authorities. We argue that a stepwise ranking of policy objectives in a cost‐ effectiveness analysis is a viable approach that will enable policymakers to make an informed choice over competing solutions.

In this report, we provide an overview of costs for nature areas that can serve as NBS. We provide cost estimates for green and blue spaces in urban and peri‐urban areas. We also provide cost estimates for de‐pavement projects, street trees, green roofs and green walls. We show that these cost estimates can be applied in cost‐effectiveness analysis in three different examples. We furthermore discuss how the cost‐effectiveness analysis can be expanded to account for the potential multiple benefits provided by nature in urban and peri‐urban areas that are in line with the spatial planning policy objectives by local authorities. We argue that a stepwise ranking of policy objectives in a costeffectiveness analysis is a viable approach that will enable policymakers to make an informed choice over competing solutions.

Working with nature can help prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and biodiversity and ecosystem loss. Nature-based solutions offer ways to do this. Science and policy have begun to recognise their potential. The knowledge base is expanding rapidly, with gaps identified and plans to fill them. However, challenges for implementation remain at the local level, as demonstrated by the case studies in this report. Working with nature can help prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and biodiversity and ecosystem loss. Nature-based solutions offer ways to do this. Science and policy have begun to recognise their potential. The knowledge base is expanding rapidly, with gaps identified and plans to fill them. However, challenges for implementation remain at the local level, as demonstrated by the case studies in this report.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) play an important and increasing role in both adaptation and disaster risk management. This is also recognized within several global and European agreements and policies (e.g., UN’s SFDRR, EU Green Deal, the EU Adaptation Strategy) which embed NBS as a means to address climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) as well as other societal challenges (e.g., biodiversity loss, climate mitigation). This calls for fit-for-purpose assessments, which critically assess the suitability of NBS for addressing climate change and other hazard impacts and monitor the success of their implementation, to inform (future) policies and actions, as well as evaluate implemented policies. The technical paper provides a concise overview of available NBS assessment approaches in the context of adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction, based on information from literature and selected European cases. The first theoretical part looks at the reasoning behind and purpose of carrying out NBS assessments and the available methodological approaches matching decision-makers' needs. Here, we present a step-wise framework for designing user-oriented NBS assessments, building on key success factors and limitations identified in the literature. The second part looks at real-world lessons learned from successes and challenges in working with NBS assessments and illustrate a range of different NBS assessment approaches applied in Europe for a wide range of NBS assessment purposes and uses. The report concludes with a reflection on key elements for designing and implementing NBS assessments drawn from the insights gained in this study.

The present technical paper provides an overview of knowledge and practice for just resilience in Europe as a scoping exercise based on a rapid review of scientific literature on social impacts of adaptation and resilience, information from National Reference Centres, input from the Expert Group on Just Resilience, established for this analysis, information from regulatory reports on national adaptation progress and a screening of the Climate-ADAPT database. The context of the technical paper is European policy developments, notably the EU Green Deal and the revised EU Adaptation strategy, which stresses the importance of achieving resilience in a just and fair way in order for adaptation benefits to be shared equitably. For purposes of clarity, the technical paper uses the step-wise approach proposed by the EU Adaptation policy guidance framework – the Adaptation Support Tool - for exploring current knowledge and practice. The technical paper concludes with barriers and enabling conditions for just resilience, actionable recommendations for policy-makers, adaptation planners and practitioners and identifies a number of knowledge gaps and directions for future research.