Events

Webinar

Scaling & Optimising Nature-Based Solutions for Resilient Cities

27 September 2021, 10:00 - 11:30

In this webinar, jointly convened by PEER, ICLEI and EURAQUA, concepts for a tool that quantifies the demand and potential for NBS to enhance ecosystem service (ES) provision and linking ESs to readily quantifiable and legislatively relevant environmental quality indicators, will be presented alongside practical NBS experiences from selected European cities and innovation projects. Additionally, a brief overview of upcoming NBS topics in the 2022 Work Programme of Horizon Europe will be presented.

What is it about?
The objective of the tool application is to identify optimal NBS placement across a diverse set of socio-environmental indicators, whilst also incorporating issues related to the location of implementation areas and benefit accrual.

A brief overview of relevant NBS topics in the 2022 Work program of Horizon Europe will be presented before the webinar is concluded with a discussion.

Context: Nature-based solutions to societal challenges can be defined as living solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social, and economic benefits, benefit biodiversity, support the delivery of a range of ecosystem services, and help build resilience and adapt to climate change. Their deployment in European cities develops quickly despite the lack of a full understanding of all the pros and cons of these solutions, in contrast to the grey, engineering-based ones. Supported by both city and EU funds, many innovation projects are being carried out to test out different NBS concepts, often driven by climate adaption, but with strong expectations upon multi-functionality.  A need for multi-functional assessment tools evaluating trade-offs and co-benefits for various types of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) has been increasingly identified in recent years.

Speakers

  • Michael Hutchins, UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH)
  • Daniela Rizzi, ICLEI Europe
  • Christina Pantazi, DG Research, Technology and Development (RTD)

Target audience
Experts, scientists, innovators, and practitioners in the PEER – ICLEI – EURAQUA networks and collaborators.

Registration
Pre-registration is required. The event is free of charge. Register here.

Conveners
The webinar is convened by three major European networks: Partnership for European Environmental Research - PEER, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (Europe), and EurAqua – the European Network of Freshwater Research Organisations – in collaboration with the projects Connecting Nature and DeSCIPHER.