Abstract
Nowadays many cities around the world are affected by climate change consequences that require them to adopt resilient risk mitigation solutions. ‘Nature-based solutions (NBS)’ can be an effective measure to help resolve climate adaptation and develop resilient and livable cities. However, various types of barriers limit the adoption and implementation of these solutions. This paper, developed within the framework of the Nature4Cities (N4C) Horizon 2020 project, aims at identifying a strategy that can help municipalities with NBS implementation, analyzing the main barriers and opportunities for their exploitation of these innovative green solutions. Through four case studies, a methodology was developed and presented herein which can support municipalities to implement NBS in new urban developments, consisting of the organization of training activities to support stakeholders throughout NBS implementation. An overview will be provided on barriers to NBS effectiveness and stakeholders involved, as well as insights on (and understanding of) the main solutions and tools developed within the N4C Project. The results demonstrate that the complexity of the issue and knowledge-related barriers are the most dominant limitations to consider when cities plan the adoption of NBS. This highlights why an investment in training and educational programs is suggested, which could potentially result in an increase in municipal, regional, and national awareness about the benefits of NBS and encourage their uptake.
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Notes
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Connecting Nature: https://connectingnature.eu/
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Grow Green: http://growgreenproject.eu/
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URBAN GreenUP: https://www.urbangreenup.eu/
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NATURVATION: https://naturvation.eu/
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UNALAB: https://unalab.eu/en
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Nature4Cities: https://www.nature4cities.eu/
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Think Nature: https://www.think-nature.eu/
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NAIAD: http://naiad2020.eu/
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Acknowledgements
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 730468. The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily represent the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EASME nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
This chapter was presented in Greening Cities shaping Cities Symposium, October 2020.
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Peluchetti, A., Elagiry, M., Perfido, D., Cortese, M., Costa, A. (2022). Nature4Cities. Tools for Implementation of Nature-Based Solutions in City Context: The Case Study of Milan. In: Mahmoud, I.H., Morello, E., Lemes de Oliveira, F., Geneletti, D. (eds) Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Urban Planning. Contemporary Urban Design Thinking. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89525-9_6
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