The central concept developed by NAIAD is the “natural assurance scheme” (NAS), which incorporates the risk reduction and prevention value of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) into insurance and investment schemes.

🎯 Main Objectives (Conceptual Frame)

NAIAD’s approach was structured around three pillars:

1. Building Resilience: To foster a resilience approach to risk management using Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).
2. Operationalization: To operationalize and test methods for valuing NBS in nine demonstration (DEMO) sites across Europe.
3. Uptake Facilitation: To facilitate the uptake of cost-effective NBS that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits.

🗓️ Main Results and Work Performed (2018-06-01 to 2020-08-31)

1. Assessment and Evidence Generation

• Biophysical Assessment: Completed at the nine DEMO sites to provide evidence of the role of NBS in managing water risks and to characterize the biophysical hazards present.
• Ecosystem Services Assessment: Assessed the ecosystem services delivered using various tools and risk modeling approaches

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• Socio-economic Assessment: Developed a standardized method for economic, life cycle, damage costs, and co-benefits assessments. Principles for evaluating the cost of NBS implementation were presented.

2. Stakeholder Engagement and Tools

• Risk Perception: Developed a framework to assess the risk perception and risk management behavior of different actors, exploring the underlying social drivers and testing crowdsourcing systems to involve local stakeholders (e.g., Ambiguity analysis, trade-off assessment).
• Knowledge Integration: Developed tools to enhance decision-making and policy-planning by integrating scientific and societal knowledge, including a multi-criteria decision-making toolkit, participatory modeling, and an integrative modeling approach.

3. Business and Policy Uptake

• Business Models: Developed innovative business models to successfully deliver value from NBS.
• Financial Instruments: Developed methods to understand the different funding and finance options necessary for the operationalization of NAS.

📈 Progress Beyond the State of the Art and Impact

NAIAD provided new insights and evidence, moving beyond the traditional view of risk management:

• Positive Assurance Value: NAIAD demonstrated that NBS are an important part of the risk reduction portfolio, increasing system resilience and providing co-benefits. The evidence shows that NAS can better prepare and avoid potential costs from water risks.
• NBS as a Component, Not a “Silver Bullet”: The project highlighted that while effective, NBS are not always the sole solution, and the best option may sometimes be a combination of NBS with traditional (grey) solutions.
• Specific Effectiveness: Simulations indicated that NBS are particularly well-suited to frequent events rather than the most extreme ones, and display their highest assurance value at the prevention stage against water risks.
• Policy Mobilization: The ability to evaluate NBS and NAS will facilitate their incorporation into River Basin Management and risk planning, helping to mobilize resources for financing by shifting the focus toward prevention in the adaptive management cycle.
• Addressing Barriers: The project identified that the different risk perceptions and ambiguity among stakeholders are critical barriers, but also latent opportunities for collective action and uptake of NBS.

NAIAD’s Six-Step NAS Cookbook

The project produced a transferable methodology for others to follow:

1. UNDERSTAND the underlying conceptual frame of natural assurance.
2. CHOOSE the NAS tools, methods, and co-design processes that suit specific needs.
3. TEST their applications in a demonstration site.
4. DEVELOP the business models and financing schemes necessary for adoption.
5. IMPLEMENT the NAS, ensuring MONITORING and EVALUATION of avoided damages and co-benefits.
6. SHARE the experience for transferability across Europe and beyond.

🎯 Overall Objective and Context

The primary goal of EU4IPBES is to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services to support conservation, sustainable use, long-term human well-being, and sustainable development.

The IPBES rolling work programme (up to 2030) is entirely demand-driven, based on requests from multilateral environmental agreements and governments. It is expected to inform global policy efforts, including the implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity, and the Paris Agreement related to climate-biodiversity links.

The work programme aims to advance the four core functions of IPBES:

1. Identify and prioritize key scientific information (catalyzing new knowledge).
2. Perform regular and timely assessments of knowledge.
3. Support policy formulation by identifying tools and methodologies.
4. Prioritize and provide support for capacity-building needs.

🗓️ Main Results (May 2022 – April 2023)

During this reporting period, progress was made in implementing all six objectives of the IPBES work programme, with several major assessments finalized and task force work progressing.

1. Assessment Progress (Objective 1)

Two key assessments were finalized in July 2022:

• Values Assessment: A methodological assessment regarding the diverse conceptualization of multiple values of nature and its benefits.
• Wild Species Assessment: A thematic assessment of the sustainable use of wild species.

Additionally, work progressed on four other major assessments:

• Thematic assessment of invasive alien species.
• Thematic assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food, and health (Nexus Assessment).
• Thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and options for achieving the 2050 Vision (Transformative Change Assessment).
• Methodological Assessment of the Impact and Dependence of Business on Biodiversity and Nature’s Contributions to People.

2. Task Force Implementation

Work progressed under five dedicated task forces to implement objectives 2, 3, and 4 of the work programme:

• Task force on capacity-building.
• Task force on knowledge and data.
• Task force on indigenous and local knowledge systems.
• Task force on policy support.
• Task force on scenarios and models.

3. Communication and Engagement

Continued implementation of the IPBES communications and stakeholder engagement strategies (Objective 5) was maintained.

📈 Expected Impact

The work programme is structured to achieve six strategic objectives by 2030, reinforcing the foundation for a sustainable future by integrating scientific knowledge into global policy:

1. Assessing knowledge: Deliver the state of knowledge on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people.
2. Building capacity: Improve the skills and institutional strength for a robust science-policy interface.
3. Strengthening the knowledge foundations: Promote the generation and management of essential data.
4. Supporting policy: Promote the development and use of relevant policy instruments and tools.
5. Communicating and engaging: Increase the visibility and use of IPBES products among members and stakeholders.
6. Improving the effectiveness of the Platform: Ensure regular review of IPBES’s operational efficiency.

The OPERANDUM project (OPEn-air laboRAtories for Nature baseD solUtions to Manage hydro-meteo risks) addressed the critical need to mitigate the impact of severe hydro-meteorological phenomena (like floods, droughts, and landslides) through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).

🎯 Core Objectives

The project’s primary goal was to reduce hydro-meteorological risks in European territories by co-designing, deploying, and demonstrating innovative green, blue, grey, and hybrid NBS. It aimed to provide science-based evidence for the usability of NBS, establish frameworks for strengthening NBS-based policies, and push for business exploitation and market development.

💡 Main Results and Innovations

1. Open-Air Laboratories (OALs)

• Concept: OPERANDUM established Open-Air Laboratories (OALs), expanding the Living Lab concept to natural and rural areas to test NBS effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
• Implementation: Novel NBS were implemented in seven European countries and three international locations (China and Australia) to address specific risks.
• Specific NBS: Over 20 types of NBS were co-designed and developed against major hazards like river/coastal flooding, droughts, landslides, and coastal erosion. Notable innovations included a patented vegetated dune with sensor-embedded textiles for structural monitoring.

2. GeoIKP Platform

• A major outcome was the OPERANDUM Geospatial Information Knowledge Platform (GeoIKP) (available at www.geoikp.operandum-project.eu). This multi-dimensional, open platform enables stakeholders to improve knowledge on NBS, mitigate climate change, and exploit business opportunities.

3. Scientific Advancement

• Risk Assessment: Conducted unprecedented detailed syntheses of hydro-meteorological forcing of hazards in each OAL using re-analysis (ERA-5) and satellite data.
• Modelling: Achieved crucial advancements in multi-scale impact modelling, fostering original assessments of NBS efficacy that account for non-stationary climate conditions.

🚀 Impact and Legacy

OPERANDUM successfully advanced the state-of-the-art by:

• Policy & Society: Identifying and addressing social and political barriers to NBS uptake, with key findings published in top-ranked journals.
• Global Reach: The project was presented as a UNESCO NBS flagship project at several international events and contributed to the Global Assessment Report for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022 via the GeoIKP.
• Knowledge Transfer: Facilitated through public webinars organized by UNESCO and the widespread dissemination of results via the GeoIKP platform.

💧 Project Context and Objectives

The project addressed the dual challenge of severe water scarcity and poor groundwater quality (over 60% too saline) in India, where conventional desalination and recycling are often prohibitively expensive and energy-intensive.

The overall objectives were to:

1. Develop and demonstrate low-cost water treatment systems for saline groundwater and domestic/industrial wastewaters.
2. Use emerging membrane technologies (Batch Reverse Osmosis – BRO and Forward Osmosis – FO) combined with natural biological processes (phyto-treatment) to raise energy efficiency and reduce costs.
3. Conserve groundwater and utilize waste brine streams for economic benefit.

🛠️ Key Results and Work Performed (2022-02-01 to 2024-07-31)

1. Technology Deployment and Performance

• Operational Sites: Integrated BRO/FO technology is operational at two sites in Gujarat: Lodhva village (producing around 800 litres of clean water per hour) and the Centre of Excellence in Water Treatment and Management at PDEU (which was officially opened in 2022).
• Energy Efficiency: Achieved high recovery ratios of 70–75% and a low specific energy consumption (SEC) of 0.37 kWh/m³. The Lodhva system can produce safe drinking water using only solar power .

2. Sustainable Brine and Wastewater Management

• Phyto-treatment: Developed and designed plant-based treatment solutions for domestic wastewater, with a larger-scale system constructed for integration with the FO/BRO system at PDEU .
• Brine Utilization (Halophytes): Successfully demonstrated the use of brine reject from the BRO system for irrigating halophytic crops (Salicornia and Sarcocornia). Plantations were established and harvested at the Lodhva site, turning a waste product into a potential commercial crop.

3. Industrial Water Recycling

• Integrated Solutions: Developed and validated integrated solutions utilizing FO, BRO, and nanofiltration for effluents from the dairy, textile, and tannery industries.
• Recycling Levels: These solutions enable high industrial water recycling levels of 60–80% with minimum liquid discharge.

4. Commercialization and Governance

• Spin-out Company: The University of Birmingham licensed the hybrid BRO technology to Salinity Solutions, a spin-out company that has raised over EUR 1.4 million.
• Commercial Exploitation: Indian Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI) is commercializing project-developed sensor and monitoring technologies. Aquaporin (FO membrane developer) was listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen.
• Policy: A policy brief on sustainable and equitable groundwater management was produced for India policymakers.

🚀 Progress Beyond State of the Art and Impact

The project made significant strides beyond conventional water treatment by focusing on cost reduction and sustainability:

• Cost and Accessibility: The combined BRO/FO technologies drastically reduced energy consumption, enabling efficient operation on renewable energy. The system costs less than 30 rupees per cubic metre (~EUR 0.35), offering a real lifeline to communities.
• FO Draw Solutions: Provided detailed new knowledge on Forward Osmosis draw solutions, enabling the deployment of FO in industrial applications where it was previously restricted.
• Integrated Knowledge: Developed new understanding of sustainable water management in rural and semi-urban settings by integrating membrane and phyto-technologies powered by renewables.
• Circular Economy: The novel approach of using brine discharge to grow commercial halophytic crops represents a significant breakthrough in knowledge for India, effectively eliminating harmful brine discharges while creating economic opportunities.

The OpenNESS project’s overall objective was to translate the concepts of ecosystem services (ES) and natural capital (NC) into operational frameworks that provide tested, practical, and tailored solutions for informing sustainable land, water, and urban management at various scales.

🔬 Conceptual and Methodological Advances

OpenNESS focused on advancing the science of ES to a mature phase, ensuring concepts could be rigorously applied by practitioners.

Key Conceptual Tools

• Glossary and Reference Book: Created a comprehensive Glossary of over 200 terms and an Ecosystem Service Reference Book (compiling 27 Synthesis Papers) to promote common understanding and consistent terminology.
• Cascade Model: Promoted the application and customization of the Ecosystem Service Cascade Model

as a framework to link society and nature, acting as a common reference point and a tool for “awareness-raising” with non-specialist stakeholders.

• OpenNESS Conceptual Nexus (ONEX): Developed ONEX as a digital “working environment” (utilizing social media tools like TRELLO) to support deliberative processes among stakeholders and help structure decision-making around the four key societal challenges: human well-being, sustainable ecosystem management, governance, and competitiveness.

Assessment Methods and Guidance

• The project tested 43 biophysical, socio-cultural, and monetary methods across its case studies.
• Results led to the development of an integrative ecosystem service assessment framework and a set of decision trees and a Bayesian Belief Network to guide users in selecting methods that are “fit for purpose”.
• A classification translator tool was created (using HUGIN) to help users cross-reference different ES classifications (MA, TEEB, UKNEA, CICES) rigorously.

🗺️ Operationalization in Case Studies

The OpenNESS approach was highly empirical, basing its work on real-world application and refinement.

• Place-Based Application: The concepts and methods were applied in 27 real-life case studies covering different social-ecological systems in 23 European and 4 non-European countries.
• Stakeholder Involvement: The key finding from these applications is that ES knowledge is most effective and operational when decision-makers, practitioners, and key stakeholders are closely involved (a participatory action research approach) to ensure the information is relevant, reliable, and actionable.

🏛️ Policy Impact and Dissemination

• Policy Analysis: Analysis of key EU regulatory frameworks found that the ES concept is not yet mainstreamed across all policy sectors, being largely confined to biodiversity, forestry, and agricultural policies. Policy messages were summarized in briefs on various sectors.
• Scenarios and IPBES: Developed four EU level scenario storylines to assess future impacts on ES. These OpenNESS scenarios have since been used in the IPBES regional assessment for Europe and Central Asia.
• Knowledge Platform: All project results, guidelines, and conceptual tools are synthesized into Oppla (www.oppla.eu), a joint knowledge platform established with the OPERAs project, ensuring the project’s long-term accessibility and perennity.
• Outreach: The project produced 99 scientific articles and engaged in over 200 local outreach events.

Urban MAESTRO was a Coordination and Support Action that aimed to identify, document, analyze, and encourage innovative strategies for the governance of urban design. The core focus was to look beyond sophisticated, formal regulatory frameworks (‘hard-power’)—which often lead to disappointing urban quality—and explore the contribution of alternative, non-regulatory (‘soft-power’) approaches.

🎯 Overall Objectives and Core Focus

The project was driven by the observation that while existing laws prevent the worst development, they often fail to ensure high-quality, sustainable, and livable places.

• Soft-Power Governance: Urban MAESTRO emphasized strategies where public authorities act as enablers, brokers, or inspirational leaders rather than just regulators or direct investors.
• Tool Synergy: The project focused on the synergy between formal tools (like zoning) and informal tools (like architectural competitions, peer review, temporary interventions, and non-mandatory guidance).
• Financial Mechanisms: A particular focus was placed on the relationship between informal tools and financial mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of both approaches in achieving better design and social objectives.

💡 Main Results and Key Outputs

Over the project’s lifespan, the team conducted a Europe-wide survey, developed detailed case studies, and engaged with stakeholders through workshops and a Policy Dialogue.

Key Deliverables and Outputs

1. Typology of Urban Design Governance Tools: Conceptualizing a new framework to categorize and relate different formal and informal practices.
2. Case Studies: Collected data on over 95 governance practices and elaborated 37 detailed case studies focusing on innovative approaches.
3. Policy Recommendations: Summarized key findings into a set of practical recommendations for public authorities, disseminated through an online publication.

🚀 Progress Beyond State-of-the-Art and Impact

Urban MAESTRO’s primary innovation was the unique, pan-European focus on the full gamut of informal urban design governance tools, moving the debate beyond traditional regulation.

Contribution Beyond the State-of-the-Art

• New Policy Agenda: Successfully placed informal urban design governance on the policy agenda in Europe.
• Common Language: Established a typology of tools and formulated a new common language for discussing urban design governance practices.
• Value Connection: Demonstrated the link between urban design governance tools and instruments of development finance, showing how this synergy can enhance place value.
• Guiding Principles: Identified six overarching principles for effective urban design governance practice.

The project aims to provide a boost for less advanced practices globally, ultimately leading to a widespread improvement in the quality, sustainability, and liveability of the built environment.

The SUST-BLACK project (Sustainable development at the Black Sea) was a targeted effort to create a common, basin-wide strategy to ensure a healthy, productive, and resilient Black Sea. This was crucial because, despite recovery efforts following a major ecological crisis in the late 1980s–1990s, the sea faced a high risk of regression due to uncontrolled development, old practices, and the supplementary pressure of climate change.

🎯 Overall Objectives and Context

The project’s central goal was to finalise and launch the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for the Black Sea (SRIA).

• Context: The Black Sea is the world’s largest land-locked sea, unique for its anoxic layer below 200 meters. Its importance is both ecological and geopolitical, bordering the EU and sitting at the boundary between Europe and Asia.
• Need: Following earlier stakeholder meetings and the Burgas Vision Paper (2018), there was an urgent need for a coordinated, basin-wide Strategic Agenda to manage the sea’s problems.
• Key Event: The project was built around the “Conference for Sustainable Development at the Black Sea” held during the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council (May 2019) to effectively present the SRIA.

💡 Main Results and Endorsement

The main objectives were fully fulfilled, culminating in the successful launch and high-level endorsement of the SRIA.

1. Finalisation and Launch of the SRIA

• The project team prepared and finalised the SRIA and the resulting Conference document, the Bucharest Declaration.
• The SUST-BLACK Conference took place on May 8-9, 2019, in Bucharest, involving significant personalities in marine sciences and stakeholders from various European programs.

2. Political and International Endorsement

The SRIA quickly achieved high-level political backing:

• EU Council: The SRIA was presented to and endorsed by the EU ministers of research at the COMPET Council meeting in Bucharest (April 4, 2019).
• Black Sea Governments: The SRIA was integrally included in the wider Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea and subsequently endorsed by the ministers of the six riparian countries and the Republic of Moldova (along with the EC and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation) at the Ministerial Meeting on May 21, 2019.
• International Dissemination: The SRIA was also presented at major European and international events, such as the EUROCEAN Conference in Paris (June 2019).

🚀 Progress Beyond State-of-the-Art

The most significant achievement of SUST-BLACK was the creation and official existence of the SRIA itself.

• First Basin-Wide Strategy: The SRIA represents the first-ever basin-wide strategy aimed at the profound understanding of the Black Sea ecosystems and processes to support the sustainable development and implementation of Blue Growth in the region.
• Policy Integration: Romania began sustained efforts to introduce the SRIA into its national strategy for research and innovation for 2021–2027 and in other key national documents (e.g., water management, Marine Spatial Planning).
• Expanded Cooperation: The project opened up basin-wide cooperation with other initiatives supporting Blue Growth in other European seas.

The European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA) was the first major international research effort dedicated to understanding the biological, ecological, biogeochemical, and societal implications of ocean acidification (OA). OA is caused by the ocean absorbing massive amounts of human-made carbon dioxide, leading to a reduction in pH and carbonate ion concentration.

🎯 Overall Objectives and Research Themes

Launched in May 2008, EPOCA involved over 160 scientists from 32 institutions in 10 European countries. Its overall goal was to fill critical knowledge gaps and predict the future impact of OA on marine life and the Earth system.

The research was structured around four core themes:

Theme 1: Changes in Ocean Chemistry and Biogeography

• Objective: Document past and present spatial and temporal fluctuations in ocean carbonate chemistry and the distribution of marine species.
• Methods: Used paleo-reconstruction (e.g., on deep-sea corals and foraminifera) to assess past variability and continuous sampling at time-series stations (e.g., in the Arctic) for present-day observations.

Theme 2: Biological Responses

• Objective: Quantify the impact of OA on marine organisms and ecosystems, including the potential for acclimation and adaptation.
• Methods: Conducted extensive laboratory and field perturbation experiments (mesocosms and natural $\text{CO}_2$ venting sites) on key organisms across various taxonomic groups (e.g., calcifiers, plankton).

Theme 3: Biogeochemical Impacts and Feedbacks

• Objective: Integrate chemical and biological findings into models to project how OA will alter ocean biogeochemistry over the next 200 years and how these changes will feedback on climate.
• Methods: Used Earth System Models (ESMs), forced global/regional ocean models, and a sediment model to investigate impacts on the carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and iron cycles.

Theme 4: Synthesis, Dissemination, and Outreach

• Objective: Synthesize results from the other themes, assess uncertainties, risks, and critical thresholds (‘tipping points’), and communicate these findings to policymakers and the public.
• Method: Formed the EPOCA Reference User Group (RUG) to ensure scientific accuracy and effective dissemination through policy guides, media, and educational materials.

💡 Major Scientific Results

EPOCA generated over 200 publications and significantly advanced the understanding of ocean acidification.

Key Findings by Theme

Legacy and Outreach

• Data Archiving: Maintained two critical databases: one for EPOCA’s observational/experimental data and another—the EPOCA/EUR-OCEANS data compilation—archiving all published data on biological responses to OA, ensuring long-term accessibility.
• Standards and Best Practices: Led the community-reviewed ‘Guide to best practices in ocean acidification research and data reporting,’ which has been widely distributed to standardize research protocols.
• Policy Impact: Played a significant role in raising global awareness, contributing to major policy activities (e.g., IPCC AR5) and producing multilingual guides for policymakers.
• Educational Content: Produced award-winning outreach materials, including the animation ‘The other CO2 problem and the movie ‘Tipping point’.

The PHUSICOS project (‘According to nature’) aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and nature-inspired solutions for reducing the impact of extreme weather events and natural hazards in vulnerable rural mountain landscapes.

🎯 Overall Objectives and Approach

The main objective was to mainstream NBS into Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) practices in mountainous regions, which are often overlooked in national DRR plans despite their high exposure to hydro-meteorological and geological hazards.

Core Approach

• Demonstration: Implement and monitor NBS interventions at large-scale demonstrator case sites.
• Engagement: Utilize a Living Labs approach to foster co-creation and cooperation among diverse stakeholders.
• Evidence: Develop a robust framework and collect long-term monitoring data to prove the performance and co-benefits of NBS in risk reduction.

Case Sites and Interventions

• Large-scale Demonstrators: Serchio River Basin (Italy), French and Spanish Pyrenees, and Gudbrandsdalen valley (Norway).
• Concept Cases: Kaunertal (Austria) and Isar River (Germany).
• Total Actions: 15 NBS interventions were implemented, including 11 physical measures and 4 educational/Living Lab activities, addressing hazards like flooding, debris flows, erosion, rockfall, and snow avalanches.

💡 Main Results and Key Achievements

PHUSICOS successfully bridged the knowledge gap on the effectiveness of NBS in mitigating hydro-meteorological hazards in mountain environments.

1. Implementation of Hybrid Solutions

• Physical Measures: Interventions included creating buffer strips, establishing purification/sedimentation basins, modifying canal cross-sections, afforestation, using dry masonry walls and timber gabions for terracing, and installing stone/wooden structures to secure rocks.
  • The project emphasized hybrid solutions, combining vegetation with revitalized traditional building techniques.
• Learning Tools: Developed a PHUSICOS-VR simulation and virtual reality game as an innovative learning tool for stakeholders.
• Knowledge Hub: The PHUSICOS platform hosts 176 NBS entries, serving as a searchable library of resources.

2. Frameworks and Governance

• Assessment Framework: Developed the ‘Comprehensive Framework for NBS Assessment’ to evaluate and verify NBS performance, supporting decision-making and incorporating modeling of different climatic scenarios.
• Living Labs Success: Stakeholders viewed the Living Labs as a highly useful tool for engaging a broad range of actors and generating NBS knowledge.
• Inclusivity Analysis: Identified the lack of fairness in stakeholder engagement and benefit distribution as a major obstacle to successful NBS implementation, emphasizing the crucial role of co-design and co-creation.

🚀 Progress Beyond State-of-the-Art and Policy Impact

PHUSICOS generated specific recommendations intended for transfer into European policy, focusing on funding and regulation.

• Policy Recommendations:
  • Climate & DRR Integration: Advocated for leveraging the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change to promote NBS for adaptation and integrate them into the EU policy sector of Disaster Risk Reduction.
  • Investment & Finance: Recommended extending the scope of the EU Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive to enforce compulsory EIAs, and extending the EU Taxonomy to classify and discourage nature-negative investing.
  • Sectoral Integration: Highlighted the Farm to Fork strategy as a relevant mechanism to encourage farmers in areas like the Serchio River Basin to maximize the potential of NBS.
• Legacy: The project’s post-PHUSICOS plans include long-term monitoring to continuously collect data, validate modeling outcomes, and build the evidence base needed to bolster stakeholders’ confidence and mainstream NBS.

The proGIreg project (productive Green Infrastructure for post-industrial urban regeneration) focused on using Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to transform post-industrial urban areas plagued by social, economic, and environmental disadvantages.

🎯 Project Context and Objectives

The primary goal was to create Living Labs (LLs) in cities lacking quality green spaces to improve human health, well-being, and climate resilience. Innovations occurred on three levels:

• Technical: Deployment of specific NBS (e.g., aquaponics, soil regeneration).
• Social: Co-design and co-implementation involving state, market, and civil society.
• Economic: Development of new business models (BMs) for NBS.

🏙️ Participating Cities

The project structure relied on “Front-runner” cities implementing solutions and “Follower” cities testing replicability.

💡 Key Results and Implementation

Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project successfully moved from methodology establishment to full implementation by Period 3.

1. NBS Implementation and Types

All planned NBS were implemented and documented via fact sheets and the OPPLA platform. Examples of tested solutions include:

• Regenerating soils with biotic compounds.
• Urban agriculture and community-based aquaponics.
• Green corridors and therapeutic gardens.
• Green walls (indoor and outdoor) and pollinator-friendly vegetation.

2. Benefit Assessment

The project defined ten assessment tools across four domains: socio-cultural inclusiveness, human health, ecological restoration, and economic benefits.

1.

This framework aligns with the project’s goal to measure how biophysical structures (NBS) flow into benefits for human well-being and the economy.

3. Business Models and Governance

• New Tools: Created a specific NBS business model canvas and an interactive Business Model Catalogue (iBMC).
• Analysis: Using the Pestoff-triangle, the project analyzed the “third sector” (collaborations between state, market, and civil society) as a decisive actor in creating urban NBS.

4. Education and Outreach

• MOOC: A course titled “Nature-based urban regeneration” was distributed via edX, reaching learners in over 100 countries.
• Community of Practice: Established through internal and external replication events in all Front-runner cities.

🚀 Strategic Impact and Policy Alignment

The project achieved progress beyond the state of the art by translating co-design experiences into concrete guidelines and roadmaps.

• EU Policy Contribution:
  • Climate Adaptation: Reduced heat island effects and heat stress through greening buildings.
  • Climate Mitigation: Demonstrated NBS as urban carbon sinks (COP Agreements).
  • Farm to Fork: Created opportunities for urban food production via community gardens and aquaponics.
  • Biodiversity Strategy: Involved citizens in creating habitats for pollinators.
• Market & Ownership:
  • Shifted the understanding of Green Infrastructure to an urban common resource.
  • Provided open-source knowledge (monitoring guidelines, iBMC) to enable SMEs, NGOs, and cities to enter the NBS market.