💧 UNALAB Project Summary: Co-creating Climate and Water Resilience with Nature
The UNALAB project (Urban Nature Labs) had the overarching goal of developing a robust evidence base and European framework for innovative, replicable, and locally attuned Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to enhance the climate and water resilience of cities. The project emphasized a socially engaged, citizen-driven paradigm and the use of Urban Living Labs (ULLs) to co-create, implement, and test NBS.
🎯 Core Objectives and Approach
UNaLab sought to reinvent the role of local government by focusing on co-creation, scenario thinking, and collaborative action to achieve multiple social, environmental, and economic co-benefits.
Core Objectives
- Foster Urban Innovation Ecosystems: Establish ULLs where stakeholders co-create and optimize NBS.
- Develop Evidence Base: Create a robust evidence base and European framework for replicable NBS.
- Develop Open Data Platforms: Demonstrate the capability of city-level open data platforms to accelerate NBS co-creation and implementation.
- Transfer Knowledge: Successfully transfer NBS innovations and support the development of NBS roadmaps in follower cities.
Implementation Strategy
- Demonstration ULLs: Partner cities Eindhoven, Genova, and Tampere engaged in systematic co-creation to implement 17 integrated NBS actions, demonstrating their benefits and viability within a living lab framework.
- Replication Focus: Five partner cities (Başakşehir, Cannes, Castellón, Prague, and Stavanger) and two international cities (Buenos Aires and Hong Kong) developed green, sustainable future visions, with the aim of replication.
💡 Key Results and Innovation
UNaLab made significant contributions to the state-of-the-art by developing a comprehensive suite of frameworks, handbooks, and digital tools tailored for NBS adoption:
1. Fostering Innovation Ecosystems (Objective 1)
- ULL Framework: Developed the ULL framework and an Urban Living Lab Handbook.
- Co-creation Tools: Created an Urban Living Lab Online Toolkit featuring a wide range of co-creation tools and methods.
- Barriers Analysis: Conducted an in-depth analysis of barriers hindering NBS implementation.
2. Developing the Evidence Base (Objective 2)
- Impact Analysis: Created the NBS impact analysis framework and NBS Technical Handbook.
- Economic Tools: Developed an NBS value chain analysis and value model, and detailed NBS business models and financing strategies.
- Monitoring: Established NBS performance and impact monitoring protocols.
3. Open Data Platforms and Digital Tools (Objective 3)
- ICT Architecture: Defined the UNaLab ICT framework architecture.
- Decision Support: Developed the Systemic Decision Support Tool and NBS impact simulator for analyzing trade-offs.
- Online Tools: Created the Online Nature Innovation Arena, City Performance Monitor, and the online Nature Recommender tool.
4. Knowledge Transfer and Replication (Objective 4)
- Replication Framework: The UNaLab Replication Framework online content management system captures all project outputs and learnings.
- Support System: Launched the UNaLab Buddy System and webinar series to facilitate knowledge transfer.
- Guidance Documents: Produced the NBS Implementation Handbook, including lessons learned, and an Urban Living Lab Roadmapping toolkit.
🚀 Impact and Legacy
UNaLab’s systematic approach strongly supports the mainstreaming of NBS by addressing the practical and digital needs of city officials:
- Multi-Project Leadership: UNaLab took a leading role in European NBS Taskforces, leading TF1 on Data Management and co-leading TF2 on Integrated Assessment Frameworks, significantly contributing to wider EU guidance and handbooks on NBS impact evaluation.
- Tangible Outcomes: The 17 co-created NBS actions in the demonstration cities are published as case studies on the Oppla platform, providing real-world examples for replication.
- Widespread Dissemination: Project outcomes were disseminated at 141 events in 27 countries and resulted in 43 peer-reviewed publications, validating the project’s scientific and practical contributions.
