Urban environments worldwide are increasingly turning to nature-based solutions (NBS) to confront mounting climate and environmental challenges. A newly published study highlights that embedding local communities in the design and implementation of these solutions fosters innovation, enriches project outcomes, and generates a broad spectrum of societal benefits. Employing qualitative research across three distinct European cities, this analysis sheds light on the mechanisms through which community involvement transforms urban green and blue spaces, ultimately advancing ecological restoration and climate adaptation.
At the core of the findings is the role of citizen participation in enhancing the design and functional quality of NBS. Residents engaged in co-creating urban greening initiatives contribute novel perspectives that elevate the biodiversity value and multifunctionality of public spaces. This participatory approach leads to improvements not only in environmental attributes but also in the social and health dimensions of urban life, including access to recreation and well-being benefits. By integrating local knowledge and preferences, NBS projects become more responsive and adaptive to community needs, fostering stronger stewardship of urban ecosystems.
The study underscores the critical importance of cross-sectoral policymaking in amplifying the positive outcomes of NBS. Policymakers who collaborate beyond departmental silos—encompassing urban planning, environmental management, public health, and social services—create a governance framework where nature restoration initiatives thrive. Importantly, alignment with established government policies and strategic plans reinforces the sustainability of NBS interventions, securing political and financial support necessary for long-term success.
Contrasting governance structures and urban complexities across cities emerged as significant factors influencing NBS effectiveness. Research conducted in Paris Region, Velika Gorica in Croatia, and Aarhus in Denmark revealed that larger and more complex urban centers face unique challenges and opportunities. For example, Paris witnessed grassroots-driven initiatives led by citizens and NGOs, often independent of immediate government involvement, indicating a fertile environment for bottom-up innovation. In contrast, Velika Gorica encountered pronounced barriers including limited funding and administrative hurdles, which constrained local actors from initiating their own NBS projects.
Climatic pressures, such as increased frequency of flooding and heatwaves, serve as potent catalysts for innovation in urban nature-based efforts. Across the case study cities, escalating awareness of these risks galvanized communities and governments alike to prioritize NBS as adaptive measures. Moreover, exposure to international precedents and media coverage influenced public and political attitudes, creating a conducive environment for experimentation and progressive policy adoption.
The study also reveals that while resident engagement and participatory processes inject creativity and enhance local relevance, such bottom-up dynamics may falter in contexts dominated by rigid top-down drivers like intensive housing development. These external pressures can undermine community agency, stifle innovation, and skew project goals away from ecological rejuvenation toward more immediate economic or infrastructural objectives. This tension highlights the necessity for balanced governance that harmonizes developmental priorities with ecological and social values.
Through detailed interviews and facilitated workshops, researchers documented how participatory co-design contributed to diverse forms of urban nature enhancement. Techniques ranged from the greening of underutilized schoolyards to the restoration of urban waterways. Such interventions not only improved environmental functions but also catalyzed social cohesion and civic pride. By enabling residents to actively shape their surroundings, these projects fostered a sense of ownership that is vital for ongoing maintenance and resilience against future climate impacts.
The interplay between governance scale and citizen empowerment emerged as a key theme. In smaller or less administratively layered cities, fewer bureaucratic obstacles and closer proximity of officials to communities allowed more fluid collaboration and innovation. Conversely, larger metropolitan regions often grapple with fragmented governance that dilutes citizen influence, necessitating deliberate institutional reforms to embed participatory governance into policy frameworks.
Integral to successful NBS implementation is political leadership that legitimizes and champions community involvement. The presence of committed local leaders aligned with government strategies proved instrumental in stimulating innovation and securing resource allocation. Their advocacy bridged the gap between formal institutions and grassroots movements, enabling the integration of diverse stakeholder perspectives into cohesive policy action.
This research, funded under the EU Horizon 2020 REGREEN project, marks a significant contribution to our understanding of how socio-political dynamics shape ecological interventions in urban contexts. The transnational comparative approach enriches insights by contextualizing findings within a broader European governance landscape, revealing patterns and divergences in NBS trajectories. Such knowledge is essential for replicating successful models and avoiding pitfalls in diverse urban settings worldwide.
By documenting both successes and challenges, the study offers nuanced lessons for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers committed to advancing sustainable urban development. It emphasizes that technical solutions alone are insufficient; rather, genuine innovation and sustainability arise from inclusive processes that mirror the complexity of urban ecosystems and societies. Embedding these principles amplifies the transformative potential of urban nature-based solutions in addressing climate resilience and environmental justice.
Dr. Carolyn Petersen and colleagues from the University of Exeter, alongside researchers from Aarhus University, collectively stress that fostering co-design and integrating NBS within governance architectures offer pathways toward more resilient, equitable, and biodiverse cities. Their findings affirm that citizen participation is not a peripheral task but a central pillar in operationalizing nature-based innovation to safeguard urban futures.
In sum, this research advocates for a paradigm where urban nature restoration and climate adaptation are co-produced with community partners and supported across governmental sectors. Such collaborative governance not only optimizes ecological benefits but also nurtures socially inclusive and empowering urban transformations. As climate and environmental challenges escalate, these insights illuminate robust strategies for mobilizing local knowledge, political will, and adaptive policy instruments towards sustainable cities.
Subject of Research: Evaluation of innovative policy for nature‑based solutions in urban climate and environmental challenges through multi-city European case studies.
Article Title: Evaluation of innovative policy for nature‑based solutions: analysis from three European city case studies
News Publication Date: 2-May-2025
Web References:
- REGREEN Project: https://www.regreen-project.eu/
- Article DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00083-1
References:
Petersen, C. J., Russel, D. J., Kirsop-Taylor, N., Jensen, A., & Branth Pedersen, A. (2025). Evaluation of innovative policy for nature‑based solutions: analysis from three European city case studies. Discover Cities. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00083-1
Keywords: Environmental economics, Environmental policy, Human geography, Economics, Political science, Social research, Social studies of science
