Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature

On 'De Roma', an old cinema that has been renovated into a theatre, a green roof of 650m2 was created which improves biodiversity and contributes to Antwerp's climate change adaptation (Ref. 1, 4). A bee house was also later installed on the roof (Ref. 2). The green roof is created by volunteers of De Roma and Kopspel, which is an organization that provides learning-working places for student of 'Deeltijds beroepssecundair onderwijs (Part-time Secondary Professional Education) and temporary employment for people that want to turn back to the labour market (Ref. 1).

Pegnitztal West is a new corridor and recreation zone along a section of the Pegnitz river in Nurnberg suitable for all kinds of social groups and intended for recreational activities (1). The project instrumentalizes green and blue infrastructure for creating conditions for sport, leisure, and recreation, as well as serving a transitional function for the dwellers of the neighboring Gostenhof and St. Johannis districts (1). The green corridor also provides a protected urban habitat for various species, including more than 8 different tree species, water bats, green woodpeckers and swamp warblers. The project also stabilized the water level of the river and helps flood protection efforts. (2, 7)

Thanks to an initiative by the citizens of Sofia, called Green Rails in Sofia, grass was planted by the Municipality on a an area of newly reconstructed tram line in Sofia. The cited benefits were heat reduction, noise reduction, aesthetics, natural water retention and drainage, and lower costs of maintenance in the long term compared to grey alternatives. The grassroots initiative “Green Rails in Sofia” are determined to keep putting pressure on the local authority to continue planting grass on other parts of the tram lines. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2; Ref. 3)

The Sea Heroes Garden is a community garden that was initiated by citizens on an empty lot with the goal to create a garden in which children can play, fruit and vegetables are grown organically and social activities are organized.(1) In the garden, multiple measures allow for storm water retention and the vegetation provides habitat for a broad variety of species. (5).

The aim of ReWaM was to show ways how different forms of use of water bodies can be reconciled with their protection in order to sustainably maintain the diversity and efficiency of the different water ecosystems. This applies to both rural, suburban and urban regions (ref. 8). Increased sealing of urban surfaces and combined sewer systems for rain- and wastewater pose major challenges for urban water management. Therefore, the university of applied sciences and the city of Münster participated in a research project as one of three pilot cities running from 2015 to 2018 concerning improved rainwater management and the development of respective planning instruments. Several green roofs at the university campus were used as test spaces to explore and monitor rainwater infiltration efficiency and feasible green roof compositions. Also, different permeable surface coatings were tested at the urban depot (Ref. 1 and 4).

The association Legambiente Catania has presented a project to protect and enhance the biodiversity of the Cibali forest, a natural reserve in Catania close to the volcano Etna. The area has been subjected to strong anthropogenic pressures in the last decades, and the area is home of several species of flora and fauna. The main aim of this intervention Is to protect endangered species and to preserve the services the forest provides in terms of air quality regulation and heat mitigation. In addition, the entire zone is a cultural heritage for the whole island (Ref.1.)

Slachthuisplein in the Hague, a large public grey square was transformed into a green ‘oasis’ which provides recreational facilities for adults and a playground for children. The citizens and children were involved in the design of the green square and the initiative was selected by the municipality as one of their climate change adaptation measures as it stores stormwater. (1,2,5).

Sofia is Europe's most polluted capital and the World Health Organization alarmed that Bulgaria ranks second in the world in terms of deaths due to air pollution per capita. In response to that, the coalition Sofia - Green Capital planned to buy neglected urban land and plant an Urban Forest in order to restore the green passes that lead the fresh air from the mountain to the city. The Urban Forest is expected to improve the air quality, sequestrate carbon emissions, and also provide a place for walks and play. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2). The planting process started in 2018 and around nearly 60,000 saplings were planted over 225 acres by over 6,500 volunteers and over 50 companies joined in. (Ref 7, 8)

The Green Grid aimed to link urban and rural neighborhoods with a network of quality green spaces and corridors of landscape, recreational and ecological value. The aim was to achieve the added benefits by managing open space resources as a set of linkable sites rather than in isolation. It was a planning intervention that was focused on connecting a high quality, functional green space network (Ref 1). The intervention was part of "Greening the Gateway Kent & Medway" (Ref 2).

The Natural Park of Collserola (about 8,000 ha) is a forested area in the hilly Northern fringes of Barcelona. Since 1987, Collserola has been managed under a special protection plan and forms part of the European FEDENATUR network that aims at protected fragile peri-urban ecosystem for both their social and ecological functions. The park is jointly managed by a consortium including the Catalan government (Generalitat de Catalunya), the Barcelona Provincial Council (Diputació de Barcelona), the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) as well as all adjacent municipalities (Ref 1).