Increased protection against flooding

The Barr Foundation started the cross-cutting program called Waterfront Initiative to support the sustainable planning and accessibility of the waterfront area while also increasing residents awareness and environmental stewardship of the waterfront. The Waterfront Initiative initially supported organizations in harbour planning, designing waterfront parks, and climate resilience efforts along the Boston waterfront. In 2018, it has also strengthened its focus on social equity and public engagement across more vulnerable neighbourhoods around waterfront issues (1,2)

The Xochimilco borough of Mexico City is a World Heritage and Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System wetland site, with significant cultural and ecological importance in food cultivation and water ecosystem (1). Due to the deterioration of the area and lack of top-down initiatives for the restoration and conservation of the area, a number of grassroots initiatives trying to revive the traditional chinampa cultivation and restore the natural state of the ecosystem function and its native species such as the Xochimilco axolotl through reinvigorating sustainable practices that produce quality food and foster water supply. This NBS introduces 3 such grassroot intiatives: (a) Cooperativa Chinampayolo (b) Restauración Ecológica y Desarrollo A.C. (REDES) with its EcoQuilitl producer-consumer network and (c) Umbral Axochiatl A.C. (local community organisation). (1)

The Climate Adaptation Strategy (CAS) was approved in 2016 and it includes various measures that aim to address various urban challenges (e.g. temperature rise, heat waves, heavy rainfalls, flooding)(Ref. 1, 2). The CAS is considered a key instrument for integrating green and blue measures in comprehensive planning.
Here, the NBS is presented with a focus on two specific measures: (Reference 1) Integration of the Urban Climate Map in urban planning, focusing on the preservation of existing air corridors/channels through open green spaces. (Reference 2) Integration of other climate adaptation measures in urban planning instruments through open green areas, community rooftop gardens, trees, and water elements. (Reference 1)

In 2014 a counselling office of the NGO Green City was established, entitled The Greening Office (Begrünungsbüro), with the objective of better engaging citizens in green adaptation measures, such as green roofs, green façades, green walls or green courtyards (Reference 1, 5). Financed by the City’s Department of Health and Environment, the project addresses climate change adaptation through greening private properties, achieved through counselling citizens and companies, with diverse outreach and networking activities. The NBS recognised the potential of the many unused private spaces, such as south-facing facades and flat roofs to better adapt to climate change across the entire city (Reference 1).

Parc Marianne is an ecodistrict that aims to address multiple challenges such as climate action for adaptation, environmental quality, flooding, and in response to the high population growth in Montpellier. Parc Marianne is connected to public transportation, has bicycle lanes and car parks, and the sidewalk is shared between pedestrians and bicyclists and structured with trees and other greenery. The park was certified with the ecodistrict label in 2015 following requirements like environmental sustainability, thermal performance, quality of life, nature and biodiversity, and mobility (Ref. 1). Parc Marianne is a mixed neighbourhood with an ability to combine city and nature, quality of life and centrality (Ref. 2).

The Gorla Maggiore water park, inaugurated in March 2013, is situated within the municipality of Gorla Maggiore, in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 30 kilometers northwest of Milan. The water park is a constructed wetlands (CW) built on the banks of the Olona river that includes (a) a pollutant removal area composed of a grid, a sedimentation tank and four vertical sub-surface flow constructed wetlands; (b) a multipurpose area with a surface flow constructed wetland or pond with multiple roles; and (c) a recreational park with restored riparian trees, green open space, walking and cycling paths. [1]

The Gran Recorrido de Bilbao (GR), known as the Green Ring or Great Route of Bilbao, is a part of Bilbao’s Green Belt, a municipal initiative that encompasses forest and urban parks surrounding the city. The Green Route aims to skirt the City passing through the forest parks of Artxanda, the mountain of Avril, Arnotegi, Pagasarri, and Arraiz. It completes a route of 99.3 kilometers in a closed belt of trails, paths, roads and streets signposted with references to routes, interesting places, and general information. The Green Route is reachable from the center of Bilbao through eleven additional routes that all lead to a central point. [3][4]

The Tree Strategy is a municipal action plan in progress, aiming to address some of the main sustainability challenges described in the Environmental Program of Malmö City. Its main relations to sustainability challenges include improved health and well-being, decrease differences in those among different social groups and increase biodiversity. The Strategy includes a range of possibilities for evaluating its ecological and social success (ref. 1).

A local government-led project of the renaturalization of the part of the Weser river shore. The initiative aimed to restore part of the river bank to its natural state and to create habitats for the typical local flora and fauna. Additionally, a sand beach for the public was created. The project aimed to increase biodiversity, increase the river shore protection and water management, as well as to improve public access to the recreational area at the water and the attractiveness of the river landscape (Ref. 1, 2, 5).

A private investment project that aimed to create a new building complex in the Findorff district of Bremen and build two large residential buildings "Münchner Bogen" and "Findorffer Tor" with green roofs on top. The green roofing of the buildings was influenced by the local actors - the alliance "Green Bremen" and the advisory board of the Findorff Council. The initiative aimed to contribute to sustainable urban development by the positive impact on biodiversity, rainwater retention, improved local air quality and provision of natural thermoregulation for the buildings (Ref. 1, 2, 3).