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Sri Lanka, particularly its low-lying coastal areas, faces recurring flooding challenges exacerbated by climate change, coastal erosion, and urbanization (1). Wetlands have emerged as crucial ecosystems in mitigating these risks, acting as natural sponges during heavy rainfall and releasing water gradually as flood levels subside (1). Beyond flood control, wetlands play a vital role in environmental quality. Their biodiversity helps filter pollutants and chemicals from the air and water, creating a healthier environment for both humans and wildlife (1). In 2018, Colombo was designated as a Global Wetland City under the Ramsar Convention, becoming the first and only capital city to receive this recognition (1). Recognizing the significance of wetlands as nature-based solutions, international institutions have prioritized their conservation through financing programs (1), and the city has developed projects to raise awareness and involve its citizens in their protection (1). These efforts have resulted in the creation of four wetland parks in the city, that comparing to a wetland, the wetland parks have more human intervention. Thus, they are focused on different topics and activities (2): Diyasaru Park, Beddagana Wetland Park (managed by the Urban Development Authority), Kotte Rampart Wetland Park (managed by the Urban Development Authority), and the Gothatuwa Wetland Park (managed by the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation) (2). Gothatuwa Park is the newest wetland park and it is located in the flood-prone Gothatuwa neighbourhood (1). Inaugurated in 2024, It has a recreational focus, with trails for cyclists and hikers, and together with the other wetland complex, this park is designed to make the wetlands a cornerstone of local people's lives (1). Currently, environmental education activities are carried out in the park, focusing on managing aquatic invasive plants, tree planting and solid waste collection (3).

The Fazenda Futuro project was created in 2010 by the State Secretariat of Justice of Rondônia, with the aim of reintegrating people deprived of their liberty through agricultural work and providing training to enable them to develop skills for entry into the labor market once they have served their sentence (2). Located on 309 hectares donated by the Union, near the Ênio Pinheiro Agricultural Penal Colony in Porto Velho, the project offers participants training in agriculture and practical experience in the cultivation of various food species (4).
Since its inception, the project has worked with 81 people, offering them opportunities for income generation and sentence reduction (4). The farm's products have been distributed among public institutions, social entities and the participants themselves (3, 4). Although initially focused on donations, the project is exploring partnerships with the Community Council to market its products and generate income for future investments (3), as well as starting to generate products such as sweets and jams that can be marketed (3).
Through work in the garden, participants and their families receive compensation through the Sejus prison fund and benefit from sentence reduction through labor relief, as stipulated by the Penal Enforcement Law. This provides them with practical agricultural experience, which enhances their employability (3, 5).

The Park am Gleisdreieck is a public urban park in the city centre of Berlin, spanning more than 30 hectares across three individual sites (Ostpark, Westpark, Flaschenhalspark) on former railway tracks. The landscape of the Park am Gleisdreieck is characterised by the central, extensive lawn and meadow areas, which are bordered by woodland-like areas - the so-called track wilderness - as well as various park trees and crossed by wide paths or old railway tracks. The park space features various recreational activities for sports and play as well as community gardens for intercultural exchange (Ref. 12). Being abandoned after WW II, the land rewilded and after being partially opened to the public in 2011, the primary aim of the maintenance and development measures was to harmonise the interests of nature conservation and recreational use. (Ref. 1; Ref. 3)
Many of the plant species in the Park am Gleisdreieck once travelled a long way by train. This is what makes the biodiversity in the park so special. It is a wild mixture of long-established Berlin plants and exotic species that specialise in dry, nutrient-poor soils. The park is part of Berlin's open space network, which extends from Tiergarten to Schöneberger Südgelände. It therefore makes a significant contribution to connecting habitats. (Ref. 1)
Initiatives of citizens have been working for years for the realisation of a park on the former railroad site at Gleisdreick, and so the residents have been involved in the park planning and design in an intensive dialogue process from the beginning and are still involved in the park management. (Ref. 2) The opening of the park served as a compensation measure for the construction of the urban development projects at Potsdamer Platz and aimed at increasing accessible green space in a densely and rapidly built urban environment. (Ref. 4)

Tirana's urban development has set a new record in 2022, when more than 1.8 million square meters of new buildings were constructed (Ref. 5). This rapid development increased the need for accessible urban green areas. At the Tulla Urban Farm, a wide audience is trained to create those green areas in their yards, balconies and roofs with the added benefit of growing produce for their own needs (Ref. 1,2,5). This practice of food autonomy is deeply rooted in Albanian culture but has been lost in urban settings where concrete has taken over the city (Ref. 1). Tulla Urban Farm addresses this issue by providing an inclusive space for people of diverse backgrounds to come together and experience urban gardening first hand under the guidance of professionals from the Agricultural University of Tirana (Ref. 2,3). In these "urban agricultural schools", workshops, seminars and discussions are held to re-cultivate traditional agro-cultural practices and knowledge that will benefit the participants, many of which are from marginalised backgrounds (Ref. 1, 4). All these activities are facilitated through the rooftop greenhouse of the Tulla Cultural Center, which harbours over 300 plants (Ref.1). As such, Tulla Urban Farm not only provides a space for experiencing and learning about plants but also for social interaction and building a community that also addresses more serious issues such as mental health in a society that faces high rates of unemployment (Ref. 1).
The project had received inital funding from the German GIZ in 2022 and won the Cultures of Resistance Award through which it financed the first two years of its programme and enabled free participation at the urban agricultural school for all participants (Ref. 2,4).

The Tirana Vertical Forest is part of the city's 2030 Master Plan and aims to enhance urban biodiversity and create green spaces through innovative urban design (Ref. 1,2). The project was developed by Stefano Boeri Architetti, the same studio that has designed similar, well-known structures in cities like Milan, Utrecht and Nanjing (Ref. 6). The completion of the 21-floor building is expected in late 2024 and will feature 105 apartments and a commercial ground floor as well as 145 trees and over 3,200 shrubs and bushes which are integrated into the balconies and façade of the project (Ref. 1,2,3). Various Mediterranean plants have been incorporated, including colourful, scented and aromatic types, which harmonize with the local ecosystem. To maximise the space available for green features, a dynamic structure with alternating balconies and full-height windows has been built (Ref. 1,2). Ultimately, the project anticipates improving air quality, reducing noise, and providing insulation. The greenery is expected to capture fine particulate matter and up to 8 tones of Co2 per year while also creating a healthier microclimate for those inside the building (Ref. 1,6).

The ReDuna project, initiated in 2014, focuses on restoring the sand dune ecosystem in Costa da Caparica (Almada) in response to severe coastal erosion exacerbated by sea-level rise and winter storms. It aims to strengthen the resilience of dunes to environmental pressures while restoring ecological balance. Actions include sand nourishment, the installation of willow sand fences, and the planting of 100,000 native species. Community engagement was a key factor, involving local residents, NGOs, and schools in maintenance and replanting efforts. The project has been successful, with significant biodiversity recovery, establishing deep-rooted vegetation, and stabilising the dunes. Ongoing monitoring and adaptive management are central to its strategy, ensuring long-term sustainability. The ReDuna project serves as a replicable model for similar coastal protection initiatives globally (Ref 1).

The Urban Forestry Plan for Cartagena, led by EPA Cartagena, outlines a comprehensive strategy for enhancing the city's green infrastructure. The plan focuses on selecting suitable tree species, planting, and management to achieve several goals: reducing heat through shade, creating microclimates, protecting against climatic events such as coastal erosion and windstorms, enhancing food security, and enhancing the landscape's beauty. Over 10 years, the plan aims to establish at least 100,000 additional trees, increase overall tree cover, enhance accessibility to green spaces, and build a main ecological structure based on natural resources and biodiversity. It also emphasises the importance of local knowledge and resources (ref 1).
Formulated with community input, the plan commenced in 2013 and involved a detailed assessment of existing urban vegetation and climate conditions, utilising tools such as iTree. The development included international conferences and expert consultations to ensure a robust and informed approach (ref 1).

The municipal real estate company Higab partnered with The Foodprint Lab Architects, an architecture firm specialising in food system design, in a three-year pilot project to create urban farms in three of their properties in Gothenburg. The Foodprint Lab designed the urban farms based on the conditions of each property and connected Higab with potential farmers. The urban farms are located at Slakthuset (an old industrial area), Kviberg (by an empty building undergoing renovation) and Musikens hus (an old building used for music events and a restaurant). The farms are established in unused, mostly grey areas such as parking lots. In all sites, the farming is run by local farming associations; some sell vegetables on site and in Kviberg, there has also been a commercial production of vegetables. Sustainable food production, entrepreneurship opportunities, a nicer and safer environment, and the promotion of biodiversity are highlighted as benefits of the project. In total, about 50 different plant species are found across the locations. The establishment of the urban farms was part of the Grow Gothenburg project within the Sharing Cities Sweden program, which provided some of the funding [Ref. 1-5, 7].

Lima is grappling with significant challenges driven by climate change, and one of the pressing issues is the shortage of green spaces. According to the PLAM 2035 report, Lima offers only 3.1 square meters of green area per inhabitant, well below the World Health Organization's recommendations (2). Moreover, food insecurity is on the rise, with Peru leading the region in this crisis (4). Compounding these issues is the lack of coordination among state actors tasked with addressing the country's food crisis (2).
In response to these challenges, the Energy Network of Peru (ISA REP) has been running the "Huertos en Línea" project since 2004 in the districts of Villa María del Triunfo and San Juan de Miraflores as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives (2, 3, 6). This project aims to establish community gardens that promote environmental awareness, reduce pollution in these affected areas (1, 2), provide food for vulnerable populations, and create income-generating opportunities through the sale of surplus produce (1, 6). The gardens are strategically located in power grid easement strips, which are often plagued by encroachment, burning, and waste accumulation—issues exacerbated by poverty, extreme poverty, and weak social organization in these areas (5, 6).
Originally planned with an annual development and growth strategy up to 2011, the project has been extended year by year and has now been active for nearly two decades. Beneficiaries continue to receive technical and material support, and the number of community gardens has grown. In 2019, the initiative expanded to include two bio-gardens in the Trujillo districts of La Esperanza and El Porvenir (7, 9). The project has contributed to improving soil quality, recycling and transforming waste, enhancing landscape aesthetics, reducing burning and waste accumulation, and implementing drip irrigation systems.

Trade winds from the east over the Bay of Fort-de-France increase agitation at the "Étang Z’Abricots" marina, reducing user comfort and raising maintenance costs for port equipment and vessels. Climate change worsen these problems, increasing the risks of coastline erosion, extreme weather events, and rising sea levels, which may diminish the protective effect of "Pointe des Sables," leaving the marina more exposed to the winds (Ref 1; 2).

The Z’AB project aims to address these challenges by creating a protective barrier for the port by using mangroves. This involves installing lightweight, reversible devices to elevate the sea floor and accumulate sediments, encouraging the natural colonization of mangroves south of Pointe des Sables. Natural colonization refers to the growth of mangroves through processes like seed dispersal and sediment buildup. Once established, the mangrove will act as a natural buffer, protecting the marina from rough seas and adapting to rising sea levels. The project also includes educational efforts to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves for the region’s environmental issues and biodiversity (Ref 1).

Although the Z’AB project has been in planning since 2018, in 2021, a separate project to extend the marina, costing 7 million euros, was approved by the water park authorities (Ref 5). The extension will add 77 new vessel spaces (Ref 7), but it threatens portions of the mangrove and a strictly protected coral species, Oculina Diffusa, found in the area (Ref 6, p.17). While the marina extension project aims to offset the loss of coral and mangrove with various solutions, "Projet Z'AB" is not explicitly mentioned as a compensation mechanism (Ref 6, p.24). However, stakeholders involved in Projet Z'AB are also participating in the development of the marina extension (Ref 6). It remains unclear to what extent Projet Z'AB will be used to mitigate the environmental impact of the extension.