1. General information Location and description of the intervention City or FUA Cagliari (FUA) Region Europe Native title of the NBS intervention PON Metro Cagliari - Aree Verdi Short description of the intervention In January 2024, the municipality of Cagliari inaugurated three new green areas in the city, adding five and a half hectares of green spaces for residents to enjoy. These areas are located between Keplero, Avicenna, and Parigi streets, not far from the city center (Refs. 1 & 2). The primary goal of this initiative is to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly rising temperatures. The green areas are designed to reduce the city's heat island effect and contribute to carbon sequestration. The planting of new trees will also help maintain ecosystems and improve environmental conditions in targeted areas . Special attention was given to soil quality, with most projects incorporating walkways equipped with drainage systems (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). Additionally, the new infrastructure aims to foster social engagement and attract more citizens, who will benefit from these improvements. (Refs. 1 & 2). This initiative is also expected to boost the local economy by encouraging the development of small complementary services (Ref. 3). It is part of a larger municipal project co-funded by the EU. Website of the intervention https://www.comune.cagliari.it/portale/page/it/ponmetrocagliari Principal problems Climate-Related Hazards Heat stress & Extreme temperatures Environmental Degradation Soil degradation and loss Health, Well-being and Social cohesion Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature) Inadequate access to recreational opportunities Loss of sense of place and identity Social fragmentation and isolation Poor community engagement Implementation area characterization Climate Temperate ( Humid subtropical, Hot-summer Mediterranean, Warm-summer Mediterranean, Warm-temperate with dry winter) Ecosystem Urban or built environment Address Via Keplero 09131 Cagliari CA, Italia 09131 Cagliari Italy Location The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by). Area boundary (map-based) NBS area image Source of NBS area image Geoportale - Comune di Cagliari. n.d. “Verde Pubblico.” Geoportale - Comune Di Cagliari. Accessed August 8, 2024. https://geoportale.comune.cagliari.it/apps/25635ffef1a1411ea932ca2744b58303/explore. NBS area 5500.00m² Area description Urban (main city) Type of area before implementation of the NBS Public Greenspace Area Timeline of intervention Start date of the intervention (planning process) 2022 Start date of intervention (implementation process) 2023 End date of the intervention 2024 Present stage of the intervention Completed 2. Objectives of the intervention Objectives of the intervention Goals of the intervention The project focused on: 1. To revitalize green spaces: Introduce new infrastructure such as benches, trash bins, playgrounds, and dog-friendly areas, alongside planting grass and various tree species with customized irrigation systems (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). 2. To address climate change mitigation: Mitigate climate change impacts, focusing on reducing temperature increases and lessening the Urban Heat Island Effect while promoting carbon sequestration by incorporating new trees and vegetation into the site (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). 3. To improve soil health: Enhance soil quality and health by incorporating walkways with drainage systems to support sustainable urban development (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). 4. To enhance social engagement by attracting more citizens to use these spaces, improving the environmental quality of life and accessibility for citizens, fostering a stronger sense of integration and community (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). (Ref. 3). 5. To support economic recovery: Aid in the region's economic recovery by creating interconnected green spaces throughout the city (Ref. 3). Key Priorities Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation) Social Justice and community Sustainability challenge(s) addressed Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13) Climate change adaptation Climate change mitigation Environmental quality Soil quality improvement Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15) Green space creation and/or management Regeneration, land-use and urban development Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development Health and well-being (SDG 3) Creation of opportunities for recreation Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10) Social cohesion Social interaction Sense of community and community engagement Economic development and employment (SDG 8) Tourism support Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover) Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention? Species-focused Ecosystem-focused Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Protect and enhance urban habitats Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems Create new habitats What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention? Species-focused Ecosystem-focused What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets? Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems Restore native species Restore valued species Implementation activities and NBS focus Implementation activities The project focused on 3 locations totaling 5,500 sqm and involved planting grass, perimeter hedges, and various local tree species such as jacarandas, carobs, Washington palms, albizia, oleanders, and Mediterranean shrubs (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). Customized irrigation systems have been developed to support the newly planted greenery and reduce climate-related risks (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). A draining system has been installed along the walkways to enhance soil management and mitigate climate hazards (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). Infrastructure such as playgrounds, benches, dog areas, and rubbish bins has been implemented to attract citizens and foster social engagement (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). Type of NBS project Creation of new green areas Creation of any other green urban spaces Ecological restoration of ecosystems Soil remediation and revegetation Remediation activities of sites with very poor environmental quality 3. NBS domains, ES and scale NBS domain and interventions Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented Parks and urban forests Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces Amenities offered by the NBS Benches and drinking water stations Playgrounds Other Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS dog parks (Refs. 1 & 2) Design elements for well-being Visual elements (e.g., expansive views, scenic views, natural light, diverse vegetation) Olfactory elements (e.g., floral scents, earthy smells) Services Expected ecosystem services delivered Regulating services Local climate regulation (temperature reduction) Carbon storage/sequestration Other Cultural services Aesthetic appreciation Recreation Mental and physical health and wellbeing Social and community interactions Please specify "other regulating service" Improving soil quality (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). Scale Spatial scale Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level Beneficiaries Demographics in implementation area The European Quarter in Cagliari, Italy, is a relatively recent urban development located in the city's western part, near the San Michele hill. This area was created as part of a broader urban regeneration initiative aimed at revitalizing parts of Cagliari that had been underutilized or were in need of modernization. (1,9) The European Quarter had, in 2022, 810 inhabitants (around 0.54% of the total population of Cagliari); therefore, it is a very small neighborhood in Cagliari. The average age is around 54 years old, and it is one of the neighborhoods with the average oldest population, which is distributed in different age groups as follows: 1. 0-14: 57 (7%) 2. 15-64: 426 (53%) 3. over 65: 327 (40%) The neighborhood is not particularly characterized by emigration or immigration flows, in fact, the foreign population counts just 3% of its total population. Most of the foreigners in the area come from the Philippines, Ukraine or Romania. 35% of the households in the neighborhood are composed of 1 single person, 32% of 2 people, 17% of 3, 11% of 4, 4% of 5, and less than 1% of 6 or more people (Ref. 9). Socio-economic profile of the area High-income Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts No Primary Beneficiaries Citizens or community groups Young people and children Specify primary beneficiaries The primary beneficiaries are citizens, with particular reference to families with kids (grand kids), thanks to playgrounds, and dog owners, thanks to the dedicated areas (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). Marginalized groups Unknown Other beneficiaries Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification) Public health (e.g. increased physical activity opportunities, reduced stress) 4. Governance and financing Governance Governance arrangements Government-led Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative - The European Commission: Provided the funding for the PON metro project under the React-EU directive, which was managed in collaboration with national governments (Ref. 8). - National Government: it assigned the funding of the EU to the metropolitan cities involved in the project (Ref.8). - Comune di Cagliari: it initiated the intervention within the framework of the PON metro project and co-financed the action (8) Key actors - initiating organization Local government/municipality Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors) National government EU body Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders) Unknown Uncommon actors ("Missing actors") Unknown Land owners Public space owned by the city Policy drivers NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan Yes Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan The project responds to: PON Metro 2014-2020, an investment program for the implementation of strategies for sustainable urban development in Italian Metropolitan Cities co-financed by the European Union. (1,2) If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme/type of the plan Other Please specify other national policy instrument National Investment program (1,2) NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan Yes Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan" The project has been developed as part of the Cagliari strategy within the PON metro project. The PON Metro is a strategic tool designed to address social, environmental, and economic sustainability challenges in urban areas. This program aims to improve the quality of services provided by local administrations and to promote social inclusion by tailoring interventions to the specific needs of each territory. The key areas of intervention include the metropolitan digital agenda, the sustainability of public services and urban mobility, social inclusion services, and infrastructure for social inclusion. (1,2) Relevant strategy or plan General municipal plan Urban redevelopment plan Mandatory or voluntary intervention Mandatory (based on policy) Intervention is mandatory Spatial planning guidance Enablers & Barriers Type of enablers Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city) Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives. EU commission provided around €225 millions to Cagliari for the PON Metro project, part of these funds have been used for this NBS (Ref. 8). Governace and decison-making instruments Strategic instruments (e.g. GI strategies, green space strategy or plans) Economic and fiscal instruments (e.g. subsidies or grants, charges or fees, payments for ecosystem services (PES)) Arrangements for governance cooperation Unknown Barriers Unknown Financing Total cost Unknown Please specify total cost (EUR) EU commission provided around €225 millions to Cagliari for the PON Metro project, part of these funds have been used for this NBS (Ref. 8). What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements? Unknown Source(s) of funding Public local authority budget EU funds Type of fund(s) used Earmarked public budget Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities) Non-financial contribution Unknown Co-finance for NBS Yes Co-governance arrangement A fund / grant Entrepreneurship opportunities No Business models Business models Risk reduction model Green densification model Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model? Public actor (e.g. municipality) 5. Evaluation and learning Impacts, benefits Environmental impacts Climate change Enhanced carbon sequestration Expected enhanced carbon sequestration Energy efficiency improvements Expected energy efficiency improvements Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves Green space and habitat Increased green space area Achieved increased green space area Reduced biodiversity loss Expected reduced biodiversity loss Increased number of species present Achieved increased number of species present Description of environmental benefits - enhanced carbon sequestration: "The aim of the project is to make the city of Cagliari more livable by endowing it with new or enhanced green, cool and shady areas that can further cut down carbon dioxide production while promoting an increase in urban environmental quality." (Ref. 4). - Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves: "The project [...] counteracts the negative effects of climate change by reducing the phenomenon of “heat islands.” " (Ref. 4). - energy efficiency: "Implementation of new irrigation systems that save up to 50 percent compared to traditional systems." (Ref. 4). - Increased green space area: "Three new green areas were opened to the public in the European quarter, for a green area of approximately 5.500 square meters" (Ref. 1 & 2). - Reduced biodiversity loss & Increased number of species present: "the new area has [...] new plantings: arboreal specimens have been planted (jacarandes, carobs, Washington palms), a Mediterranean hedge and a meadow area" (Ref. 1 & 2). Environmental impact indicators Total number of vascular plant species protected or introduced 9 Green space area created (in ha) 5.5 Total area of habitat restored (in ha) 5.5 Economic impacts Stimulate development in deprived areas Expected stimulate development in deprived areas Description of economic benefits -Expected stimulate development in deprived areas: "concrete investments to support the economic recovery of local businesses that have suffered most from the pandemic emergency."(Ref 3) Social and cultural impacts Social justice and cohesion Improved liveability Expected improved liveability Increased opportunities for social interaction Achieved increased opportunities for social interaction Social and cultural impact indicators Surface area of accessible green spaces (in ha) 5.5 Total area of recreational green space created or restored (in ha) 5.5 Description of social and cultural benefits - improved liveability: "The aim of the project is to make the city of Cagliari more livable by endowing it with new or enhanced green, cool and shady areas" (Ref. 4). - increased opportunities for social interaction: "The project supports the interest of the community and the recovery of areas of aggregation" (Ref. 4). Mental health benefits Restoration and relaxation Evidence for use of assessment Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process Yes Actors involved in the assessment, monitoring or evaluation of NBS impacts Local government/municipality EU body Presence of indicators used in reporting Yes Type of indicators Input indicators Output indicators Outcome indicators Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports Yes Availability of a web-based monitoring tool Yes Link to a web-based monitoring tool http://www.pongovernance1420.gov.it/it/programma/gestione-controllo/sistema-inf… Name of any specific impact assessment tools Unknown Use of GIS in mapping impacts No evidence in public records Cost-benefit analysis Unknown Transparency Inclusion of diverse stakeholders in project governance processes (e.g. planning, implementation, monitoring, etc.) Online disclosure of technical reports (e.g. project documents, reports, or data) Justice Community satisfaction Unknown Description of locals satisfaction with the project Unknown Trade-offs & Negative impacts Unknown Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement No initiatives or policies were implemented High-quality & Transformative NBS Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community) Yes Goal setting and impacts delivery No, although benefits were delivered in all the 3 key areas, but in the planning phase, the project did not aim to address issues in all the 3 key priority areas. Reaching original project goals Some of the project goals were achieved Please specify the achievements of the project goals Climate action: - energy efficiency: "Implementation of new irrigation systems that save up to 50 percent compared to traditional systems." (Ref. 4). - Increased green space area: "Three new green areas were opened to the public in the European quarter, for a green area of approximately 5.500 square meters" (Ref. 1 & 2). - Reduced biodiversity loss & Increased number of species present: "the new area has [...] new plantings: arboreal specimens have been planted (jacarandes, carobs, Washington palms), a Mediterranean hedge and a meadow area" (Ref. 1 & 2). Long-term perspective Yes Cost-effective solutions Yes Equitable impacts A. All stakeholders benefit fairly from the project Transformative capacity Social change (e.g. social relationships, networks and dynamics within them) Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution) Magnitude of change Incremental: shallow; that is, mostly maintaining business-as-usual approaches to adaptation Application of lessons learned Unknown Perception of Environmental Change Unknown 6. Sources References 1. Agenzia Nova (2024). Sardinia: three new green areas opened in Cagliari in the European quarter. Accessed on August 6, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 2. Comune di Cagliari (2024). Aperte tre nuove aree verdi nel quartiere europeo. Cagliari: Accessed on August 6, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 3. Comune di Cagliari (n.d.). Asse 6 - Ripresa verde, digitale e resiliente REACT-EU. Cagliari: Accessed on August 6, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 4. Comune di Cagliari (n.d.). Realizzazione di nuove aree verdi e recupero di aree degradate. Cagliari: Accessed on August 6, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 5. Comune di Cagliari (n.d.). La strategia di Cagliari. Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 6. Comuni di Cagliari (n.d.). Mappa informativa del verde pubblico. Cagliari: Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 7. Comune di Cagliari (n.d.). Quartiere Europeo. Cagliari: Cagliari turismo, Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 8. PN Metro plus (n.d.). Città Metro Plus. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 9. Comuni di Cagliari (2022). Atlante Demografico di Cagliari. Cagliari: Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; Comments and notes Public Images Image Fenced garden with spaces dedicated to children's games and spaces for relax with seats and an area for dogs. (Ref.1) Agenzia Nova
Image Fenced garden with spaces dedicated to children's games and spaces for relax with seats and an area for dogs. (Ref.1) Agenzia Nova
