1. General information Location and description of the intervention City or FUA Iaşi (FUA) Region Europe Native title of the NBS intervention Reabilitare și modernizare zona de agrement C.A Rosetti Short description of the intervention Iasi has limited access to green-blue open spaces and fails to meet national and European standards for per capita green space and proximity to larger green areas. Additionally, the city experiences significant fragmentation in its green spaces. To address these issues, the municipality of Iasi launched a project in 2020 to restore a vacant and degraded area, transforming it into a park. Funded by European resources, the project aims to rehabilitate the neglected land by constructing a green park and introducing local vegetation. The primary goal is to provide a leisure and relaxation space for local citizens and visitors while improving the quality of the surrounding air by converting much of the terrain into green space. The vacant land is situated in the historic Ticau neighborhood, which has been affected by municipal neglect, characterized by poor infrastructure and limited connectivity to the city's main areas. Furthermore, the project aims to reduce the heat island effect by creating green oases in a city marked by many “hard surfaces,” such as paved areas, which contribute to this phenomenon expected to intensify in the coming years. Originally scheduled for completion by the end of 2022, the project has been delayed due to a lack of funds and is now expected to be finished by the end of 2024 (Refs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11). Website of the intervention https://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/stiri/lansare-de-proiect-reabilitare-si-modernizare… Principal problems Climate-Related Hazards Heat stress & Extreme temperatures Land use and Socio-economic change Unequal availability and access to public green spaces Health, Well-being and Social cohesion Inadequate access to recreational opportunities Implementation area characterization Climate Continental (Cold-summer humid continental, Cold-winter dry continental, Cold-summer dry continental) Ecosystem Urban or built environment Address Șoseaua Albineț 2 707023 Iași Romania 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 Google maps (https://www.google.se/maps/place/Rosetti+Park/@47.175322,27.5878622,554m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x40cafb7e7155e1e9:0xce12fc4714c35d0e!2zU3RyYWRhIEFsYmluZcibLCBJYciZaSwgUnVtYW7DrWE!3b1!8m2!3d47.1710904!4d27.5893669!16s%2Fg%2F1thx7388!3m5!1s0x40cafdf8630381e7:0x570c55ec00e7268e!8m2!3d47.1755601!4d27.5885793!16s%2Fg%2F11l30hx_wq!5m1!1e4?entry=ttu) News article 7iasi (https://www.7iasi.ro/primarul-virtual-rateaza-proiectul-c-a-rosetti-betoane-si-maldare-de-pamant-in-loc-de-zona-verde/) Total area 17912.00m² NBS area 16158.00m² Area description Urban (main city) Type of area before implementation of the NBS Vacant or abandoned land Timeline of intervention Start date of the intervention (planning process) 2019 Start date of intervention (implementation process) 2020 End date of the intervention ongoing Present stage of the intervention Ongoing 2. Objectives of the intervention Objectives of the intervention Goals of the intervention To increase the availability of green space per capita in Iasi to meet national and European standards and address inequality in access to these spaces. To improve access to green spaces by ensuring a higher percentage of the population lives within 300 meters of a green area of at least 0.5 hectares. To rehabilitate and transform abandoned and degraded areas into functional green spaces, such as parks, enhancing urban livability. To enhance air quality by converting vacant land into green spaces that serve as natural air filters. To reduce the urban heat island effect by creating new green areas. (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4) Key Priorities Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation) Sustainability challenge(s) addressed Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13) Climate change adaptation Environmental quality Air 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 Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect Implementation activities and NBS focus Implementation activities The majority of the area will be converted into green spaces, transforming approximately 1.61 hectares of the total 1.79-hectare site into vibrant ecological zones (Refs 1-4). The process will begin by clearing the existing vegetation to prepare the land for further development and improvement (Ref 4, p.70). Following this, land modeling will be conducted to create a suitable landscape that accommodates both planting and recreational activities (Ref 4, p.70). To establish durable green spaces, perennial plants and turf will be planted across the surfaces of the area (Ref 4, p.70). Finally, the project will include the planting of trees and shrubs to enhance the greenery and biodiversity of the site (Ref 4, p.70). Type of NBS project Creation of new green areas Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests Transformation of previously derelict areas Transformation of vacant land into green spaces 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 Sports areas and equipment Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café) Design elements for well-being Visual elements (e.g., expansive views, scenic views, natural light, diverse vegetation) Services Expected ecosystem services delivered Regulating services Local climate regulation (temperature reduction) Air quality regulation Cultural services Recreation Scale Spatial scale Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level Beneficiaries Demographics in implementation area Ticau is a neighborhood highlighted by the municipality as an area with the greatest difficulties in what regards access to quality public spaces. This neighborhood is served by an irregular street network, undersized for the current needs of transport, with a rural aspect, which makes it difficult to develop a networks of attractive public spaces. (11) The demographics of the neighbourhood surrounding the new project have not been found. In the municipality and the region, the dynamic on age groups is a population younger than the national average (39,2 years old on average in the region of Iasi) and the population is mainly romanian (aprox. 99%) (8). In the 2015 municipality plan, the inhabitants of the neighborhood scored one of the lowest representation score in higher education in a top of all Iasi's neighborhoods (11) Socio-economic profile of the area Unknown Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts Unknown Primary Beneficiaries Citizens or community groups Young people and children Specify primary beneficiaries "The main objective of the investment is to create a space for leisure and relaxation for the citizens of the municipality of Iasi, and not only" (3). "Also, recreation facilities will be created on the landscaped grounds (special areas for practicing sports, playgrounds for children" (4, p.70). Marginalized groups Children, young people or youth groups Women People with functional diversities Measures for inclusion of marginalised groups In source (4), there is mentioning of consulation and parnership with local communities, women, youth, persons with disabilities. However, no other source has mentioned or explained these measures. Other beneficiaries Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification) City infrastructure (e.g., reduced flooding, improved water quality) 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 City Hall of the municipality of Iasi initiated the project and took a leading role in its implementation by forming a partnership with a local company responsible for executing the project. Governance arrangements included online and physical consultations with local communities that included discussions on design of the park. Additionally, the City Hall established partnerships with community organizations representing women, young people, and people with disabilities and discussed future plans for involvement in park's maintenance for underrepresented groups. The project is co-financed by the EU (Refs 4, 6,7) Key actors - initiating organization Local government/municipality Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors) Non-government organisation/civil society Citizens or community group Private sector/corporate actor/company EU body Stages of citizen and community engagement Planning and design (e.g. site selection, identification of key priorities) Level of citizen and community engagement Moderate Community empowerment or capacity-building initiatives Unknwon Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders) Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls) Co-management/Joint management Uncommon actors ("Missing actors") Community & Social Groups Youth-led organizations/ citizens Women or Women's groups Disability rights advocates or organizations Land owners Public space owned by the city Policy drivers NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy Yes Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy" EU Regional developmental strategies: First Programului Operaţional Regional 2014 – 2020, Axa prioritară 4, Prioritatea de investiții 4.2 . After delay, Planul de Dezvoltare Regională (PDR) Nord-Est 2021-2027 . The intended increase in green area is intended to respond to the min 26sqm required by EU regulations and to WHO recommendations on urban population residing within 300m to green spaces (Ref. 4, p. 71; 9, 10). NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan Yes Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan" Planul de Acțiune Oraș Verde Iași (PAOV) / Planul Local de Acțiune pentru Mediu al județului Iași (PLAM)/ Planul Urbanistic General al Iași (PUG) / Strategia Integrată de Dezvoltare Urbană (SIDU) (Ref. 4). Relevant strategy or plan City specific green space strategy or plan Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme General municipal plan Mandatory or voluntary intervention Mandatory (based on policy) Intervention is mandatory Spatial planning guidance Enablers & Barriers Type of enablers Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships) 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. Governance innovations: The municipality concluded an agreement with a local business company for implementation The European Funds were accessed through requests to the regional development plans further mentioned above (Ref 7, 9). Governace and decison-making instruments Legislative and regulatory instruments (e.g. laws, strategies, regulations or restrictions) 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)) Public - private business agreement (e.g. public private collaborations, public-private-partnerships (PPP)) Arrangements for governance cooperation Formal coordination mechanisms to oversee project implementation and decision-making (e.g., multi-stakeholder steering committees, working groups) Barriers Exhaustion of funds, rise in price of construction materials, Ukraine war, covid pandemic (7). Financing Total cost €2,000,000 - €4,000,000 Please specify total cost (EUR) 2,900,000 on first stage (Ref. 1-3), possibilty amounting to 400,000 more after delay (3,300,000 total) (Ref. 9). What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements? n/a 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 Yes Who provided the non-financial contribution? Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services) Type of non-financial contribution Provision of land Co-finance for NBS Yes Co-governance arrangement A fund / grant Entrepreneurship opportunities No What entrepreneurship opportunities have arisen from the NBS project? Biodiversity monitoring and conservation services Business models Business models Green densification model Vacant space model Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model? Public actor (e.g. municipality) Private for-profit actor (e.g. firm, insurer) 5. Evaluation and learning Impacts, benefits Environmental impacts Climate change Enhanced carbon sequestration Expected enhanced carbon sequestration Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves Environmental quality Improved air quality Expected improved air quality Green space and habitat Increased green space area Expected increased green space area Description of environmental benefits -Expected enhanced carbon sequestration: "1.79ha of green spaces with a diverse vegetation can offer sequestration of around 3.6tCO 2 /year and 14kg of PM10/year (2tCO 2 /ha/year and 8kg PM/ha/year" (ref. 4, p.71). -Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves. "Benefits in terms of climate change adaptation & resilience: Reduced heat island effect in summer" (ref. 4, p.71). -Expected improved air quality: "Increase quality green space in urban fabric, create and protect green space system to support clean air and social inclusion" (ref. 4, p. 70). -Expected increased green space area: "The rest, 90, 208%, respective of 16.158,09 m2, will be an area of green space (ref. 3). Environmental impact indicators Green space area created (in ha) 16 Carbon storage (kg carbon/m2) 3.6tCO 2 /year and 14kg of PM10/year (2tCO 2 /ha/year and 8kg PM/ha/year) Economic impacts Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions) Expected increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions) Description of economic benefits -Expected increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions). "4 FTE jobs (long-term) can be created at the municipal park management services to maintain this additional green space (ref. 4, p.71)". Economic impact indicators Number of jobs created (e.g. park maintenance, landscaping, ecotourism) 4 Social and cultural impacts Health and wellbeing Gain in activities for recreation and exercise Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise Enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief Expected enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief Description of social and cultural benefits -Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise: "Recreation facilities will be created on the landscaped grounds (special areas for practicing sports, playgrounds for children" (ref. 4, p.70). -Expected enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief: "The general objective of the investement is to create and area of leisure and relaxation (ref. 3). 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 Presence of indicators used in reporting Yes Type of indicators Input indicators Process indicators Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports Yes Link to monitoring/evaluation reports https://e-licitatie.ro/pub/notices/ca-notices/view-c/100469829 Availability of a web-based monitoring tool No evidence in public records Name of any specific impact assessment tools Unknown. Use of GIS in mapping impacts No Cost-benefit analysis No Transparency Inclusion of diverse stakeholders in project governance processes (e.g. planning, implementation, monitoring, etc.) Public disclosure of project funding sources and/or budgets Justice Community satisfaction Unknown Description of locals satisfaction with the project Because it is ongoing, there is still no reports on local satisfaction. Trade-offs & Negative impacts Other Please specify Trade-offs & Negative impacts Selected The project, originally expected to be completed by 2022 (2-7, 9), encountered delays due to several factors outlined in the data collection. These included the war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, funding shortages, and a legal dispute between the companies vying for the Municipality's contract (6-7, 9). Although the company that initially placed second in the bid won the subsequent trial, the Municipality has, as of May 2024, continued its partnership with the original winning company without offering explanations. According to public data, the project is now expected to be completed by the end of this year (2024) (1, 9). 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 Not applicable Please specify the achievements of the project goals Project is due to be finished by the end of 2024. (1,4) Long-term perspective Unknown: No information about the project's long-term sustainability. Cost-effective solutions No Equitable impacts C. Unknown Transformative capacity 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. Lucian State (2023). News on advancement of the project in 2023 . Ziarul Evenimentul , Accessed on August 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 2. Ionut Onofrei (2020). News on signing contract with construction company, 2020 . Apix, Accessed on August 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 3. Ziarul de Iasi (2020). Press release on start of the project . Accessed on August 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 4. PAOV (2023). Green City Report of Iasi . p. 70-71 Accessed on August 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 5. 7 Iasi (2022). News on the project being slow and stopped . Accessed on August 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 6. Alex Andrei (2022). News following on non-advancement of the project . Accessed on August 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 7. City Hall Iasi (2024). Last municipal document updating on the project and for funding requests . Accessed on August 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 8. Populatia Ro (n.d.). Demografie judetul Iasi . Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 9. City Hall Iasi (2019 ). First City Hall decision on Implementation of project. Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 10. PDR Nord-Est (n.d.). PDR Nord-Est 2021-2027 - Regio Nord-Est 2021-2027. Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 11. Municipiul Iasi (2015). Strategia integrata de dezvoltare urbana . [Download]; Comments and notes Public Images Image Planted tree sapling in the park https://www.ziarulevenimentul.ro/stiri/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti--217544982.html Image State of the construction of the park https://www.ziarulevenimentul.ro/stiri/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti--217544982.html Image Development of green spaces and construction of the park https://www.ziarulevenimentul.ro/stiri/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti--217544982.html
Image Planted tree sapling in the park https://www.ziarulevenimentul.ro/stiri/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti--217544982.html
Image State of the construction of the park https://www.ziarulevenimentul.ro/stiri/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti--217544982.html
Image Development of green spaces and construction of the park https://www.ziarulevenimentul.ro/stiri/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti/au-aparut-primii-copaci-in-zona-de-agrement-ca-rosetti--217544982.html
