Life Lungs Project

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Lisboa (FUA)

Region

Europe

Short description of the intervention

Lisbon is facing an increasing threat linked to climate change due to its geographical location and climate (6), which has had a negative impact on health and quality of life in the city (5). Its average annual precipitation is decreasing, although the city experiences more winter precipitation. This results in longer droughts and more seasonal flooding, which reduces water retention and soil conservation (6). Average temperatures are increasing by 14°C per year, with maximum temperatures up to 5°C higher (6).
As an adaptation measure to these challenges, the LIFE LUNGS project aims to increase Lisbon's resilience by implementing green infrastructure and promoting related ecosystem services (1, 3, 5, 6). Thus, it focuses on measures aimed at coping with temperature increase, mitigating the effects of heat waves and water scarcity, which are expected to become more frequent, being in line with the climate policies adopted by the municipality. The project runs from 2019/2020 to 2024/2025 (1, 5, 6). It aims to address cross-cutting issues such as climate, water and biodiversity (3). The project expects to work hand in hand with the City of Malaga, which has been developing projects aimed at adapting the city to climate change. It is expected to replicate the work in Malaga and post-project to 2 national territories, and 1 in the EU (4). It is also intended to transfer the project work to be implemented in private areas that are part of Lisbon's green infrastructure, and to disseminate and technically train municipalities of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and other municipalities committed to climate change adaptation (4).

Website of the intervention

https://life-lungs.lisboa.pt/en/project

Principal problems

Climate-Related Hazards

Urban flooding (stormwater)

Heat stress & Extreme temperatures

Environmental Degradation

Soil degradation and loss

Physical water retention and availability

Health, Well-being and Social cohesion

Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)

Implementation area characterization

Climate

Temperate ( Humid subtropical, Hot-summer Mediterranean, Warm-summer Mediterranean, Warm-temperate with dry winter)

Ecosystem

Urban or built environment

Address

Paos do Concelho - Praa do Municpio, 1149-014, Lisboa
Lisbon
Portugal

Location

The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city

Area boundary (map-based)

Area description

Urban (main city)

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Public Greenspace Area

Mixed-use development (combination of residential, commercial, and/or industrial)

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

2019

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2019

End date of the intervention

2025

Present stage of the intervention

Ongoing

2. Objectives of the intervention

Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

The main goals of the project include:
To contribute to the implementation of the Municipal Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (EMAAC, 2017), particularly by promoting the city's resilience to rising temperatures and water scarcity (1, 2)
To make urban green infrastructure a fundamental tool for climate adaptation, promote and develop the ecosystem services associated with it and guarantee its sustainable management (1)

Specific objectives (2):
- Adapt the urban green infrastructure to events of extreme precipitation and flooding, through water management measures and improvement of soil cover
- Increase carbon sequestration by promoting the creation of biodiverse rainfed meadows and increasing tree coverage
- Promote the sustainability of urban green infrastructure through cost reduction, implementing natural-based solutions
- Promote an ecological balance of urban green infrastructure, including biodiversity richness, soil conservation and hydrological cycle regulation
- Promote replication and transferability of the project
- Promote citizens' awareness and capacity building

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

Soil quality improvement

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Green space creation and/or management

Water management (SDG 6)

Stormwater and rainfall management and storage

Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)

Effective management

Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides

Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect

Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater

Reducing socio-economic vulnerability to climate impacts (e.g. awareness raising)

Implementation activities and NBS focus

Implementation activities

This is achieved through (1):
- Increase in the shadow area, thus contributing to minimising the effect of the urban heat island
- Adapt urban green infrastructure
- Development of zero rainwater waste areas and adoption of sustainable behaviours, such as adaptation to water scarcity

There have been developed 6 implementation actions:
- The installation, improvement, and operation of biodiverse rainfed meadows in areas of Parque Bela Vista and Alto da Ajuda, as a more adapted alternative to climate change than conventional urban lawns (7, 12)
- Sheep have returned to Lisbon to replace the machines used for vegetation control. Inserting themselves into the ecosystem, the flock also helps in soil conservation (8)
- A mass planting of trees and shrubs in various areas of the city, involving citizens. The areas include streets where trees can provide shade directly to buildings and sidewalks (9)
- The transfer and replication of the project results to interested national and European cities, namely the municipality of Malaga, partner of the project (10)
The actions associated with promoting the dissemination, replication, and transfer of the project are developed through workshops and technical visits for the public and the media (14)
There are also plans to transfer of project work to be implemented in private areas that are part of Lisbon's green infrastructure (4)

Type of NBS project

Maintenance and management of urban nature

Urban reforestation, restoration of street trees

Creation of semi-natural blue areas

Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens)

Strategy, plan or policy development

Creation of city-wide or neighborhood climate adaptation or mitigation strategies/programs

Improved governance of green or blue areas

Creation of new, innovative governance and management approaches

Regional or international exchange of knowledge and experience concerning NBS governance and management

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented

Green areas for water management

Sustainable urban drainage systems

Grey infrastructure featuring greens

Alley or street trees and other street vegetation

Parks and urban forests

Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces

Amenities offered by the NBS

Unknown

Design elements for well-being

Tactile elements (e.g., natural materials like wood or stone, exposure to sunlight)

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Provisioning services

Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes)

Regulating services

Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)

Carbon storage/sequestration

Cultural services

Mental and physical health and wellbeing

Scale

Spatial scale

Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Beneficiaries

Demographics in implementation area

The total population (aged 16 and over) of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area was 2,391.100 (13). In 2022, the Lisbon Metropolitan Area was the region where inequality increased the most, from 31.4% in 2021 to 34.9% in 2022 (14). This is the most densely populated region of Portugal, with 27 % of the population occupying just 3.3 % of the country’s surface area, and is the driving force behind national development, home to 30 % of the country’s businesses and 37 % of its employees. Its active population is also the most qualified in the country, with around 40 % being graduates – compared to the national average of 31.8 %. The unemployment rate is 8 %, located above the national average of 7.2 %. At the end of May 2023, 98 882 people were registered as unemployed (almost 35 % of the national total), 36.9 % of whom were registered for over a year (long-term unemployed) (13)

Socio-economic profile of the area

Mixed income

Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts

Yes

Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities

Urban heat islands

Non-government actors

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Private sector/Corporate/Business

Citizens or community groups

Primary Beneficiaries

Local government/Municipality

Citizens or community groups

Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)

Specify primary beneficiaries

The citizens in general will benefit as the project aims to improve microclimate conditions in urban green areas to mitigate heat waves (4)
Vegetable gardeners will receive training regarding the use of more efficient and adapted irrigation (4)
The Lisbon Metropolitan Area and other municipalities committed to climate change adaptation will receive technical capacity building, as a way of replicating the practices of this project (4)

Marginalized groups

Unknown

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

Lisbon Municipality: Leader of the project (5)
The CML team is responsible, within the scope of LIFE LUNGS, for ensuring the quality of the technical details of the project, coordinating the project, supervising subcontracted work and operational work, raising awareness and empowering citizens and developing communication mechanisms, dissemination and networking.
The Municipal Directorate for Environment, Green Structure, Climate and Energy (DMAEVCE) is responsible for coordinating the project, with the collaboration of other departments of the municipality (15)
Partners: Malaga City Council, Spain; Municipal Management of Urbanism, Works and Infrastructures of the Malaga City Council, Spain (5)
Co-funding source: LIFE - Environment and climate action, EU Fund (5)
Lisbon City Council's technical team: will develop the actions associated with promoting the dissemination, replication, and transfer of the project through workshops and technical visits for the public and the media (14)

Key actors - initiating organization

Local government/municipality

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Public sector institution

EU body

Transnational network

Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders)

Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Uncommon actors ("Missing actors")

Unknown

Land owners

Private sector or company

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"

The project offers solutions with measurable results that deal with European Union (EU) policies, such as those related to biodiversity conservation, assessment and mitigation of flood risks and water management. Despite focusing on climate change, the project is expected to contribute to other European targets and objectives, namely (3):
1. EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020, through the use of native flora (better adapted to local conditions and have a lower water consumption than plants from other regions), the promotion of urban biodiversity and the prevention of proliferation of invasive species
2. EU Flood Risk Assessment and Management Directive (Directive 2007/60 / EC), by improving urban soil cover and rainwater retention and drainage conditions

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"

This project is part of the Municipality's policies initiated in 2008, with the signing of the Covenant of Mayors (and approval of the Action Plan for Climate and Sustainable Energy - SECAP) and with the preparation of the Municipal Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (2017) (3)

Relevant strategy or plan

City specific climate change policy or plan

Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme

General municipal plan

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Mandatory (based on policy)

Intervention is mandatory

Other

Please specify other type of mandatory intervention

Municipal Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (3)

Enablers & Barriers

Type of enablers

City network or regional partnerships focused on climate change, sustainability, GI or NBS in the city

Collaboration with other projects that implemented NBS

Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives.

This project is carried out through a partnership with the Malaga City Council, which has led a series of national and international projects and programs related to sustainable urban planning, the environment and climate change (15). It also has the support of the Gerencia Municipal de Urbanismo, Obras e Infraestructuras de Málaga, which is an autonomous public entity belonging to the City Council of Málaga. In this project, this entity will participate in the management of the project as well as in its coordination and execution actions (15).

Governace and decison-making instruments

Strategic instruments (e.g. GI strategies, green space strategy or plans)

Joint regional planning between municipalities (e.g. inter-municipal exchange platforms, regional plans for environmental management)

Educational and knowledge sharing instruments (e.g. science/ living labs, awareness raising campaigns, specific educational programs, green hubs)

Arrangements for governance cooperation

Formal coordination mechanisms to oversee project implementation and decision-making (e.g., multi-stakeholder steering committees, working groups)

Information-sharing platforms or networks (e.g. websites for sharing best practices, data or resources pertinent to the project)

Capacity-building initiatives for governance actors (e.g. training workshops for local government officials/ community leaders)

Barriers

Unknown

Financing

Total cost

€2,000,000 - €4,000,000

Please specify total cost (EUR)

2,738,880 (6)

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

Yes

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of labour

Co-finance for NBS

Yes

Co-governance arrangement

Unknown

Entrepreneurship opportunities

Business models

Risk reduction 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

Enhanced protection against extreme weather events (e.g. storms, cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion)

Expected enhanced protection against extreme weather events (e.g. storms, cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion)

Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves

Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves

Environmental quality

Improved soil quality

Expected improved soil quality

Water management and blue areas

Increased protection against flooding

Expected increased protection against flooding

Improved stormwater management

Expected improved stormwater management

Green space and habitat

Increased green space area

Expected increased green space area

Increased number of species present

Achieved increased number of species present

Description of environmental benefits

-Enhanced carbon sequestration: "around 740 tonnes of CO2 sequestered" (7)
-Enhanced protection against extreme weather events (e.g. storms, cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion): “Increased resilience to soil erosion through the use of nature-based solutions, and thereby increased resilience to extreme precipitation events” (4)
-Increased shading area with improved microclimate conditions in urban green areas to mitigate heat waves: "Increased shading area with improved microclimate conditions in urban green areas to mitigate heat waves" (4)
-Increased protection against flooding: "improved flood resilience in over 100 ha of the urban green infrastructure areas" (7)
-Improved soil quality: “Increased resilience to soil erosion through the use of nature-based solutions, and thereby increased resilience to extreme precipitation events” (4)
-Improved stormwater management: "better use of rainwater by trialling zero rainwater waste areas and implementing rain-fed ecosystems in an area of over 100 ha" (7)
-Increased green space area: "Over 100 ha of shaded areas thanks to tree planting, with improved microclimate conditions within the urban, green areas of vora" (7)
-Increased number of species present: "Oaks, holm oaks and cork oaks were the trees chosen because they are native species that will contribute to increase the tree coverage of the city." (11)

Environmental impact indicators

Carbon storage (kg carbon/m2)

740 tonnes (7)

Economic impacts

Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)

Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)

Description of economic benefits

-Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation): "Under the guidance of the green spaces technicians of the Lisbon Municipality, 80 volunteers participated in the process of planting 450 trees." (11)

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

EU body

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Type of indicators

Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

Link to a web-based monitoring tool

https://life-lungs.lisboa.pt/en/

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.)

Public disclosure of project funding sources and/or budgets

Online disclosure of technical reports (e.g. project documents, reports, or data)

Justice

Community satisfaction

Positive: The majority of feedback and reports indicate high levels of satisfaction and appreciation for the NBS project within the community.

Description of locals satisfaction with the project

There are positive responses from citizens to the project. These are centred on tree-planting activities. They are grateful for the possibility of participating in these spaces (17).

Trade-offs & Negative impacts

Unknown

Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement

Unknown

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

Inconclusive as the project is still undergoing implementation, or is still on its planning stages

Long-term perspective

Yes

Cost-effective solutions

Yes

Equitable impacts

A. All stakeholders benefit fairly from the project

Transformative capacity

Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution)

Magnitude of change

Reformist: by focusing on addressing underlying drivers of change but failing to address the problem structurally or systemically

Application of lessons learned

Other

Please specify other application of lessons learned

The NBS will be shared or used as a good practice to trigger transformative change

Perception of Environmental Change

Unknown

6. Sources

References

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - The Project. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - Objectives. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - Framework. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Lide Lungs - Expected results. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Climate Adapt (2021). Towards a more resilient Lisbon UrbaN Green InfraStructure as an adaptation to climate change (LIFE LUNGS). Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

European Commission (n.d.). Towards a more resilient Lisbon UrbaN Green InfraStructure as an adaptation to climate change. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). The first LIFE project led by the municipality will make Lisbon greener and “cooler”. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Implementation actions - Sheep - The first LIFE project led by the municipality will make Lisbon greener and “cooler”. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Implementation actions - Planting trees and shrubs - The first LIFE project led by the municipality will make Lisbon greener and “cooler”. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

10.

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Implementation actions - Replication and transfer - The first LIFE project led by the municipality will make Lisbon greener and “cooler”. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

11.

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (2022). Planting at Vale de Chelas. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

12.

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). LIFE LUNGS Project Changes with which we all win. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

13.

EURES (EURopean Employment Services) (n.d.). Labour market information: Portugal - Lisbon. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

14.

Portugal National Statistics Institute (2022). A TAXA DE RISCO DE POBREZA AUMENTOU PARA 17,0% EM 2022 . Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

15.

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - Actions. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

16.

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - Our team . Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

17.

LISBON CITY COUNCIL (2022). A new planting season is about to start. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Comments and notes

Public Images

Tree Planting Activity at Vale de Chelas

LISBON CITY COUNCIL

Tree Planting Activity

LISBON CITY COUNCIL