Online platform promotes nature itself in confronting big global challenges
NBS are actions designed to bring more nature and natural features and processes to cities, landscapes and seascapes. These innovative solutions also support economic growth, create jobs and improve our well-being. The EU-funded ThinkNature project created a multi-stakeholder communication platform to support the understanding and promotion of NBS at local, regional, EU and international levels. “Through dialogue uptake, facilitation and steering mechanisms, as well as knowledge capacity building, the platform brought together multidisciplinary scientific expertise, policy, business, society and citizens,” says coordinator Nikolaos Nikolaidis. A list of 126 international partners and organisations has been compiled to foster NBS dialogue and create market synergies for Europe.
Digital space to promote NBS innovation
The platform is an integrated web-based solution that stimulates dialogue and interaction on NBS through discussion forums and debates. These are aimed at identifying regulatory, economic and technical barriers, and communicating and promoting successful NBS. Available to all, the Knowledge Hub includes NBS project sites and platforms, best practice NBS case studies worldwide and a repository for online resources on NBS state-of-the-art activity. Over 730 registered users on the platform’s private area can share documents, tasks and events. They can also participate in online brainstorming forums and discussions to build up their knowledge on NBS.
Stakeholder engagement for all NBS domains
The ThinkNature team established four regional think-and-do tanks and respective networks of local representatives that cover the mediterranean, oceanic, temperate continental and northern temperate regions. The aim is to influence policy ideas and decisions concerning NBS and provide new ideas on how to deal with regional problems. The researchers organised two brainstorming forums that engaged over 300 stakeholders in NBS uptake at regional and local levels. On the basis of questionnaires, interviews, literature reviews and information exchange at the forums and on the platform, they performed technical, market, legislative and policy landscape assessments to identify factors that discourage large-scale NBS deployment.
Capacity building
The platform contains a portfolio of 112 case studies with a methodology to evaluate the degree of documentation completeness. A handbook gathers and promotes state-of-the-art knowledge on NBS and boosts public awareness. It includes a comprehensive guide for all relevant actors. Several short video interviews with a broad range of experts offer various perspectives on and insights into the present and future of NBS. Four webinars attracted 366 people to raise awareness about and understanding of the NBS concept, and to support and promote knowledge on multiple aspects of NBS design and implementation. Forty participants from nineteen countries attended a week-long, hands-on summer school focused on NBS. A game app introduces different NBS and how each can contribute to a city’s support and protection. Players use nature to confront issues involving an imaginary city’s unsustainable growth. “ThinkNature has demonstrated that NBS are cost effective, and they provide environmental, social and economic benefits while achieving more sustainable and resilient societies,” concludes Nikolaidis. “Let’s bring nature back into our cities.” Ultimately, the project will contribute to the European Commission’s double goal of economic growth and sustainability. The ongoing NetworkNature project is a follow-up on the achievements of ThinkNature.
Keywords
ThinkNature, NBS, platform, nature, forum, dialogue, growth, nature-based solutions