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GREEN-INC

Growing Effective & Equitable Nature-based Solutions through Inclusive Climate Actions

Project
Funded
Category
Project
Call
DUT Call 2022
Duration
Project coordinator
University of Amsterdam

Nature-based Solutions (NbS), such as green roofs, raingardens, and constructed wetlands, have become important tools to create circular urban economies by integrating nature and natural features into cities and landscapes. GREEN-INC challenges the “win-win-win” proposition of NbS: i.e. the claim that NbS contribute by default to a socially inclusive, economically vibrant and ecologically resilient society.

As a way forward, ICAs have been proposed that tackle climate change and inequalities simultaneously. This is achieved by engaging a wide range of communities, incorporating fairness and accessibility in the design of NbS, and distributing NbS impacts as equitably as possible from neighbourhood to urban level. The research question that underpins our project is: how could ICAs contribute to more effective and just NbS both communities and ecosystems?

GREEN-INC is a collaboration with 6 universities and 5 partner cities in different European climates (Amsterdam, Brussels, Bucharest, Turin and Skelleftea). Our joint approach follows three steps:

Evaluating the effectiveness and equitability of nature-based solutions (NbS) with new Monitoring & Evaluation frameworks, geo-spatial tools, and qualitative accounts of the lived experiences of residents.
Integrating these tools and insights into an interdisciplinary framework that turn NbS into Inclusive Climate Actions
Validating this new framework with local partners in five living labs in the partner cities by co-designing new prototypes of NbS. For the co-design, we will use digital technologies including digital twins and VR-simulations.

GREEN-INC will contribute to more inclusive and sustainable forms of urbanisation, and build capacity for participatory and integrated planning and management approaches for nature-based solutions (NbS). The expected results are especially targeted at the following three end users:

 Value for academia: we offer new assessment frameworks and theoretical lenses for understanding NbS, as well as empirical evidence from different European localities through comparative research.
Value for local partners (professional and community): the partners in the living labs will benefit directly from our work, resulting in more inclusive NbS that have been co-created with different stakeholders;
Value for policymakers and professionals: a new online toolbox with impact assessment tools, visualisations and policy guidelines for delivering inclusive NbS.
 
The first results can already be found on www.green-inc.eu. The online toolbox will be published online early 2026.

Participating countries

Belgium

Italy

The Netherlands

Romania

Sweden

Funded project partners

Asociatia Informart, Etats Generaux de L Eau A Bruxelles, Lulea Tekniska Universitet, Politecnico di Torino, Universitatea Din Bucuresti, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Other project partners

Comune di Torino, Skellefteå Kommun, Stichting Waternet

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