The social, technical and political dynamics of NBS in European cities- initial findings from case-study research in the Naturvation projectNBS 2017 Nature-based Solutions – From innovation to common use

Tallinn, Estonia, Oct 2017

Björn Wickenberg, Lund University

Bernadette Kiss (Lund University), Filka Sekulova (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona)

ABOUT THE PROJECT

NATure-based URbaninnovation

4-year project

14 institutions across Europe in the fields of urban development, geography, innovation studies and economics

a step-change in how we understand and use NBS for sustainable urbanisation

Urban-regional innovation partnerships (URIPs)

…will provide insights into variety of ways in which NBS are being used in different urban conditions

Transdisciplinaryapproach

Assessment of biophysical and ecological services

Characterizing NBS from a business model and financing perspective

Economic valuation of NBS in urban areas

Social & cultural values & impacts of NBS and natural areas

Governing NBS

Nature of innovation for urban sustainability

From broad scale to in-depth studies

Case study approach

Business models

Citizens´engagement

Governance strategies

Innovation pathways

Innovation

What type of innovation?

Where did the NBS origin from –how did they ”travel”/emerge?

Why innovation as opposed to traditional/mainstream solutions?

What forms of learningprocesses have taken place?

Governance

How are NBS in the cities governed, and what tools and techniques areimportant?

What are the institutionalarrangements and partnerships thatsupport the emergence and implementation ofNBS?

Photo by courtesy of Streets & Parks Department, city of Malmö

Citizens´engagement

Forms of citizenengagement and participatory methods?

How was participation enabled or supported?

At what stage werecitizens´involved?

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Business models

What institutionalarrangements, i.e. business models, social entrepreneurship, forms of finance, have beeninvolved?

How critical was it to implement the NBS?

For ongoing projects: is the financing of the intervention beyond end of project adressed?

Photo by courtesy of Streets & Parks Department, city of Malmö

EcoCityAugustenborg(Malmö)

Favorable polity and policy environment

Interactive Implementation Process > creative and inclusive multiple actors on multiple levels > citizen engagement visioning and planning in parallel

Collaborative Project Management > policy innovation Stormwaterpolicy > Stormwater Directive Communication platform among different departments

How to maintain the momentum of change? Innovation spill-over to multiple areas

Early findingsin case studies- someexamples

• Increasing housing/school supply a conflicting land-use priority

• Governance of austerity (budget cuts, new forms for maintenance needed)

• Innovative cross-sectoral funding arrangements (Utrecht!)

• Municipal interest in new forms of governance and experimentation

• Governance innovation via partnerships & networks – multi-level and multidisciplinary teams!

• NBS potential platform for social change & inclusion

• Lacking conditions for mainstreaming/continuum

Early findingsin case studies- somechallenges

Participation barriers – how to enhance knowledge, expertise, and maintain continuum?

Conflicting policy/planning goals and land-use priorities – how to safeguard, improve and develop existing and new green spaces in the dense city?

Commitment by local/national authorities and inclusion of NBS in wider planning processes is key in all cases – how to internalize/”mainstream” NBS as a general requirement in all planning processes?

NBS often perceived being expensive, especially maintenance - a need for cost-effective business models that include a better appraisal of total costs!

Many of the NBS tend to happen in privileged areas – how to avoid uneven geographical distribution of NBS interventions?

Risk that NBS leads to higher prices of housing and unintentional gentrification in some areas – better understanding of socio-economic impacts is needed!

BUSIN

ESS MO

DELS

CITIZENS´ENGAGEMENT

GO

VER

NA

NCE

STR

ATEG

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INNOVATION PATHWAYS

Cooperation

Agency

Learning

Governancestructures

Plans & policies

Discourse& visions

?

Resources

Cognitivefactors

Key drivers & barriers to innovation with NBS

Literature review & case studies:

A range of factors including policies, resources, personal qualities and partnerships are identified as determinants of success (or non-success)

Suggestion:

No single factor can qualify as root explanation; a systemic understanding is necessary

Success is reflected in the quantity, quality, distribution, transferability and sustainability of interventions

Source: The Nature of Innovation for Urban Sustainability Alexander van der Jagt, Hade Dorst, Rob Raven, Hens Runhaar (UU) Project deliverable 1.3 Part VI, May 2017

Please visit: www.naturvation.eu

or follow us @naturvation

Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union Grant Agreement No 730243

Thanks for listening!

Questions & suggestions:Bjorn.wickenberg@iiiee.lu.se