Checking a nature-based solutions project
The CHECK phase is about comparing the achieved results to the set goals. During the CHECK phase, the monitoring activities defined during the DO phase are implemented and the quality of data is reviewed.
A summary of all key resources for the CHECK phase can be downloaded here.
Relevant knowledge resources for this phase
NBS impact assessment
Multiple types of NBS and their modes of action exist to address specific challenges, and they exhibit the impacts at various temporal and spatial scales. After the goals and targets, and NBS types have been co-identified and implemented, appropriate monitoring approaches and tools are central to a successful assessment of NBS performance and impact. Monitoring generates evidence that helps track the progress towards the goals, and guides future financing and local decision-making.
WEBINAR: Monitoring and evaluation of NBS
In the frame of the UNaLab Buddy System Webinars, researchers from the cross-project task force shared their expertise and key insights on NBS monitoring and evaluation. Click below to watch the recording.
Evaluating the Impact of Nature-based Solutions
A handbook for practitioners, which may serve as a reference for relevant EU policies and activities; orient urban practitioners in developing robust impact evaluation frameworks for nature-based solutions at different scales; and, provide a comprehensive set of indicators and methodologies.
Relevant tools for this phase
NBS Simulation Visualisation Tool
The NBS Simulation and Visualisation Tool is a user interface for the Systemic Decision Support Tool (SDST). The SDST allows to assess, ex-ante, the direct and indirect impacts of NBS measures (individual NBS) and strategies (suites of NBS) on urban heat and air quality, flooding and water quality, and sprawl, gentrification and real-estate valuation. Follow the link below to visit running versions from the UNaLab Front-Runner cities, or take a look at the SDST Practitioners' User Guide for Municipalities to learn more about the set-up and use.
Geobased citizen engagement
Involving citizens throughout every step, from analysis, to design, to evaluation of NBS is critical for success. Using the official city mobile app, offering information only when relevant to the user, will improve engagement. This is exactly what this tool facilitates for any city and communication department. UNaLab has used it to inform and invite visitors to share their opinion at the right time and place.
City Performance Monitor
The City Performance Monitor (CPM) is the performance analytics and monitoring tool used by the UNaLab project cities. It increases stakeholder and citizen awareness of urban conditions through an easy-to-understand representation of the effectiveness of the nature-based solutions implemented in the city using social, environmental and economic performance indicators.
NBS impacts in UNaLab cities
Monitoring in UNaLab cities
DATASETS: UNaLab NBS monitoring data
The UNaLab front-runner cities Eindhoven, Genova and Tampere have collect large amounts of NBS monitoring data during the project. The UNalab project supports Open Science and a lot of UNaLab monitoring data has been made available to the research community and other interested actors. These open datasets have been published on the UNaLab Zenodo community site.
STUDY: Effectiveness of nature-based solutions on pluvial flood hazard mitigation
In this study, the effects of different NBS on urban flood mitigation were evaluated for the city of Eindhoven in The Netherlands. Various NBS scenarios were defined by municipal stakeholders and their impacts modelled with the numerical model Infoworks ICM. This was done for design storms with short, medium and long return periods (5, 10 and 100 years). Overall, the simulated NBS were effective in flood risk mitigation, reducing the flooded area as well as flood depth.
STUDY: Impacts of nature-based solutions on the urban atmospheric environment
This study aims to assess how NBS can contribute to temperature attenuation and air quality improvement in the city of Eindhoven, through the application of the state-of-the-art WRF-Chem online air quality modelling system. The city is thereby characterized in terms of air quality related data, such as climatology, atmospheric emissions and air pollutant concentrations. From this assessment, different NBS were selected according to city aspirations.
STUDY: Short and medium- to long-term impacts of nature-based solutions on urban heat
The main objective of this study is to assess the short-term and medium- to long-term impacts of NBS on urban heat fluxes, taking as a case study the city of Eindhoven. An integrated modelling approach, composed of a coupled meteorological and urban energy balance model (WRF-SUEWS) and an hedonic pricing simulation model (SULD), is used to assess urban heat fluxes and urban compaction effects, respectively.
WEBINAR: Climate vision and monitoring in Hong Kong
As part of the UNaLab Buddy System Webinar Series, Hong Kong presented their climate vision and related monitoring activities.