Urban Planning
Wed, 13/12/2023

ReNature Training Course: Nature-based Solutions in Urban Planning

  • Wed, 13/12/2023

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are actions inspired and supported by nature that have the potential to build resilience in cities, while also providing multiple co-benefits to urban communities and individuals. Examples include urban green and blue space, green roofs and walls, rain gardens, community gardens, sustainable urban drainage systems. The research into NBS is progressing rapidly, and there is a need to mainstream results into urban planning. This training course is aimed at PhD students, post-doc and research fellows, practitioners, and public officers interested in planning and designing NBS to address urban challenges.

The course, organised by the ReNature project, will upskill participants in: understanding the ecological foundations of NBS, assessing their impacts on ecosystem services and their socio-economic implications, identifying planning barriers and opportunities, applying key principles for NBS design.

The following topics will be covered: 

  • Current thinking and experiences in European cities
  • Urban ecosystems, their biodiversity and functions
  • Mapping and assessing urban ecosystem services
  • Analyzing demand for NBS and potential beneficiaries
  • NBS design to target specific urban needs and challenges
  • Windows of opportunities and constraints to mainstream NBS in urban plans. 

The teaching approach is based on input lectures, discussion and case study work, conducted in groups. Participants will be taken to a field visit in an urban area, and then assigned case studies for analysis and design of NBS, incorporating some of the lessons learned during the course. The results will be presented and discussed with experts from the private, public and policy sectors. 

Read more about the course, the agenda, and how to register here.