Urban water management is evolving through innovative approaches, in particular through the increase in nature-based solutions (NbS). This is where the NICE project comes in and two important events were recently held to showcase the progress and potential of NbS in urban water management. UrbanByNature is pleased to highlight these important events, which showcased advances in NbS for urban water management.

The 5th NICE Cities Panel brought together international experts from the fields of NbS and social sciences to explore how capacity building can promote the integration of NbS into urban water management. Strategies to improve the implementation of NbS and the central role of capacity building in networking stakeholders and mobilising action across sectors were discussed. Special attention was given to topics such as green walls and constructed wetlands, which emphasised the importance of community empowerment and the long-term sustainability of NbS initiatives.

In addition, NICE presented its innovative water treatment technologies on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the Gdansk University of Technology, including the development of rain gardens as urban real-world pilot projects. In a special EU Green Week side session entitled "Innovative Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Cities", experts shared their insights on overcoming implementation challenges and fostering collaboration between researchers, municipalities and decision-makers. The discussions emphasised the urgency of tailored solutions and the effectiveness of tools such as the NICER tool to promote the uptake and scaling of NbS in urban areas. Read the full recap here.

In urban water management, NbS offer sustainable alternatives to traditional methods by integrating natural processes such as green walls and rain gardens. NbS improve water quality, reduce pollution, promote biodiversity and build resilience to climate change. Capacity building is essential to provide stakeholders with the knowledge and skills to effectively implement and maintain NbS. Stay up to date on what is happening in the NbS world in terms of capacity building and participate in the transformation of NbS implementation by registering for our UrbanByNature programme.