Healthy green and blue spaces are critical for biodiversity, including in cities, and help urban residents live a good quality of life. The value of these spaces is increasingly recognised by decision makers and planners, but effective, inclusive and equitable implementation on the ground is still challenging. To tackle this issue, the ENABLE project has compiled a series of approaches and tools to support the implementation of urban green and blue infrastructure (GBI).
Photo: Stockholm Resilience Center
ENABLE’s approach is based on exchanging knowledge between scientific experts and urban practitioners in various European cities. These partnerships help stakeholders and policy makers access specialist knowledge on GBI and allow them to build the networks they need for future initiatives. A broad representation of different ways of appreciating and engaging with GBI helps establish links with different policy areas, mainstreaming its use into urban planning. Similarly, aligning local, national and EU policy and planning frameworks for urban development is critical to successfully unlocking GBI potential and realising its multiple benefits.
A new pair of policy briefs, targeted at local level and EU level respectively, highlight the lessons learnt from ENABLE’s approach to working in partnerships with scientists, decision makers and other stakeholders, and the considerable benefits they bring.
Photo: La Citta Vita/Flickr
The first policy brief discusses operationalising EU policies for urban GBI. It explores relevant policy instruments at EU level, including EU funding sources, identifying how they can support cities in making better use of GBI. For example, European Regional Development Funds, the LIFE Programme for Environment and Climate Action, and the EU Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon Europe, are accessible to all actors who contribute to GBI implementation. Policies at local level in the ENABLE cities, such as the Barcelona Open Space Resilience Strategy, highlight several ways that urban GBI contributes to EU policy goals.
The second policy brief discusses the practicalities of engaging urban stakeholders in scientific research. Key factors for success include establishing common goals, a shared understanding of the problem at hand and a common language. An effective partnership is underpinned by trust, flexibility and clear roles and responsibilities. ENABLE has found that taking a collaborative approach to scientific research means it is considered to be valid and valuable, and supports GBI implementation on the ground.
