Over the past years, UPSURGE has worked with cities, researchers, businesses, and citizens to demonstrate how fit-for-purpose NBS can improve air quality, enhance climate resilience, and support the transition towards carbon-neutral and regenerative urban environments. Through real-life demonstrations, innovative digital tools, multimodal environmental sensing, and the development of the European Regenerative Urban Lighthouse, the project has delivered practical solutions and knowledge to support cities on their regenerative transition pathway.

We invite you to watch the video and explore how UPSURGE contributes to cleaner air, healthier communities, and more resilient cities.

Watch the full video here:

From identifying key urban regeneration challenges to presenting the project’s main outcomes and practical tools for cities, the event demonstrated how nature-based innovation can be successfully scaled across Europe. Inspiring presentations and dynamic panel discussions featured representatives of the Pilot Cities, who shared their experiences, challenges, and lessons learned throughout the project.

What We Demonstrated

• Nature-based solutions deliver clear, evidence-based benefits across environmental, social, and economic dimensions — while also offering attractive opportunities for businesses.
• Social impact, co-creation, and citizen engagement, tested through the project’s innovative Place Labs approach, generate the most effective and long-lasting results.
• Digital tools play a crucial role in transforming complex data into human-centred, adaptable services that support better urban decision-making.
• The Regenerative Index and policy recommendations developed within the project provide cities with powerful instruments to drive meaningful regenerative transformation.

Despite facing diverse challenges and operating within different local contexts, the Pilot Cities achieved remarkable outcomes. Together, they delivered a strong and unified message: reconnecting cities with nature is not only necessary — it is what citizens increasingly expect from the cities of the future.

You can watch a short video relation from the conference on the Katowice City YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9AaYwE09Ro. [PL]