Organised as hybrid, the event will bring together policymakers, urban practitioners, researchers, and city leaders to reflect on UPSURGE’s results and discuss how they can support the next generation of nature-based, climate-positive and socially-relevant urban solutions.

What to Expect

During the conference, UPSURGE partners and invited experts will present:

• Innovative approaches to Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) tested in the five UPSURGE demo cities: Belfast, Breda, Budapest, Katowice, and Maribor.
• Best practices for co-creation, community engagement, and multi-level governance.
• Digital tools, decision-support systems, and analytics for planning and monitoring the effectiveness of NBS interventions.
• Scalable models for regenerative urban planning that can be applied across Europe.
• Policy-relevant insights on enabling frameworks and standards for nature-positive city transitions.

The event will also serve to launch the UrbanByNature Platform, a new hub providing advisory and training services to help cities mainstream Nature-Based Solutions into local policies and practices.

Who Should Attend – and Why

This event is designed for:

• City officials and urban planners seeking practical tools and proven approaches to implementing NBS at scale.
• Environmental policymakers and EU-level stakeholders interested in evidence supporting regulatory frameworks for nature-positive transformation.
• Researchers and innovators exploring cutting-edge methods for monitoring, modelling, and evaluating regenerative interventions.
• Civil society organisations and community practitioners involved in co-creation and participatory urban development.
• Urban developers, architects, and landscape designers aiming to integrate NBS into long-term planning and investment strategies.

Participants will gain exclusive insights into UPSURGE’s real-world demonstrations, access ready-to-use tools, and connect with a European network shaping the future of regenerative, climate-resilient cities.

Why Now? – Policy Context

The conference comes at a pivotal moment for EU urban policy. With the European Green Deal, the EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, and the Nature Restoration Law, cities face rising expectations to deliver systemic, nature-based, and regenerative transformations.

UPSURGE’s final results provide practical, evidence-based pathways to help cities meet these ambitions—bridging the gap between high-level policy goals and on-the-ground implementation.

Be Part of the Conversation

Save the date and join us as we explore how UPSURGE innovations can support greener, healthier, and more resilient cities, and how urban stakeholders can build on these outcomes beyond the project’s completion. Agenda and registration fill follow shortly.

The global movement towards resilient cities is accelerating, with Nature-Based Solutions (NbS)—from green roofs to urban forests—emerging as powerful allies against climate change, pollution, and urban heat. But for municipalities making these vital investments, a critical question remains: how do you prove their worth and ensure they deliver their full, sustainable potential?

The Quick Guide for Monitoring Nature-Based Solutions provides the definitive answer. Developed through the EU UPSURGE project, this essential roadmap equips municipal planners, policymakers, and urban development professionals with the expertise to transition from planting to proving the value of their green infrastructure. It is your key tool for turning green ambition into measurable, scientifically sound results.

A Proven Path to Data-Driven Resilience

This guide cuts through the complexity of impact assessment by offering a clear, actionable methodology for developing robust NbS monitoring systems. It lays out a comprehensive 6-Step Monitoring Strategy that guides users through every stage, starting with the construction of a theory of change and concluding with the strategic dissemination of results for policy impact.

Crucially, the guide champions a collaborative approach. It details how to successfully embed Co-Creation and RACER Principles to involve citizens and stakeholders, ensuring indicators are not just technical, but universally Relevant, Accepted, Credible, Easy to monitor, and Robust.

To jumpstart the process, the guide features a Comprehensive Indicator Catalogue, providing a ready-to-use list of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) spanning every critical benefit category: from climate vulnerability, air and water quality, and biodiversity enhancement, to health and wellbeing, social justice, governance, and new economic opportunities.

Real-World Success Stories

Finally, you will find inspiration in the detailed Real-World Inspiration offered by the UPSURGE demonstrator cities. By showcasing the tailored monitoring strategies implemented in Belfast, Breda, Budapest, Katowice, and Maribor, the guide provides practical examples of how diverse NbS projects are being tracked and verified on the ground.

The success of a Nature-Based Solution is dependent on data-driven verification. By leveraging the standardised methodologies and expert insights contained within, your city can ensure its green infrastructure is demonstrably effective, affordable, and durable for generations to come.

Download the Quick Guide today and take the guesswork out of green infrastructure monitoring.

In recent months, trees and shrubs have been planted at the site, marking the first step towards creating a green space dedicated to both nature and people. Although the construction of walking paths and social areas is still to come, residents have already started to recognise the area as a pleasant place for relaxation and spending time outdoors.

Various awareness-raising and community activities have also started to take place along the Pekrski Creek. During September and October, awareness campaigns on dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and breast cancer were held, with informative signs attached to trees, encouraging visitors to reflect on health and care for their loved ones.

The initiative to further enliven the area was also supported by the Nova vas District Community, which began organising reading sessions by the Pekrski Creek. These sessions will take place once a month and are intended for all who wish to enjoy reading and socialising in a relaxing, natural environment.

The demo site in Maribor is thus already becoming a vibrant meeting place for the local community, connecting nature, knowledge, and people, serving as an inspiring example of how nature-based solutions can contribute to a healthier, more connected, and climate-resilient city.

Regional Development Agency for Podravje – Maribor

Who are the stakeholders?
In UPSURGE, stakeholders include anyone with a direct or indirect interest in creating nature-based, climate-resilient cities. This broad group covers municipal authorities, research institutions, businesses, non-governmental organisations, and—crucially—local citizens. Within the project, we define stakeholders as “any group of people, organised or unorganised, who share a common interest or stake in a particular issue or system.” This inclusive understanding ensures that no relevant voice is left unheard, whether it comes from policy, academia, or everyday urban life.

To better understand and categorise these different groups, UPSURGE draws on the Quintuple Helix Model, which illustrates how education, industry, government, civil society, and the environment interact to generate and circulate knowledge as a key resource. When this knowledge transfer functions effectively, it creates both sustainable innovation and new know-how, producing outcomes that feed back into society and generate long-term benefits for all. Each helix contributes its own form of capital and perspective to sustainable development:

• Academia – Develops and disseminates new knowledge to build human capital.
• Economy – Generates and manages economic capital.
• Society – Represents traditions, values, and diversity, providing social capital.
• Natural environment – Provides natural capital and forms the foundation for sustainable development.
• Public sector – Coordinates processes, defines the legal framework, and holds political and legal capital.

By engaging these five helices, UPSURGE ensures that the exchange of ideas and experiences creates synergies and innovation across disciplines and sectors.

Why stakeholder involvement matters
Urban greening and climate adaptation strategies require social acceptance, local ownership, and cross-sectoral cooperation. Stakeholder participation enhances all three. By engaging different actors early and continuously, UPSURGE strengthens the relevance, feasibility, and long-term impact of its results.
Scientific partners gain access to local knowledge and practical insights, improving the quality and usability of research outcomes. Municipal partners benefit from new ideas, expert input, and a clearer understanding of citizens’ needs. For residents, participation fosters a sense of belonging and trust—transforming them from passive recipients of innovation into active co-creators of urban change.

How UPSURGE puts stakeholder engagement into practice
UPSURGE applies stakeholder involvement throughout its project activities and pilot cities. In the Competency Groups and Place Labs established in each pilot—Belfast, Breda, Budapest, Katowice, and Maribor—local authorities collaborate directly with community representatives, green entrepreneurs, and researchers.
These local ecosystems serve as living testbeds for nature-based solutions (NBS), where the design, implementation, and evaluation processes are co-created with relevant stakeholders. Workshops, interviews, and participatory mapping sessions are used to align scientific expertise with local priorities. For example, in Maribor, co-creation sessions with citizens and environmental NGOs helped define realistic and community-supported greening actions. In Belfast, local authorities and researchers collaborated closely with neighbourhood groups to ensure that NBS interventions addressed social as well as environmental challenges.

Building trust and creating shared ownership
True impact can only be achieved when stakeholders feel that their input matters. UPSURGE has therefore developed a structured approach to stakeholder mapping, engagement, and feedback loops. Regular communication, transparent decision-making, and visible results help build long-term trust. The project’s emphasis on dialogue rather than one-way dissemination creates mutual learning between science, policy, and society.

From participation to transformation
Ultimately, stakeholder involvement in UPSURGE goes beyond consultation. It is a driver for innovation, ensuring that solutions are not only scientifically sound but also socially accepted and locally relevant. By embedding stakeholder perspectives into every stage—from planning to implementation and evaluation—the project sets an example for inclusive, human-centred urban sustainability. As UPSURGE continues to unfold, one key message becomes clear: cities thrive when people are part of the process. Stakeholder involvement is not just about inclusion—it is about creating the shared knowledge, responsibility, and enthusiasm needed to make green urban transformation a reality.

Christina Korter

University of Passau

What are Nature-based Solutions?
According to the European Commission, Nature-based Solutions are “actions inspired by or supported by nature that address societal challenges in a sustainable way.” In cities, this includes a wide range of measures: from green roofs, tree-lined streets, and pocket parks to revitalised rivers, rain gardens, and urban forests. However, UPSURGE goes beyond the physical aspects of greening. The project focuses on the services these spaces provide — cleaner air, noise reduction, cooler microclimates, recreation, social interaction, and a stronger sense of belonging.

In this way, NBS act as service providers in urban environments, improving not only environmental conditions but also how people feel in their neighbourhoods.

What do citizens value about NBS?
As part of UPSURGE, we conducted a large-scale study across twelve European countries to better understand how citizens perceive and benefit from NBS. Nearly 1,900 urban residents were surveyed about their satisfaction with green and blue spaces in their cities, their perceived quality of life, and their environmental attitudes.

The results were clear: citizens strongly agree that nearby green spaces have a positive impact on health (average 4.48 on a 5-point scale) and improve overall quality of life (average 4.44). They also recognise that such spaces increase property values and foster a sense of community. People, therefore, see NBS not as decoration, but as essential urban services that enhance daily life.

However, the study also revealed country-specific differences. In North Macedonia and Greece, for instance, residents placed particularly high importance on having access to green and blue spaces, but their satisfaction with what is available was significantly lower. This gap between expectation and experience highlights a strong demand for improved green infrastructure in certain regions.

Why do NBS matter for wellbeing?
The study found a strong connection between satisfaction with NBS and overall satisfaction with one’s city. Cities that invest in visible, high-quality green and blue spaces tend to have happier residents. In fact, satisfaction with NBS explained more than half of the variation in how satisfied people were with their urban environment.

Another interesting finding: citizens who are more satisfied with their local green spaces also tend to have stronger environmental attitudes. This suggests that experiencing the benefits of nature firsthand can foster a deeper awareness of sustainability — a small but meaningful pathway towards greener behaviour and healthier cities.

Different people, different uses
Across Europe, the main reasons people visit parks, rivers, or community gardens are relaxation (71%), contact with nature (51%), and physical activity (41%). In some countries, such as North Macedonia, green spaces are used intensively as playgrounds for children, while in others, like Germany, they are more often used for sports or recreation. These patterns show that nature-based solutions must be tailored to local lifestyles, climate and cultural habits, rather than implemented as one-size-fits-all models.

What does this mean for cities?
For municipalities and local decision-makers, the message is clear:

• Don’t just create green spaces — maintain and manage them well.
• Focus on services that people directly perceive, such as air quality, shade, noise reduction, and comfort.
• Combine NBS with awareness and participation to strengthen citizens’ connection to nature and the perceived benefits.

Nature-based solutions are more than green spots on an urban map. Citizens perceive them as services that make everyday life easier, healthier and more enjoyable. UPSURGE shows: when cities provide accessible, good-quality blue and green spaces, people reward that with higher satisfaction with their neighbourhood, their city, and even with their life.

Christina Korter

University of Passau

Opportunities for NBS in Patras abound, particularly in leveraging local contexts for transformative impact. First, aesthetic and multifunctional design can boost citizen appreciation and stewardship. In Patras, UPSURGE’s co-creation workshops with residents, architects, and municipality officials enable visually appealing NBS—such as artist-designed green roofs—that integrate seamlessly into the city’s Mediterranean landscape, promoting recreation and biodiversity. Second, NBS offer an alternative to grey infrastructure, addressing multiple agendas like climate adaptation and social inclusion. Patras’s waterfront and hilly topography suit linear parks and rain gardens, potentially reducing flood risks while generating green jobs and environmental education. Collaborative governance, a key UPSURGE pillar, fosters trust and diversity in participation, allowing Patras to learn from social innovations and replicate scalable designs long-term. By embedding NBS in local action plans, the city can unlock EU funding and align with national green policies, enhancing livability in deprived areas and building resilience against economic pressures like post-austerity recovery.

Yet, challenges persist, rooted in structural conditions of Patras’s urban infrastructure regime. Limited collaborative governance hinders integration, as policy barriers between environmental and planning departments mirror broader Greek bureaucratic hurdles, delaying NBS permits and enforcement. Knowledge gaps and low awareness—exacerbated by insufficient data on NBS co-benefits—undermine private sector buy-in; developers prioritize housing over green space amid land scarcity in Patras’s expanding urban core. Resource constraints are acute: austerity legacies mean underfunded municipalities struggle with maintenance. Citizen engagement faces cultural hurdles, including low environmental awareness in dense neighborhoods, where NBS compete with development needs. Up to now, trust in engineering over living solutions reinforces these, with NBS often sidelined in favor of “quick-fix” concrete interventions.

Addressing these requires context-sensitive strategies: tailored narratives to mainstream NBS across agendas, diversified funding via public-private partnerships, and ongoing monitoring for replication. Patras’s UPSURGE involvement positions it to pioneer inclusive, place-based NBS, balancing ecosystem restoration with social equity for a resilient future.

Edited by Vasileios Kantzaris (Municipality of Patras)

To celebrate this milestone, ICLEI will host a networking event at the ICLEI Stand on 5 November at 17:00. The informal gathering, supported by the UPSURGE project, will bring together city representatives, practitioners, and experts to connect, exchange experiences, and learn more about how UrbanByNature is helping cities integrate NbS into local policies and practices.

Attendees are invited to join the celebration with a glass of cava or a refreshing soft drink, and to explore the resources and training opportunities that the new platform offers.

Event: Launch of UrbanByNature Platform
Date & Time: 5 November, 17:00
Location: ICLEI Stand, Gran Via, Hall 2, Level 0, Street A, Stand 105, Smart City Expo World Congress, Barcelona

ICLEI will soon publish a dedicated post featuring its full participation in the Smart City Expo, including the UrbanByNature launch. In the meantime, UPSURGE partners and followers are encouraged to share and help disseminate the news across their channels.

Supporting materials available:

• UrbanByNature one-pager

This year, the Podravje branch marked Pink October with a walk along the Pekrski potok stream, where participants were accompanied by posters with information on the importance of prevention, early detection of the disease, and women’s health care.

The event began at 4:30 p.m. at the BMX track on Kardeljeva cesta in Maribor. In addition to the walk itself, the association’s members also set up a stand with informational materials, where visitors could receive useful advice on prevention, healthy lifestyles, and the importance of regular checkups.

“We want to encourage people to think about their own health and remind them that early detection of disease is crucial,” emphasised the members of Europa Donne Podravje.

The event was held in cooperation with the City Municipality of Maribor, the City District of Nova vas, and the UPSURGE project.

Original source: https://www.lokalec.si/foto-roznati-oktober-v-mariboru-pohod-ob-pekrskem-potoku-za-zdravje-zensk/

On 1–2 October 2025, the city of Breda hosted the meeting of the UPSURGE project partners. During the event, participants discussed current project matters, including a detailed review of achievements and challenges within individual work packages. Over two productive days, we reviewed key project updates — including deliverables, communication efforts, and upcoming publications.

The partners had the opportunity to see the implementation of demonstration investments in the city including the impressive revitalisation of the ZUID LINIE area. Particular interest was drawn to Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) implemented around residential areas, such as community gardens and rain gardens.  A boat trip along the river offered participants the chance to view additional green areas — including riverside parks — and enjoy the many picturesque sights of this charming city.

We still have a lot of work ahead of us, as the end of the project is fast approaching. These are the last few months to showcase the project’s achievements.

The event brought together more than 50 local residents, mostly senior citizens living in the DEMO area, who took part in an outdoor group workout led by instructors from Šola zdravja. Participants had the opportunity to connect with nature, experience the nearby Nature-Based Solutions, and strengthen social ties within their community.

Such initiatives highlight how UPSURGE supports cities in creating healthier, greener, and more inclusive urban environments, where citizens play an active role in the transition towards regenerative cities.