NATURGO – Governance for nature-based solutions

The NATure-Based Solutions and URban Water Governance (NATURGO) project focuses on advancing the understanding of how nature-based solutions (NBS) principles are currently embedded in urban water governance strategies. In partnership with five cities across Europe, the project aims to conduct strategic research that engages municipal decision-makers and stakeholders, leading to the development of knowledge, tools, and processes that promote the collaborative planning, implementation, and long-term sustainability of NBS in urban water systems.

NATURGO addresses the urgent need to integrate NBS-based green and/or blue infrastructure alongside – or instead of – traditional grey infrastructure solutions to tackle urban water challenges intensified by the growing pressures of climate change and urbanisation.
Over a three-year period, the project will analyse how key structural and procedural aspects of governance can enable collaborative and effective planning, implementation, and maintenance of NBS, contributing to the development of future-oriented urban water management strategies.

The work will involve:

• Participatory Transition Arena processes that enable multi-actor scenario co-creation.
• Systemic governance diagnostics grounded in multilevel and polycentric theory.
• Use of real-time simulation tools (Urban Nature Explorer & InflowGo) to assess NBS performance, and co-benefits.
• A commitment to inclusive, cross-scale knowledge co-production.

This combination of actions will allow cities to explore credible and socially inclusive pathways for integrating NBS and embed them in long-term strategies. Participating cities include Umeå (Sweden), Copenhagen (Denmark), Florence (Italy), Piran (Slovenia), and Debrecen (Hungary).

IVL’s role

IVL coordinates the NATURGO project, leading Work Package 1 (WP1), and will focus on examining novel NBS financing and insurance schemes with assistance from the Sustainable Finance Lab Sweden. It will also work closely with Umeå Kommun to explore how NBS could address current flooding challenges.

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Project intro film