On 3 December 2024, the Ecologic Institute in Berlin hosted the workshop 'Transformation of urban stormwater management through nature-based solutions: Future Paths for Berlin'. This half-day event brought together experts from urban development, water management, nature conservation and representatives from authorities and agencies to discuss innovative approaches to sustainable rainwater management.

Objectives and content

The workshop began with a welcome address by Dr Benjamin Kupilas (Ecologic Institute), followed by an introduction to the international research project NICHES by Dr Ulf Stein (Ecologic Institute). The aim of the workshop was to provide participants with an overview of the infrastructural and regulatory challenges of stormwater management in Berlin and to jointly develop concrete transformation paths focussing on nature-based solutions (NbS).

Highlights of the event

1. Keynote speeches by experts:
   Dr Franziska Baack (TU Twente) highlighted international governance aspects of blue-green infrastructure.
   Jochen Flenker (Grünflächenamt Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf) presented tried-and-tested approaches and strategies for improving the resilience of urban rainwater infrastructure.
2. Interactive sessions:
   The participants worked in groups to analyse the current state of rainwater management and develop joint visions for the future. The focus was on practical solutions and the integration of nature-based approaches.
3. Final discussion and outlook:
   Dr Ulf Stein led the concluding discussion, in which the results of the group work were summarised, and concrete next steps were formulated.

Result and conclusion

The intensive collaboration between the participants during the workshop led to innovative solutions that can strengthen Berlin's resilience to extreme weather events. The international perspectives and practical approaches from the region were particularly emphasised.

The results will be fed into the further work of the NICHES research project and will serve as a basis for future measures.