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Nature-based Solutions in European Policy: A framework for enhancing local action

Keynote at ERRIN Blue Economy Working Group Session

Presentation
Date
Location
online and Brussels, Belgium
Speech

The European Regions Research and Innovation Network's (ERRIN) Blue Economy Working Group held a hybrid meeting entitled "Water issues in the era of climate change" on 5 October 2023. McKenna Davis, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Coordinator of Nature-based Solutions, was invited to hold the keynote presentation to set the scene. Her contribution – entitled "Nature-based solutions in European policy: A framework for enhancing local action" – introduced the variety of nature-based solutions available for water management, current research focusing on these solutions (including the Ecologic-led NICHES project), the surrounding EU policy framework, and examples of enabling local policy instruments from the Urban Governance Atlas.

Regions across Europe are experiencing water-related challenges, ranging from water scarcity to flooding, as a direct impact of climate change. Nature-based solutions (NBS) represent natural and cost-effective solutions that simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits to the local community. Many regions and communities have therefore adopted nature-based solutions to address the water-related problems that they are facing. In this WG meeting, three regions shared examples of nature-based solutions that they have implemented to tackle local water-related challenges, with a focus on results, lessons learned and challenges tackled.

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Source URL: https://www.ecologic.eu/19433