Introduction to the Project

The UNaLab Consortium is comprised of 28 partners from 10 cities across Europe and beyond, including municipalities, research, business and industry. The UNaLab partner cities are committed to address climate- and water-related urban challenges with an innovative and citizen-driven approach. The UNaLab cities aim to develop smarter, more inclusive, more resilient and increasingly sustainable societies through innovative nature-based solutions.

Project Objectives

The three front-runner cities - Eindhoven, Tampere and Genova - are through the establishment of Urban Living Lab (ULL) demonstration areas experimenting, demonstrating and evaluating a range of different nature-based solutions (NBS) targeting climate change mitigation and adaptation along with the sustainable management of water resources. These solutions have been co-created with and for local stakeholders and citizens.

The front-runner cities actively collaborate and share their experiences with the five European follower cities - Stavanger, Prague, Castellón, Cannes and Başakşehir - and support them in their development of individual NBS roadmaps, which is done through a co-creative approach. The non-European follower cities and the observers actively learn from the European NBS approach, which will enable the creation of a global NBS marketplace.

The project results will enable the development of a European NBS reference framework on benefits, cost-effectiveness, economic viability and replicability of nature-based solutions.

ERRIN's Role

ERRIN is responsible for the UNaLab project's communication and dissemination activities. This includes managing the project's website and social media channels; developing promotional material and publications; organising and participating in events; engaging in promotional activities; stakeholder engagement; and fostering replication.

The project will produce a wide range of information, best practices, tools and guidelines which will be gathered in a Replication Framework and which will guide cities across Europe and beyond in developing and implementing their own co-created nature-based solutions. ERRIN's role is to contribute to the general discussions around the potential of nature-based solutions and to disseminate the resources deriving from the project towards relevant stakeholder groups in an innovative and effective way.

  • Heidi Johansson
  • Project Manager
  • Ryan Titley
  • Director of Projects

ERRIN Members

Benefit & Links

An important objective of the UNaLab project is to raise awareness of nature-based solutions and to promote and foster the uptake of these innovative solutions in cities beyond the project. The project is generating a wide range of information, best practices, guidelines and tools to allow cities to learn from the work that has been done within UNaLab, and to enable them to plan and implement their own nature-based solutions.

ERRIN members can benefit both by taking part of the key outcomes and results of the UNaLab project, which continuously are disseminated towards the membership through ERRIN’s communication channels, as well as by participating in the project’s events and activities.

Latest Updates

Handbook image
  • By Heidi Johansson

Handbook on implementation and adoption barriers of urban living labs developing nature-based solutions

Developing Urban Living Labs is a relatively novel approach in urban areas, and consequently, there are many challenges and barriers that cities face during ULL adoption. This handbook, developed by the UNaLab project, aims to identify and explore some common barriers to the adoption of Urban Living Labs, and provide cities with a tool and an understanding of how to strategically address these barriers.

Park
  • By Heidi Johansson

Study on the use of urban green spaces

The UNaLab project is conducting a study on how people generally perceive and use urban green spaces, and how these use patterns have changed due to the COVID-19 situation. The results of this study will contribute to the design of urban green spaces to satisfy the needs of all urban citizens.

Knowledge centre for biodiversity launched
  • By Hilary Webb

Knowledge centre for biodiversity launched

The new Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity will serve as a point of access to science-based evidence to protect natural ecosystems that provide Europe with food, medicine, materials, recreation and wellbeing.

ULL Handbook
  • By Heidi Johansson

UNaLab Living Lab Handbook

With this Living Lab Handbook, you can learn how to develop an Urban Living Lab, based on the experiences, research and practical experience from the UNaLab project. The tips included in the handbook are given by the Living Lab experts who have successfully set up a Living Lab in their own community.

Animated city
  • By Heidi Johansson

NBS Infographic

The UNaLab NBS infographic presents how your city can achieve the European Green Deal with nature-based solutions. You can also learn about the impacts that NBS will have on your city and your citizens.

Trees
  • By Heidi Johansson

UNaLab Booklet

This booklet gathers the experiences, key learnings and best practices from the Horizon 2020 UNaLab project on how to plan, develop and implement nature-based solutions in an urban setting together with local stakeholders and citizens.