Climate adaptation self-made - nature-based solutions for the neighborhood: Design and reactivation of unused areas through unsealing and nature-based solutions in the neighborhood for climate adaptation

The effects of climate change are already taken place in the form of increased heat waves and heavy rainfall events. Urban neighborhoods with a high degree of sealed surfaces, as well as elderly people and children, are particularly affected. One way of adapting to these and other socio-ecological challenges are nature-based solutions (NBS). Nature-based solutions are planning concepts and design interventions inspired by nature. In many cities and municipalities, fallow and unused areas have potential for climate-adapted reuse and upgrading, e.g. through (partial) unsealing and greening. The active participation of citizens in the planning, implementation and maintenance of urban nature-based solutions is an important building block here. The project ” Climate adaptation self-made – nature-based solutions for the neighborhood:” (in short: GRUENLINK) supports the implementation of nature-based solutions for the improvement of climate adaptation in three eastern German cities. To this end, the project brings together local environmental initiatives with students, municipal administrations and non-specialist actors such as sports and art associations in action groups in order to jointly plan the design and reactivation of a previously unused area in their city by means of nature-based solutions (in particular greening or partial unsealing) and to implement this planning within the framework of a creative and media-supported three-day action. The nature-based solutions implemented on the sites contribute to local climate adaptation. For support, the action groups, but also local governments and interested citizens can make use of the network established in the project, an informative internet platform as well as workshops and online seminars for the exchange of knowledge and experience.

This project was funded by the Federal Environment Agency and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection. The funds are made available by resolution of the German Bundestag.