In the UK there are a number of EU-funded projects all pushing for the same outcome: to increase the delivery of nature-based solutions (NBS) within urban environments. However, these projects often operate in their own silos, which can stifle collaboration and stunt innovation. This event will challenge this trend, by bringing project representatives together to share key learnings, make valuable connections, and tackle common challenges.

The event will showcase the findings of multiple NBS projects in a series of lightning talks, followed by interactive discussions that will identify project synergies and future opportunities for learning, collaboration, and innovation. Through this event, attendees will better understand how they can both learn and benefit from the outputs of multiple projects and will contribute to the definition of a collective ambition for the progress of NBS in the UK.

This event is being coordinated by UKGBC and delivered as part of The IGNITION Project; a ground-breaking project that aims to develop innovative financing solutions for increasing investment in Greater Manchester’s natural environment. This investment will help build the city region’s ability to adapt to the increasingly extreme impacts of climate change.

IGNITION is funded by the EU’s Urban Innovation Actions initiative and brings together 12 partners from local government, universities, NGOs and business. The project’s aim is to develop the first financing model of its kind that enables major investment in large-scale environmental projects which increase climate resilience. By 2038, this will enable an increase in Greater Manchester’s urban green infrastructure coverage by 10% from a 2018 baseline. For an overview of IGNITION’s progress to date, see the Interim Report from April 2021.

If you are working on an EU-funded NBS project in the UK or are keen to learn more about IGNITION, please email Chris Moss at christopher.moss@ukgbc.org about attending.

Cross-project collaboration for nature-based solutions