International Organisation for Knowledge Economy and Enterprise Development
IKED - International Organisation for Knowledge Economy and Enterprise Development

Activities

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..:: URBiNAT

Responding to the EU-call on the development of "Nature-based Solutions" (NBS), IKED was part of the original initiative that led to the collaboration that has resulted in "URBiNAT - Healthy corridors as drivers of social housing neighborhoods, for the co-creation of social, environmental and marketable NBS". As one of four winning consortiums in this part of Horizon 2020, URBiNAT began its 5-year project work on June 1st , 2018. The kick-off meeting which took place in Coimbra, Portugal, on June 18-20th, brought together all the main partners and also featured representation by the advisory board. From there on, URBiNAT has continued with a series of activities and meetings, under the leadership of the organisations granted with the responsibility to coordinate the various tasks.

Drawing on an extensive consortium that includes seven European and two non-European cities, along with research organisations, companies and others that bring horizontal competencies (see Figure 1), URBiNAT introduces Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) on the ground, as building blocks for wider "Healthy Corridors". The measures and interventions the project undertake within cities are based on careful "local diagnostic", i.e. mapping and analysis of the specific local issues and needs, as well as on thorough processes of local engagement. In this framework, NBS are not introduced in order to support citizens, they are introduced by citizens on terms that allow for effective co-creation. On this basis, lessons and recommendations are drawn as a basis for new inspiration and mindset change among urban planners and all else engaged in shaping the cities of the future.

URBINAT

The objective of URBiNAT is to put in place an effective agenda for the regeneration and integration of social housing and city areas, through an innovative and inclusive catalogue of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), ensuring sustainability and mobilising driving forces for social cohesion. Interventions are centred in the public space to co-create with citizens in the development of new urban, social and nature-based relations between different neighbourhoods. Acting with the physical, mental and social well-being of citizens as its main goal, healthy corridors are co-created using community-driven design processes.

So-called living laboratories assess NBS ecological, cultural, social and economic impacts. From west to east, the cities of Porto, Nantes and Sofia are act as "frontrunners", due to their demonstrated experience on public space with NBS. From north to south, the cities of Siena, Brussels, Nova Gorica and Høje-Taastrup share and replicate the URBiNAT concepts and methodologies, acting as "followers". The cities are supported by local partners, associations, and research centres, as well as by horizontal centres, universities and companies. These have created a living lab (WP2), deliver a multichannel strategy for active citizenship (WP3), implement a healthy corridors and a NBS catalogue (WP4), while monitoring impacts (WP5), disseminating knowledge (WP6) and deriving marketing solutions and policy recommendations (WP7). Together, they form an inclusive community of practice (CoP) in articulation with non-European partners, including in China and Iran as well as with NBS observers, based in Brazil, Japan, and Oman, bringing a broad range of experience and an international dimension of the project.

While active in most working parties, IKED plays a central role in the application of "smart" digital tools for citizen engagement, to be interwoven with aspects of social economy initiatives, social innovation for value-generation, incubation and business development. In addition, IKED holds the coordinating role with regard to non-EU partners, i.e. Brazil, China, Iran, Japan and Oman. As of 2022, finally, IKED has assumed the lead for work on nature-based enterprises and associated policy recommendations.

The other URBiNAT partners are listed below:



Since project start, URBiNAT organised several meetings and workshops, bringing together a range of research partners, decision makers, stakeholders and citizens. URBiNAT's first major international conference was held on June 16-17, 2022, in Milan, Italy, on the theme "Nature for Innovative and Inclusive Urban Regeneration (NATiURB)".

The first day of the event was labelled "Cities Conference Day". The partner cities shared their experience with regards to the healthy corridor co-created with local communities in their specific intervention areas. On the second day, "Scientific Conference Day", twenty sessions were dedicated to outlining and discussing concepts, methodologies, and practices. Speakers and attendees exchanged ideas and experience drawing on diverse perspectives, ranging from academic to urban planning and design to lived experience on the ground.

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