Dear all,
Please find the REA mailing that went out in July below (goes to 80+ people)
-Nea
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Dear all,
We hope you are dealing as well as possible with the heatwave, possibly an opportunity to highlight and showcase the relevance of nature-based solutions. Some very relevant news, including the EU Nature restoration law (europa.eu) - which also includes targets for urban ecosystems - the NetworkNature Annual Event: Upscaling nature-based solutions in policy and practice (Brussels September 27th and the IPBES Values Assessment, amongst others.
Nature restoration law (europa.eu) Article 6: ... no net loss of urban green space, and of urban tree canopy cover by 2030, compared to 2021, in all cities and in towns and suburbs. ...ensure that there is an increase in the total national area of urban green space in cities and in towns and suburbs of at least 3 % of the total area of cities and of towns and suburbs in 2021, by 2040, and at least 5 % by 2050. Check out some of the REA projects contributing to the proposed EU Nature Restoration Targets
Opportunities
· An opportunity to give EC feedback on the design, implementation and results of the programmes H2020 (Ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020) and Horizon Europe (Interim evaluation of Horizon Europe ) until 29 July. This evaluation will help with implementation of the current EU R&I measures and with the design of future ones.
· Commission is looking for experts to advise on carbon removals, it would be great of NbS experts are part of the group!
· EIP AGRI launches 3 new focus groups! Experts with practical experience or specific knowledge on: (1) Enhancing the biodiversity on farmland through high-diversity landscape features; (2) Social farming and innovations or (3) Recovery of abandoned agricultural lands can apply.
· The European Commission is gathering views from different stakeholders about a food system that could guarantee healthy food and a healthier planet.
· The H2020 project CONEXUS is collecting NbS professional skills gaps in order to recommend a professional training curriculum in Nature-based Solutions that can respond to local needs and challenges for successful NbS planning and implementation. Take part in the survey - it only takes 5 minutes to answer!
· The CLEARING HOUSE project launched calls to contribute to the writing of Guidelines on Urban Forests as Nature-Based Solutions. The guidelines are meant to assist local authorities, consultants, decision-makers and other stakeholders in Europe, China and worldwide in delivering UF-NbS to their communities and local stakeholders. Check here for more details.
Events & webinars
· Join H2020 Interlace on 28 July for the next Cities Talk Nature webinar on the importance of saving coastal ecosystems. Register here to discuss nature-based solutions with experts who have worked with mangroves, polders and salt marshes.
· Save the date and register your place at the 1st Cities Talk Nature Europe event “Nature, places, people” in Krakow on 21 & 22 September 2022 in the framework of the H2020 Interlace project.
· Registration for NetworkNature Annual Event in Brussels 27 Septemberis now open! Join the event to learn about upscaling nature-based solutions in policy and practice.
· H2020 project GoGreenRoutes is designing and creating a multi-sensory VR Experiential Showcase to raise awareness about urbanization’s environmental challenges and convey benefits of activity in nature. Save the date for the kick-off events in Norway September 26-30!
· Free proGIreg MOOC: Nature-based Urban Regeneration commences 4 October. Join the course to learn about nature-based solutions for urban revival.
· JUSTNature project meeting in Greece (Chania) from 10-14 October 2022 present the project’s main tools, handbooks, reports
Publications & tools
· IPBES Assessment Report on the Diverse Values and Valuation of Nature finding that there is a dominant global focus on short-term profits and economic growth, often excluding the consideration of multiple values of nature in policy decisions. Media Release: IPBES Values Assessment - Decisions Based on Narrow Set of Market Values of Nature Underpin the Global Biodiversity Crisis
· The IPBES summary for Policy Makers of the IPBES thematic assessment on the sustainable use of wild species was also just released to inform decision-makers.
· Report from the Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility on coastal NbS: ‘Investments in coastal nature-based solutions: opportunities for national and local governments; BNCFF-Coastal-NbS-Investments.pdf (bluenaturalcapital.org)
· The H2020 JUSTNature project has published it’s first press release which offers learnings from the nature/based solutions as building blocks of sustainable landscapes. How do we turn these solutions into stepping stones to ensure the spread of effective nature/based solutions NbS?
· Search engine: Use the NetworkNature NbS search engine, to search across many sites covering information on the topic
· New video: community gardens in Turin! Learn from the proGIreg project’s Living Lab in Turin, which has successfully implemented community-based urban gardens as a nature-based solution, by watching this short video!
· Water is a timely topic in summer - nature-based solutions can be used in urban areas to clear pollution, the NICE project is implementing enhanced technical NbS to clean water in cities across the globe.
Enjoy your holidays!
Sofie