In response to the recent catastrophic floods in Europe, the upcoming session will focus on the intersection of urban-regional transformation with a special focus on water resilience. The event will explore how cities’ integrated urban wastewater plans could be critical components of their Urban Nature Plan and mainstream NbS for water retention, stormflow management, and water treatment, addressing challenges like flooding, drought, and water scarcity. Moreover, the discussions will emphasize the need for regional water management that promote coordinated efforts and foster collaboration across municipalities and stakeholders from various sectors to enhance resilience. The discussion will draw on recent EU policy developments, including President von der Leyen’s renewed commitment to a European Water Resilience Strategy within her Political Guidelines for 2024-2029 and the European Council’s call for a strategic approach to water security, the recently agreed recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and the recently adopted regulation on Nature Restoration.
The objectives of the event are:
- Facilitate dialogue among policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and communities on integrating NbS for water resilience in urban areas.
- Identify effective indicators for measuring the impact of NbS on biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and community well-being.
- Highlight the role of financing and the private sector in enhancing water resilience, particularly during storms and floods.
- Discuss policy recommendations for NbS to support water quality and manage excess water in urban and regional contexts, focusing on integrated planning.
This is a 1-day event (9:00-16:00 CET) initiated with a high-level policy discussion session followed by 3 fishbowls on indicators, financing and integrated planning.
Venue: ICLEI Office Brussels, Rue de Luxembourg 19
Join us for this important event to contribute to the dialogue and learn how we can build more resilient, water-secure cities through nature-based solutions!