Celebratory webinar 'Nature-Based Solutions and Public Participation'
The webinar will feature both an introduction of and a presentation on the theme. Photo: Bernd Dittrich
This webinar will explore the relationship between nature-based solutions (NbS) and public participation. It will be held on 23 April at 14 CET and the participants are welcome to contribute with questions to broaden the discussion. This is the fourth webinar in a series celebrating BUP’s 35th anniversary in 2026, dedicated to sustainability and the ten BUP themes.
The webinar targets students, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners interested in urban sustainability, participatory planning, and collaborative governance. The session will begin with an introduction by Małgorzata Blicharska (Uppsala University/UUniCORN), who will provide context and background on nature-based solutions and then moderate the webinar.
Following the introduction, Bianka Plüschke-Altof (Tallinn Technical University and Tallinn University) and Bradley Loewen (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) will present their research on ‘Transforming the City with NbS: Unpacking Tensions of participatory sustainability transition projects’.
Nature-based solutions (NbS) are increasingly promoted as a way to address urban environmental and climate challenges while improving the quality of life in cities. At the same time, participatory planning is widely encouraged to ensure the legitimacy and acceptance of sustainability initiatives. Policy frameworks such as Horizon Europe and the New European Bauhaus emphasize collaborative and transdisciplinary approaches involving citizens, researchers, and public authorities.
Typically part of one-off, externally funded project-based initiatives operating largely outside established planning and governance systems, practitioners in NbS projects, however, frequently encounter obstacles when trying to integrate public participation into NbS planning and ensure long-term results.
Based on cross-case analysis of several urban NbS projects in Northern Europe, the research examines the tensions encountered in participatory NbS planning. Reflecting on these empirical insights from practice, the presenters discuss strategies that planners, researchers, and project organisers use to navigate these tensions and engage in transformative planning, hence simultaneously work towards more inclusive and effective approaches to NbS and sustainability transitions.
The seminar is based on results from two NbS applied research projects:
'Balancing participatory planning and planning for resilience in nature-based solutions. A case of transformative agency?' and 'Nature-Based Solutions and Public Participation: Unpacking Tensions in Sustainable City Development in Northern Europe'.