Accelerating action for BIODIVERSity Enhancement in CITIES to benefit nature and people

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B North Sea

Date of latest update: 2025-02-03

Description

Description (EN):

NSR is highly urbanised, impacting and disrupting nature. Biodiversity loss has negative consequences for climate change, ecosystems and people's wellbeing. Policy attention is increasing, but in cities biodiversity is often overlooked and city professionals lack expertise. Cities are investing heavily in urban transformations (> €500M in pilot areas by 2030). They introduce nature-based solutions (NBS) to mitigate climate change impacts, but not to enhance biodiversity. A missed opportunity. Biodiverse Cities aims to accelerate action for biodiversity to transform NSR cities into nature-inclusive societies: cities where nature and people can thrive. We implement Biodiverse NBS (Bio-NBS) in 5 pilot cities and plan their replication in 3 pollinator cities. Pilots cover all city areas (densely built centres, peri-urban etc.) to understand what works where and to deliver high quality green spaces. Partners will deploy innovative community engagement methods, e.g. spatial experimentation (temporal NBS in Bremen), social design (in Brest, children co-create biodiverse and gender-equal schoolyards), community activities (nature therapy in Dordrecht) to increase nature connectedness and improve wellbeing. The project delivers local action plans to mainstream biodiversity in city investment programmes for impact beyond project duration. Our cities are pilots for national policy implementation (e.g. NL policy on nature & biodiversity) and support neighbouring cities. We organise regional coordination to connect green areas and set common biodiversity goals for these. Biodiversity is a transnational issue and requires combined efforts. 16 partners bring wide expertise (ecology, governance, co-creation), deliver joint transnational pilots, organise peer learning and build upon previous NBS & NSR projects: BEGIN, RECONECT. We are: 8 Cities, 3 Universities, 2 NGOs, Flemish Environment Agency, IUCN (global expert in biodiversity) and Open Kaart (community design studio).

Actual Achievements (EN):

Partners had frequent exchanges; 3 Expert Group meetings, 4 online partner meetings, 1 Steering Committee meeting and an in-person partner meeting in Bremen took place this period. Main Pilot Cities advancements Pilot cities are advancing with pilot co-design, baseline measurements and monitoring plans while various local events are taking place (e.g. Climate- I am changing in Bremen, 10,000 species bioblitz in Dordrecht) supported by BUB and Vogelnest. Växjö almost completed the Bio-NBS pilot designs, Dordrecht, SUKW, and Aarhus are in the co-design phase with local groups and Lille has defined their 3 pilots. Open Kaart's tools, the Heartbeat and Dialogue Maps, are being used by all cities to support the engagement of target groups and gain insights. Knowledge transfer The universities guided by Aarhus University (AU), co-created a biodiversity assessment and monitoring tool: the Urban BioScope. The tool will allow the cities to carry out a baseline assessment of pilots together with citizens. Aeres conducted extensive research on barriers of NBS, currently tested with the pilot cities. The transnational peer learning programme advanced with 3 events: Aeres on governance barriers of NBS (WP3), Open Kaart on Dialogue Maps (WP2) and AU on the Urban Bio-Scope (WP1). IUCN developed a script for the project's animated video, aiming to introduce the project to a wider public. Pollinators Cities The pollinators continue to learn from the partnership and are developing an action plan to establish a more active role throughout the project, not limited to a later stage. Brest is advancing with the co-design of the green schoolyards. Biodiversity mainstreaming LSBG institutionalized biodiversity and blue-green infrastructure by establishing a new team Natural Hydraulic Engineering-Rainwatermanagement Blue Green in the Water Unit which will carry the learnings of former Interreg NSR project BEGIN and Biodiverse Cities into planning processes of water infrastructure in Hamburg.

Website: https://www.interregnorthsea.eu/biodiverse-cities

Thematic information

Urban development Climate change and biodiversity

Priority: (VI-B_NS_3) Priority 3: A climate resilient North Sea region

Priority specific objective: RSO2.7. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 079 Nature and biodiversity protection, natural heritage and resources, green and blue infrastructure

Partners (16)

Lead Partner: Gemeente Dordrecht

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NL001915794B01

Address: Spuiboulevard 300, 6941AA Dordrecht, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.dordrecht.nl

Total budget: EUR 1 226 250.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 735 750.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 490 500.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Open Kaart

Name: Open Kaart

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NL857712548B01

Address: Gaffelstraat 1, 3014RA Rotterdam, Netherlands

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://www.deopenkaart.nl

Total budget: EUR 169 116.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 101 470.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 67 646.00

GBER schemes / de minimis: GBER

Het Vogelnest

Name: Het Vogelnest

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NL851414412B01

Address: Varkenmarkt 130, 3311BR Dordrecht, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://vogelnest.nl/

Total budget: EUR 50 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 30 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 20 000.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Bremer Umwelt Beratung e.V.

Name: Bremer Umwelt Beratung e.V.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: N.a.

Address: Am Dobben 43a, 28203 Bremen, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.bremer-umwelt-beratung.de

Total budget: EUR 196 440.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 117 864.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 78 576.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij

Name: Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij

Partner’s ID if not PIC: BE 887.290.276

Address: Dokter De Moorstraat 24-26, 9300 Aalst, Belgium

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Sectoral agency

Website: http://www.vmm.be

Total budget: EUR 236 750.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 142 050.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 94 700.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Ville de Lille

Name: Ville de Lille

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FR96215903501

Address: Place Augustin Laurent, 59000 Lille, France

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.lille.fr

Total budget: EUR 519 550.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 311 730.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 207 820.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Ville de Brest

Name: Ville de Brest

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FR23212900195

Address: Rue Frezier 2 - CS 63834, 29570 Brest Cedex 2, France

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.brest.fr

Total budget: EUR 264 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 158 400.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 105 600.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Växjö kommun

Name: Växjö kommun

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SE212000066201

Address: Box 1222, 35112 Växjö, Sweden

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.vaxjo.se

Total budget: EUR 519 939.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 311 963.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 59.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 207 976.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Universität Bremen

Name: Universität Bremen

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DE811245070

Address: Bibliothekstr. 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.uni-bremen.de/en/

Total budget: EUR 329 189.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 197 513.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 59.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 131 676.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

UICN, BUREAU DE REPRESENTATION AUPRES DE L'UNION EUROPEENNE AISBL (IUCN EURO) (formerly International Union for Conservation of Nature)

Name: UICN, BUREAU DE REPRESENTATION AUPRES DE L'UNION EUROPEENNE AISBL (IUCN EURO) (formerly International Union for Conservation of Nature)

Partner’s ID if not PIC: BE0470-447-426

Address: Bouelevard Louis Schmidt 64, 1040 Brussels, Belgium

Legal status: public

Organisation type: International organisation, EEIG

Website (not verified): http://www.iucn.org/about/union/secretariat/offices/europe/

Total budget: EUR 180 250.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 108 150.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 72 100.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Landesbetrieb Strassen, Brücken und Gewässer

Name: Landesbetrieb Strassen, Brücken und Gewässer

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DE 118509725

Address: Sachsenfeld 3-5, 20097 Hamburg, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://lsbg.hamburg.de/

Total budget: EUR 227 427.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 136 456.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 59.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 90 971.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Die Senatorin für Umwelt, Klima und Wissenschaft (formerly Die Senatorin für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Mobilität, Stadtentwicklung und Wohnungsbau)

Name: Die Senatorin für Umwelt, Klima und Wissenschaft (formerly Die Senatorin für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Mobilität, Stadtentwicklung und Wohnungsbau)

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DE327599977

Address: An der Reeperbahn 2, 28217 Bremen, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.umwelt.bremen.de

Total budget: EUR 365 401.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 219 241.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 146 160.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Bergen Kommune

Name: Bergen Kommune

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NO964338531

Address: Bergen City Hall, P.O. Box 7700 NO, 5020, 5020 Bergen, Norway

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://bergen.kommune.no/

Total budget: EUR 150 750.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 75 375.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 50.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 75 375.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Aeres Hogeschool

Name: Aeres Hogeschool

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NL822770271B01

Address: Arboretum West 98, 1325VB Almere, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.aeresuas.com/

Total budget: EUR 300 599.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 180 359.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 59.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 120 240.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Aarhus Universitet

Name: Aarhus Universitet

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DK31119103

Address: Ny Munkegade 114-116, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://bio.au.dk/forskning/forskningscentre/sustainscapes

Total budget: EUR 399 043.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 239 426.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 159 617.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Aarhus Kommune

Name: Aarhus Kommune

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SE 2712 4615

Address: Rådhuspladsen 2, 8100 Aarhus C, Denmark

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.aarhus.dk

Total budget: EUR 555 039.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 333 023.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 59.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 222 016.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Partners map

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Accelerating action for BIODIVERSity Enhancement in CITIES to benefit nature and people

Project acronym: Biodiverse Cities

Project ID: 8jnXl3N55

Project start date: 2022-09-20

Project end date: 2026-09-20

Project status: ongoing

Relevant mentions and prizes:

false

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 5 689 743.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 3 323 395.00

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 60.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 3 323 395.00. Co-financing rate, 60.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

1. Transnational Peer Learning Programme. PART B: Engage, empower and connect citizens to nature / Jointly design & reflect on citizen engagement programmes around biodiversity & Bio-NBS pilots. Incl. transnational exchange of communities workers. Topics: inclusion, greening private space, arts, culture etc. (Led by UBremen and IUCN).
Transnational Peer Learning Programme. PART C: Accelerate action for biodiversity in investments, governance and policy / Joint peer learnings on governance challenges towards prioritizing and mainstreaming biodiversity locally in urban planning, development and investment, and nationally in policy and governance arrangements. (Led by IUCN and UBremen).
Transnational Peer Learning Programme. PART A: Design, implement, maintain, monitor Bio-NBS / Jointly design & reflect on Bio-NbS pilots, enriched with >8 online and f2f workshops with invited experts from practice & cities. Topics: Local ecosystems restoration, ecological connectivity, monitoring etc. (Led by IUCN and AU).
Urban Biodiversity Baseline Assessment of pilot areas / Map existing local data and assessment capacity of pilot cities. Cities supported by Knowledge Partners develop the urban biodiversity baseline for the pilot areas, provide ecology & design recommendations for the Bio-NBS and set up their monitoring.
Social territorial analysis, local community action plans and transnational opportunities / Guided by Open Kaart and Ubremen, the 5 pilot cities will conduct a social territorial analysis to map local and transnational issues & opportunities and create local community action plans for engaging with local citizens & groups.
Urban ecosystem services network assessment & business casing / Business cases and services are defined using an urban ecosystem services network performance scan (complementing WP1 A4) based on a toolbox of existing state-of-the-art tools and methods compiled by Aeres at the project start.
Bio-NBS Pilots joint design / Partners jointly design 10 Bio-NBS pilots and main pilot cities implement them locally. The piloted Bio-NBS vary in urban location, type, size and biodiversity aims. (Co-creation with citizens will happen in WP2 A3).
Co-design of Bio-NBS Pilots & citizen science programmes for monitoring / Using Social Design, citizens will co-design Bio-NbS pilots and citizen science activities, to ensure space for biodiversity & for community needs (e.g. leisure). Open Kaart will guide the cities.
Opportunity mapping for replication of Bio-NBS pilots and investment programmes / Guided by Aeres, each city will map opportunities on where and how to replicate Bio-NBS to other locations, integrate biodiversity in other policies, and linking investment programmes for their funding: Biodiversity Action plans.
Biodiversity impact assessment of Bio-NBS / AU and cities assess the Bio-NBS on their biodiversity impact and ecological value (e.g. habitats, pollinators), given the project time frame. Linkages will be sought with WP2 A4 (citizen science) and WP3 A2 (broader ecosystem services assessment).
Community Activities Programme by local Communities of Practice (CoP): activities in and with nature / Local CoPs deliver community programmes around Bio-NbS and biodiversity, promoting the use of the space, maintenance and wellbeing benefits (WP1 A3-4). Focus: biodiverse balconies & gardens, education, biodiversity monitoring, nature therapy etc.
Mainstreaming biodiversity in city decision-making across departments and investments / IUCN, Aeres and UBremen provide governance and management approaches to integrate biodiversity in decision making. Cities organize cross-departmental collaboration with mobility, housing, infrastructure, planning, greening.
Transnational policy & practice learning for accelerating biodiversity action / Policy and practice learning groups are organised inside and beyond the partnership by cities with regional and national agencies across NSR (e.g. VMM from BE, Brittany Regional Council from FR).
Transnational learnings, best practices & guidance for implementing Bio-NBS / Learnings from the different Bio-NBS pilot implementations as well as the Transnational Peer Learning Programme will be collected and used to create a report of best practices for implementing Bio-NbS in the NSR. (Led by AU and IUCN).
Spatial Experimentation Sprints: co-design, deliver and enjoy temporal Bio-NBS / Cities will experiment with temporary spatial interventions (e.g. with moveable structures such as urban green furniture), involve citizens creatively in various activities and define best solutions and locations. Open Kaart will guide the cities.
Maximising impact: communication, networking, dissemination / Dordrecht will devise and implement the communication strategy to maximise project impact and dissemination. Deploy creative methods and experience from IUCN (city stories, infographics, info-briefs, city videos, events) and partners networks.
Transnational learnings, best practices & guidance on connecting citizens to nature / Learnings from the different community activities as well as the Transnational Peer Learning Programme will be collected and used by UBremen to create a report of best practices for enhancing the connection of citizens to nature and biodiversity.
Final project conference / A closing conference at the end of the project, to disseminate learnings, increase the Biodiverse Cities network and maximise project impact. This event will define the way forward on our path towards a nature-inclusive society.

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

Partner cities will directly enhance biodiversity and re-naturalise their (peri-)urban environment. E.g. Dordrecht will plant 250 trees in Amstelwijck Park, Lille will increase its tree-covered areas by 50% by 2026. Cities will scale this through implementing biodiversity action plans, linked to urban investment programmes. The project is a showcase of how to implement this strategy in cities (currently overlooked ecosystems, but with much potential), and link it to national policy.
Protecting our biodiversity and ecosystems is an explicit aim of the Green Deal. Biodiverse Cities contributes directly with the Bio-NBS implementation. The urban ecosystem services framework will help the partner cities (and external) to understand the value and necessity of not only biodiversity but also of various ecosystem services such as fresh air, clean water, healthy soil, and climate change adaptation. The project also supports citizens' wellbeing by enhancing nature connectedness.
Biodiverse Cities contributes to the territorial agenda 2030 by promoting European cohesion in two ways: Strengthening awareness and empowering local communities to protect and utilise built environments, landscapes, cultural assets and other unique values; Supporting the development of NBS and green infrastructure networks that link ecosystems and protected areas in spatial planning, land management and other related policies.
The project activities will encourage local communities to become more creative, inspiring and equal - through social design, experimentation and community actions considering local culture and needs. E.g. NatureCultures Lab of UBremen; children in Brest children co-create biodiverse and gender-equal schoolyards.
Biodiverse Cities contributes to the efforts of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration by tackling nature loss in urban areas. The project will strive for awareness and commitment from both citizens and decision makers and make greening/NBS an integral part of urban planning and urban development. The project involves civic groups and municipal authorities to take care of public and private spaces, plant trees, create more wildlife habitats in parks, school yards and everywhere possible.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO84) Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects: 756
(RCO83) Strategies and action plans jointly developed: 256

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Delivered result indicator(s):

(RCR104) Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations: 15
(RCR79) Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations: 11

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B North Sea

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-02-03

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

65 / 65 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

791 / 791 (100%)

Notes on the data

Programme's page lasted visited on 2025-03-17.

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Accelerating action for BIODIVERSity Enhancement in CITIES to benefit nature and people

Description

Thematic information

Partners (16)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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