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The European Research and Development (R&D) Programme promotes a large number of projects related to NBS. These aim to increase knowledge and to create technical, political, and other conditions for cities renaturalization. These R&D projects will analyse several objectives and perspectives, such as the improvement of regulatory instruments, the increase of natural capital through NBS, or the capacity to obtain a more sustainable and resilient urban ecosystem. One of these projects is the ThinkNature platform that includes a set of projects focused on NBS (EKLIPSE, Inspiration, NAIAD, Nature4Cities, Naturvation, among others). This platform aims to promote NBS in research, policy, non-governmental organizations, and business areas. This will be accomplished by improving regulatory instruments, sharing business practices, and demonstrating the long-term value of these solutions. Table 4 presents a summary of some undergoing European NBS projects in the framework of the EC policy agenda for R&D on NBS and Re-Naturing Cities.

Table 4

Examples of projects, focused on urban areas, in the EC policy agenda for R&D on NBS and Re-Naturing Cities

Project (Reference)	Main objectives	Main concerns
ThinkNature (Somarakis et al. 2019)	This platform is an umbrella for all projects on NBS funded by the EC H2020 program. The objective is to support the understanding and promotion of NBS.	Knowledge sharing and communication. Improvement of regulatory instruments and share best commercial practices. Fostering collaboration at local, regional, national, and EU levels. Development of synergy between NBS projects.
EKLIPSE (Raymond et al. 2017b)	Aims to create a way of knowing, networking, and learning about biodiversity and ES. Aims to devise an impact evaluation framework that can guides the design, development, implementation, and assessment of NBS projects in urban contexts.	Benefits for ES and biodiversity. Assessment of NBS projects at the level of the infrastructure. Infrastructure design and implementation. Monitoring and maintenance processes.
TURAS (Collier 2011)	Aims to bring urban communities and businesses together with local authorities and researchers. Aims to co-create working links with communities at the centre.	New technical solutions for a more sustainable and resilient urban area. Spatial and land use planning. Infrastructure management, implementation, and design. Communities sharing.
OpenNESS (Braat et al. 2015)	Aims to translate the concepts of Natural Capital and ES into operational frameworks. Provide solutions for integrating ES into land, water, and urban management and decision-making.	Spatial and land use planning. Existing relation between NBS, ES, and Natural Capital. Infrastructure's implementation and design. Improvement of regulatory instruments.
Connecting Nature (Dushkova & Haase 2020)	Aims to measure the impact NBS projects on climate change adaptation, health and well-being, social cohesion, and sustainable economic development in participating cities. Create a community of cities.	Climate change, health and well-being, social cohesion, and economic development. Spatial and land use planning. NBS monitoring and maintenance processes. Knowledge sharing, capacity building, and communication.
UNALAB (Eisenberg & Polcher 2019)	Aims to use the experience of partner cities Create easy-to-use manuals, models, and tools Guide cities in the development and implementation of NBS.	Spatial and land use planning. Knowledge sharing and communication. Improvement of regulatory instruments.
URBAN GreenUp (O'Sullivan et al. 2020)	Replicate the development of Re-Naturing Urban Plans in several partner cities Disseminate the use of innovative NBS.	Climate change, air quality, and water management. Spatial and land use planning. Service and infrastructure management. Performance under normal conditions
Nature4Cities (Nature4Cities 2019)	Create a comprehensive reference platform for NBS. Offer technical solutions, methods, and tools for urban planning decision-making.	Technical solutions, methods, and tools. Spatial and land use planning. Knowledge sharing and communication.
GREEN SURGE (Hansen et al. 2008)	Aims to identify, develop and test ways of linking green spaces, biodiversity, people, and the green economy.	Spatial and urban decision planning. Benefits for biodiversity, people, and green economy. Climate and demographic changes.
NATURVATION (Davis et al. 2018)	Realize the potential of NBS to respond to urban sustainability challenges. Examine how innovation can be fostered. Working with communities and stakeholders.	Benefit for biodiversity, Natural Capital and ES. Knowledge sharing and communication. Improvement of regulatory instruments.

Project (Reference)	Main objectives	Main concerns
ThinkNature (Somarakis et al. 2019)	This platform is an umbrella for all projects on NBS funded by the EC H2020 program. The objective is to support the understanding and promotion of NBS.	Knowledge sharing and communication. Improvement of regulatory instruments and share best commercial practices. Fostering collaboration at local, regional, national, and EU levels. Development of synergy between NBS projects.
EKLIPSE (Raymond et al. 2017b)	Aims to create a way of knowing, networking, and learning about biodiversity and ES. Aims to devise an impact evaluation framework that can guides the design, development, implementation, and assessment of NBS projects in urban contexts.	Benefits for ES and biodiversity. Assessment of NBS projects at the level of the infrastructure. Infrastructure design and implementation. Monitoring and maintenance processes.
TURAS (Collier 2011)	Aims to bring urban communities and businesses together with local authorities and researchers. Aims to co-create working links with communities at the centre.	New technical solutions for a more sustainable and resilient urban area. Spatial and land use planning. Infrastructure management, implementation, and design. Communities sharing.
OpenNESS (Braat et al. 2015)	Aims to translate the concepts of Natural Capital and ES into operational frameworks. Provide solutions for integrating ES into land, water, and urban management and decision-making.	Spatial and land use planning. Existing relation between NBS, ES, and Natural Capital. Infrastructure's implementation and design. Improvement of regulatory instruments.
Connecting Nature (Dushkova & Haase 2020)	Aims to measure the impact NBS projects on climate change adaptation, health and well-being, social cohesion, and sustainable economic development in participating cities. Create a community of cities.	Climate change, health and well-being, social cohesion, and economic development. Spatial and land use planning. NBS monitoring and maintenance processes. Knowledge sharing, capacity building, and communication.
UNALAB (Eisenberg & Polcher 2019)	Aims to use the experience of partner cities Create easy-to-use manuals, models, and tools Guide cities in the development and implementation of NBS.	Spatial and land use planning. Knowledge sharing and communication. Improvement of regulatory instruments.
URBAN GreenUp (O'Sullivan et al. 2020)	Replicate the development of Re-Naturing Urban Plans in several partner cities Disseminate the use of innovative NBS.	Climate change, air quality, and water management. Spatial and land use planning. Service and infrastructure management. Performance under normal conditions
Nature4Cities (Nature4Cities 2019)	Create a comprehensive reference platform for NBS. Offer technical solutions, methods, and tools for urban planning decision-making.	Technical solutions, methods, and tools. Spatial and land use planning. Knowledge sharing and communication.
GREEN SURGE (Hansen et al. 2008)	Aims to identify, develop and test ways of linking green spaces, biodiversity, people, and the green economy.	Spatial and urban decision planning. Benefits for biodiversity, people, and green economy. Climate and demographic changes.
NATURVATION (Davis et al. 2018)	Realize the potential of NBS to respond to urban sustainability challenges. Examine how innovation can be fostered. Working with communities and stakeholders.	Benefit for biodiversity, Natural Capital and ES. Knowledge sharing and communication. Improvement of regulatory instruments.

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