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The CLEVER Cities project has produced a number of factsheets, including one that highlights the key factors and main barriers to the successful implementation of NbS. This resource is not just an informative document, but a roadmap for companies and stakeholders who want to realise the full potential of NbS.

What to expect when reading the factsheet? It delves into the challenges the hindering NbS implementation, from the struggle to quantify its true value to the lack of understanding among stakeholders but also shows success factors up. Learn how to bridge the gap between short-term actions and long-term goals, and understand how to navigate the uncertainty plaguing NbS investment decisions.

What will the readers learn? Gain insights into how NbS integration can benefit business, unlock economic opportunities, and pave the way for a more sustainable future. This factsheet is a call to action. It invites readers to be part of a transformative movement. By understanding and addressing these barriers, businesses can drive meaningful change, unlock financial backing, and propel the widespread adoption of NbS.

The second factsheet focuses on engaging businesses in the process of mainstreaming NbS and by involving of private sector, the economic benefits of NbS to the society can be emphasised, as they are the main source of climate finance.

What to expect when reading the factsheet? It explores engaging private sector in the uptake of NbS and its implementation highlights the main challenges and how to address them to foster increased up-scaling of Nature-based Solutions by businesses. From inadequate strategies to quantify the benefits of NbS, to lack of knowledge among stakeholders, and the time required to develop the products and skills needed can be a hinderance to the implementation and acceptance of NbS by businesses around the world.

What will the readers learn? By addressing these challenges and the interconnected factors to implement and up-scale NbS, this CLEVER factsheet highlights the ways to draw private investments and ensuring continuous funding for long-term maintenance of NbS projects. By addressing potential instruments, policies and opportunities tailored to local conditions, the uptake of NbS by the private sector can be fostered.

The next factsheet demonstrates Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are the drivers of utilising nature in urban planning and management processes. They can act as a tool that addresses wider societal, economic and environmental challenges to replace traditional grey infrastructure solutions.

What to expect when reading the factsheet? The CLEVER Factsheet engages in challenges in securing private and public financing sources due to long-term character and bureaucratic challenges related to infrastructure investments and real estate. It also highlights the benefits and setbacks to different financing sources. Additionally, the factsheet explores the public-private partnership of financing NbS projects by emphasising on the benefits of sharing the financial load while combining resources, expertise and information.

What will the readers learn? They are introduced with 3 financing sources: the Environmental, Social and Governance Business Case Evaluator (ESG), the Green Bond Principles (GBP) and the Natural Capital Financing Facility (NCFF). It further explores the multiple financing strategies and challenges in different domains of urban NbS including building, facades and roofs; urban green spaces, parks and urban forests; allotments and community gardens; integrated green and blue spaces.

In the last factsheet, urban regeneration—the process of enhancing and upgrading the urban environment in a city is explored. Economic, physical, social, and environmental circumstances can all be enhanced by regenerating these areas through multifaceted interventions.

What to expect when reading the factsheet? The CLEVER Factsheet illustrates how redeveloping such spaces which are either highly vulnerable to climate change or facing social and economic issues can help promote healthier living environment and well-being, economic prosperity, social inclusion and environmental justice and overall citizen security.

What will the readers learn? It highlights the fact that by improving public engagement to meet the basic requirements of the community a healthy living environment in society can be encouraged. It also emphasises on the development of green and blue landscape elements within cities to guarantee a higher standard of living for citizens. Moreover, it highlights the significance of developing secure and attractive green spaces as the foundation of a sustainable community to lower crime rates and lower public anxiety.

Explore the NbS factsheets to unravel the challenges and chart a course towards a more sustainable future.