From URBACT to H2020

Manchester led an URBACT network called CSI Europe (2013-2015) – about using financial instruments through the European Investment Bank, and later SmartImpact – on smart sustainable development.

Manchester is a partner in the Horizon 2020 project GrowGreen, a seven-city, EUR 11.2 million project that helps cities develop and implement strategies for green infrastructure  GrowGreen has launched pilot projects for greener, healthier, more sustainable neighbourhoods in Manchester, Valencia (ES) and Wroclaw (PL). In 2018, Manchester  formed a new URBACT network, C-Change, encouraging arts and cultural organisations to boost citizen engagement on climate change. Just as URBACT encourages cities to share good practices , GrowGreen hopes its pilot initiatives will spark green infrastructure improvements.

Poznań has been a partner in a variety of URBACT networks ranging from HOUS-ES in 2006 through to URBACT REFILL Network on reusing vacant urban spaces (2015-18) and the current URBACT On-Board Network on local education policy.

REFILL acted as a stepping stone that helped Poznań secure a place in a EUR 12 million Connecting Nature H2020 project in 2017.This project helps cities implement nature–based initiatives – such as community gardens, pop-up events or innovative land reuse – and measure their impact on climate change adaptation, health and well-being, social cohesion and sustainable economic development.

The integrated approach in URBACT is helping prepare a framework document to collect and share multilevel experiences from Connecting Nature’s Front Runner Cities as they implement their nature-based solutions.

To find out more read the full article by Amy Labarrièrehere here.