WGIN at Bled Strategic Forum 2021

WGIN at Bled Strategic Forum 2021

02 SEPTEMBER 2021

BACKGROUND

From year to year, we are facing stronger environmental changes. We are failing to meet the Paris 2°C target, sea levels are rising at an alarming rate, CO2 emissions remain at record levels. As more and more pressure arises to take action, we need to seek new, creative and bold solutions. What is the next step towards »Green Recovery«? Alongside environmental challenges, the past year has challenged humanity with the covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic brought rise to a variety of challenges, human wellbeing being one of them. From lock-down to lock-down, most of humanity saw the importance of social interactions affecting our society and individuals’ mental health. Yet from all of the challenges, human wellbeing remains the most understated. Have we foreseen the next step for »Human Recovery« as well?

We have long known that solving complex problems requires an interdisciplinary approach, that bringing people from various fields together can yield great results and that times of crises also give rise to new opportunities for change. The New European Bauhaus is a creative and interdisciplinary movement in the making, which is fast gaining momentum. It is a platform for experimentation, bringing together citizens, experts, businesses, and Institutions that want to design our future ways of living together. There are many correlations between mental health, wellbeing and nature. Looking at the future and the steps that we as leaders, companies and individuals must take, let’s ask ourselves if helping nature and driving »Green Recovery«, will also help us thrive as humans. Sustainability is not only about helping nature to heal, it is also about creating a thriving environment for humans in the long run.

How can we make the European Green Deal tangible? How do we ensure that changes are inclusive? Do the challenges which arose because of the COVID-19 pandemic also offer opportunities for a new approach? How can collaboration between sectors and industries boost the implementation of the Green Deal?

AGENDA

Dr Saša Bavec, Member of Executive Committee, Knauf Insulation Group

Ms Saša Božič, Founder and CEO, Sophia Academy

Mr Manfred Köhler, President, World Green Infrastructure

Ms Ruth Reichstein, The New European Bauhaus Initiative, Advisory Board to the President, European Commission

Mr David Thomson, Vice President, TFG Hotel Management Company

Ms Anja Zorko, Head, Center for Creativity, Museum of Architecture and Design

Ms Urška Zupanec, Head of Unit for the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council 2021 program, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of Slovenia

Moderated by Mr Gregor Benčina, President, Center for Energy Efficient Solutions (CER)

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More information: https://bledstrategicforum.org/programme/

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Green roofs for urban rainwater and stormwater management

The new paper by WGIN’s EU Chapter “Green Roofs for Urban Rainwater and Stormwater Management”, explores how green roofs can contribute to more climate-resilient cities. The paper highlights their role in managing rainfall, reducing pressure on urban drainage systems, and delivering wider benefits for biodiversity, urban cooling and well-being. Published ahead of the European Commission’s forthcoming Climate Resilience Framework, the paper underscores the importance of integrating green infrastructure and nature-based solutions into urban planning and climate adaptation strategies. Download the paper here.

Green roof research measures performance, but not yet people

New study maps 25 years of green roof literature and finds affordability and social equity nearly invisible. Submitted by WGIN members Ferre Maes and Bert Belmans In a study published in City and Environment Interactions, WGIN members Ferre Maes and Bert Belmans, together with Roméo Delcroix (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), analysed more than 3,500 green roof articles published between 2000 and 2025. They tracked how often 13 performance dimensions appear in titles, abstracts and keywords. The results show a clear imbalance. Stormwater management appears in 37% of publications, urban heat island mitigation in 19% and building energy in 18%. Affordability (1.7%) and social equity (3.2%) are among the least visible topics in the field, and have remained marginal for 25 years. The study does not show that green roof implementation is inequitable; it shows that the published evidence cannot yet answer this question. Research on parks, urban greening and green stormwater infrastructure engages with affordability and equity far more often, which shows this gap can be closed. There is no reason green roof research can’t do the same. A call to action WGIN’s mission is to advocate and promote the integration of green infrastructure in urban planning, globally. But planning decides who benefits, and evidence on who benefits is largely missing. If we want cities, funders and residents to trust green roofs as a public good, we need to be open about what we know and what we don’t. That openness is also an opportunity: evidence on affordability and equity is what opens the door to public funding, social housing and neighbourhoods green roofs have yet to reach. We call on our community to: Count people, not just performance. In research papers, project reports and case studies alike, report cost, access and who benefits alongside technical results. In publications, name affordability and equity explicitly in titles and abstracts so the work can be found. Plan for equity from the start. Build these questions into green roof strategies, subsidies, projects and research calls, before roofs are built. Make costs transparent. Manufacturers, installers and researchers alike can share life-cycle cost data, from installation and maintenance to lifespan and savings, in a consistent and anonymised format, so support schemes can reach beyond those who can already afford a green roof. Neighbouring fields already study performance and people together. The green roof community can too! Read the full paper here: 10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100476 (open access)

WGIN Global Green Roof Professional Development and Accreditation Programme – Call for National Associations Partners

In April 2026, WGIN launched the Global Green Roof Professional Development and Accreditation Programme. This initiative aims to establish an internationally recognised professional training programme focused on green roof design, installation practices, maintenance, and long-term performance. The online training is designed to deliver a set of universal quality best practices rooted in knowledge rather than technical skills. The programme’s intent is to accelerate the development of national and regional green roof markets by providing online training and accreditation.  The Global Green Roof Professional Development and Accreditation Programme is now looking for two national associations to design national training modules and examination questions based on the core curriculum developed under this project. The application process is open until 7 September. Selected national associations will be contacted by 21 September. For more information, see the call for interest. To apply for the call of interest, visit this link.