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EU chapter

Briefing for MEPs | Making European Cities more Resilient through Urban Green Infrastructures

The European Chapter of the WGIN is publishing a new policy briefing entitled “Making European Cities more Resilient through Urban Green Infrastructures”. The paper intends to explain the challenges cities are facing and will be increasingly confronted with as a result of extreme weather events and how to support their adaptation to climate change. In that context, this briefing demonstrates how urban green infrastructures, namely green roofs and walls, are key solutions to enable an increased resilience of urban areas while providing many accompanying benefits for their inhabitants such as stormwater management, the restoration of biodiversity in cities, reducing pollutants’ concentrations and increasing residents’ wellbeing. Concrete examples are provided to showcase these benefits. The briefing also explains why urban green infrastructures are central for several upcoming EU initiatives, in particular the European Climate Adaptation Plan and the European Water Resilience Strategy, and provides a few suggestions to boost the deployment of urban green infrastructures in the new EU political mandate. Read the full paper here.

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EU chapter

GoNaturePositive! launches an open consultation on the Nature-Positive Economy

GoNaturePositive! is a collaborative initiative backed by the European Commission dedicated to accelerating awareness and transformative action towards a nature-positive economy among policymakers, investors, businesses and wider society. Its consortium has launched an open consultation on the Nature-Positive Economy. This initiative aims to foster prosperity while protecting and restoring the natural environment upon which we all depend. By promoting a Nature-Positive Economy, we seek to create new opportunities for innovation, job creation, and food security, all while mitigating our vulnerability to nature loss. Luigi Petito, Head of the WGIN EU Chapter Secretariat, is a member of the GoNaturePositive! Impact Board, helping to refine the key points that outline the essential elements of what a nature-positive economy could look like. Businesses, policymakers and citizens are encouraged to take part in this dialogue by sharing their insights and feedback before 30 November 2024 through this link: bit.ly/4hpkMFk. To learn more about GoNaturePositive and how you can get involved, you can visit their consultation page: Welcome to the GoNaturePositive! Consultation.

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EU chapter

Making Europe’s Built Environment Greener, Healthier and more Resilient

In the past political mandate, the EU has pursued legislation to combat climate change, restore nature, and promote circularity, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050, as part of the European Green Deal. This led to significant improvements when it comes to the inclusion of urban green and blue infrastructures in EU energy and climate policies. Now, the 2024-2029 EU term must drive the structural transformation of cities from grey to green. In this context, the new WGIN EU Chapter is publishing the briefing “Making Europe’s built environment greener, healthier and more resilient” that provides an overview of the developments for green and blue infrastructure in EU policies in the past political mandate as well as recommendations to support their deployment over the next five years. The paper explains the importance of green infrastructure for the future of Europe’s cities and their crucial role in any future EU urban policies. Read the full publication here.

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EU chapter

Cultivating Change: The Role of Urban Agriculture in European Policy

 Roof garden, Vegetable garden on the roof, Vegetables on the roof of the building, Agriculture in urban on the roof of the building. Shutterstock ID:1010959666 In the concrete jungles of our cities could take root a quiet revolution: urban agriculture. As we struggle with the challenges of food security, environmental degradation, and climate change, harnessing the potential of urban spaces for agricultural production can emerge as a solution. Urban agriculture has a myriad of benefits which could be delivered to people through a reevaluation of European policies. Urban agriculture offers a broad range of benefits that extend beyond mere food production. Firstly, it fosters food security by bringing fresh, locally grown produce closer to urban dwellers, reducing reliance on long-distance transportation and mitigating the increasing risks associated with disruptions to global supply chains. Moreover, cultivating crops within cities promotes biodiversity as green spaces created through urban agriculture serve as habitats for diverse flora and fauna. Additionally, urban agriculture plays a pivotal role in mitigating climate change. By converting impervious surfaces, vacant lots, rooftops, and walls into productive green spaces, carbon sequestration is enhanced, while reducing the urban heat island effect and mitigating stormwater runoff, thereby increasing urban resilience to extreme weather events. Finally, engaging in urban agriculture fosters community cohesion and social inclusion. Community gardens and allotment schemes provide spaces for interaction, knowledge sharing, and skill development, forging stronger bonds among residents and promoting a sense of ownership and pride in local neighbourhoods. Read the full article by Luigi Petito, Head of Secretariat at WGIN’s EU Chapter in the Spring 2024 issue of Living Architecture Monitor.

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EU chapter

Inventory and Potential Analysis of Green Roofs by BuGG

German Association of Building Greening (Bundes-verband Gebäude Grün e.V. – BuGG), together with the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt – DLR), has carried out the research project “Inventory and Potential Analysis of Green Roofs” and developed a standardized procedure for the analysis of existing and potential green roofs. The result of the project was the development of a software application that allows a fast and efficient analysis of urban roof surfaces. In view of current climate developments (including overheating and extreme precipitation), green roofs continue to be a focus of attention. Many cities are therefore giving green roofs a particularly high priority in their climate change adaptation plans. A targeted expansion of the green infrastructure on urban roofs is therefore seen by many communities as an important component of future-oriented urban planning. An important basis for the development of local green roof strategies is therefore provided by specific geo data sets, which, in addition to the area and location of existing green roofs, also identify suitable roof areas for subsequent greening. Read the full report here. Image © BuGG e.V.

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EU chapter

BuGG Focus “Solar Green Roof”

Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e.V. (BuGG) provides technical information on Solar Green Roofs. The detailed BuGG technical information “Solar Green Roof” comprises 52 pages, including plant lists, practical examples and is well illustrated with almost 80 illustrations and sample photos. It can be ordered for a nominal fee of 19 euros plus shipping costs: info@bugg.de. Read excerpts from the BuGG technical information “Solar Green Roof” here.   Image © BuGG e.V. 

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EU chapter

WGIN signs joint statement on the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive

Aerial view of rooftop garden in urban residential area. ID: 1361273999 22 January 2024 – With the interinstitutional negotiations on the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) in full speed, WGIN joined forces with 18 organisations to call upon co-legislators to adopt an ambitious recast of the directive. The signatories, non-profit association, businesses and business associations underlined the opportunity that represents the revision of this 30-year-old legislation to adapt it to modern water challenges. In particular, the letter stresses that many technical advances, such as green infrastructure solutions, have not yet been mainstreamed for the reduction of wastewater treatment needs. Therefore, the signatories call for, among others, “Ensuring a timely introduction of integrated urban wastewater management plans that prioritise green and blue infrastructure to climate-proof cities and reduce pollution from urban wastewaters and runoffs”. The letter comes ahead of the next trilogue meeting on the UWWTD, planned for the 29 January, which is expected to significantly progress negotiations on the revised directive. Read the full letter here.

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EU chapter

BuGG Market Report on Building Greening 2021

Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e.V. presents its Market report on Building Greening 2021: Green Roofs, Green Facades and Interior Greening in Germany. Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e.V. (BuGG) published its first market report about 2020 which comprised an overview of the most important figures on green roofs, facades, and interiors in Germany. In doing so, a reference work has been created that, was used thousands of times by policymakers, industry, construction, the media, universities, and students. With the present market report of 2021, the figures of the building greening market are updated, focusing on the increase of green roofs and facades, and the BuGG City Survey 2021 on municipal subsidy instruments. Read the Market Report on Building Greening 2021. * Excerpted translation of the original German version

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EU chapter

Green roofs acknowledged for the first time in EPBD

Solar panels on a green roof with flowering sedum plants. Green rooftop garden with renewable solar energy system. Groene daktuin. ID: 1984038581 On 15 January 2024, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) approved the trilogue agreement on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive with a comfortable majority. EPBD For the first time, the agreed text requires EU countries to consider green roofs when meeting their solar energy on buildings obligation. This is a clear recognition of the potential of biosolar roofs! The text now needs to be approved by the European Parliament’s plenary and EU ministers. Both votes are tentatively scheduled for March 2024. Read the full EPBD text here.

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EU chapter

New Innovations in Bisolar Technology

In Norway, first pilots with biosolar roof projects have been a significant source of inspiration for further uptake & market development, says David Vernon Brasfield, Chairperson of the Norwegian Association for Green Infrastructure and Secretary of the World Green Infrastructure Network. Explore the advantages & challenges of Biosolar Roofs in the winter 2023 issue of Living Architecture Monitor 

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