The ThinkNature project organized a series of short video recorded interviews with conference participants during the H2020 Clustering Action "Transforming Cities, Enhancing Well-being: innovating with nature-based solutions" which took place at the University of A Coruña in 2018 (link). The interviewees are NBS experts of different background and expertise (policy makers, market actors, scientists, end users/authorities), providing a range of perspectives and different insights into the present and the future of NBS.
Anna Levonmaa is Landscape Architect at Tampereen kaupunki - City of Tampere.
Interview included the following questions:
- What are Nature-Based Solutions and have you implemented in your city?
- What are the benefits to implementing NBS in your city?
- Are there still significant gaps in research, which are hindering NBS propagation?
- What NBS would you like to see implemented in your municipality?
Josefina Enfedaque is Policy Officer about Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Public Engagement in Nature-Based Solutions of European Commission (DG Research & Innovation).
Interview included the following questions:
- What are Nature-Based Solutions or NBS?
- What barriers to NBS implementation exist in Europe currently?
- What solutions could there be for overcoming these barriers?
- How optimistic are you about the future?
- What is your key message about NBS?
Jennifer Senick is Executive Director of the Rutgers Center for Green Building at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Urban Planning and Policy Development, Rutgers University.
Interview included the following question:
Can you describe your experience in the research and implementation of Nature-Based Solutions?
Kristyna Pelikanova is Civil Society Officer in SG/CR/CS - Civil Society Division of European Investment Bank.
Interview included the following questions:
- How would you define Nature-Based Solutions?
- Do NBS approaches help achieve environmental goals?
- What are the benefits of integrating NBS into urban areas?
- How is climate change affecting businesses and why should they care?
Marcus Collier is Coordinator of Connecting Nature and Assistant Professor in School of Natural Sciences of Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin.
Interview included the following questions:
- How would you say NBS offer new ways of meeting existing challenges?
- Are there still significant gaps in research which are hindering NBS propagation?
- How effective is a co-creation project compared to a traditional retro-fitted plan?
- What is your next project?
- What is your key message about NBS?
Peter de Ruiter is Professor of Soil Systems Ecology, Faculty of Science in University of Amsterdam (UvA).
Interview included the following questions:
- Are there any other sectors you would like to collaborate with to promote NBS?
- What is your key message concerning NBS?
Ricardo Garcia Mira is Professor in University of A Coruna, Department of Psychology and Director of People-Environment Research Group.
Interview included the following questions:
- What is your background in the research of Nature-Based Solutions?
- How do NBS offer new ways to meet existing challenges?
- Are you finding gaps in research that may hinder the propagation of NBS?
- What is the key message regarding governance and NBS?
Victor Beumer is Cluster Manager for Hybrid Green & Grey Infrastructure at EU Water Platform (WssTp).
Interview included the following questions:
- Do you think business will lead the way in making NBS mainstream?
- What business culture change is needed?
- What advise would you give to an individual trying to promote NBS within their business?
- How cost-effective are NBS in relation to conventional solutions?
- What is your final message regarding NBS and business?
Zuzana Hudekova is member of Bratislava Municipality of Karlova Ves.
Interview included the following questions:
- What NBS scheme would you like to see implemented in your territory?
- What are the biggest challenges to NBS implementation?