GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Cities are undergoing a rapid transformation most notably due to their digitisation. Besides this, the need for solutions to make them more sustainable and environmentally friendly has been addressed in many research projects, mainly from the perspective of climate adaptation. In this regard, nature-based solutions combined with local knowledge offer a potential also for security research on infrastructures. Such solutions can help and provide business opportunities to make cities more resilient against natural disasters and possibly other security challenges.

EU-funded and national research activities have demonstrated the significant opportunities of NBS with regard to for example improved resilience, climate adaptation and the reduction of pollution in cities. What concerns security, projects have been focussing on the effects that NBS can have for prevention (for example flood-plains and mangroves for flood protection, natural source water protection, green roofs and pavements for heat and water absorption). The reduction of disaster risks and the potential for enhanced resilience of cities against different natural hazards are a priority to be put in place when applying NBS. Besides man-made hazards, Europe is facing increasingly frequent and intense natural hazards, including epidemics, droughts, heat waves, storms, floods and wildfires, which trigger needs for constant innovation when it comes to the protection of people. With the continuing increase of population concentrated in cities and urban areas and increasing impacts of climate change, such risks present a significant challenge in this regard.

The testing and/or piloting of the tools and solutions developed in a real setting with one or more local authorities and/or other relevant authorities is an asset; regardless, actions should foresee how they will facilitate the uptake, replication across setting and up-scaling of the capabilities – i.e. solutions, tools, processes et al. – to be developed by the project.