How 21st-century cities can support and benefit from nature is the focus of a new €12 million pan-European research project, which is coordinated by a research team in Trinity College Dublin.

Connecting Nature is one of seven European projects currently seeking nature-based solutions for smart cities and climate change. “Europe has invested €150 million to help cities transition to more sustainable and resilient cities. It’s a huge show of faith but unlike technological solutions, which are single-use grey infrastructure, nature-based solutions grow over time,” says Collier. Currently, more than 70 percent of Europe’s population lives in cities but this is expected to increase to over 80 percent by the middle of the century.

Treating wastewater on site rather than spending money on infrastructure to remove it to a wastewater treatment plant is another nature-based solution that is being trialed in some cities. In some cases, certain types of wastewater can be used for urban gardens. Other innovative solutions include vertical hydroponic units growing herbs and salads and fish tanks, the fish of which will be for sale in nearby markets.

Read the full article by Sylvia Thompson about climate change from The Irish Times