Turning Nature-based Solutions Into Impact
17/02/2026
About

How can we scale Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to enable real world impact and adoption. This one-hour online event brings together the EU funded projects JUSTNature, UPSURGE and Invest4Nature to explore how NbS are being developed, implemented, and scaled in practice.


A dedicated panel discussion will highlight best practices and lessons learned from multiple cities across Europe, followed by insights into market and business perspectives, including investment considerations and pathways for exploitation. The event will also introduce the Nature Building Helix ecosystem, inviting participants to engage further and connect with a growing community working to turn NbS research into impact.


This event is open to researchers, project managers, innovation professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in nature-based solutions, their societal value, and their journey from research to implementation.


JUSTNature aims to activate nature-based solutions (NbS) by ensuring a just transition to low-carbon cities, based on the principle of the right to ecological space. This in particular refers to the right to clean air and indoor/outdoor thermal comfort for human health and well-being, as well as thriving biodiversity and ecosystems. It also refers to the duty of not constraining the ecological space of others, in particular in relation to the mitigation of climate change and measures required for reducing GHG emissions.


Invest4Nature is an EU-funded project that contributes to the creation of a market for nature-based solutions. A group of 15 partners from 11 European countries prepare the grounds for investments in nature-based solutions by evaluating its benefits and economic performance. 


UPSURGE’s main objective is to build the EU Regenerative Urban Lighthouse as a reference framework offering guided support on how tested and verified NBS can be strategically implemented to significantly improve the multitude of problems faced by cities.

NetworkNature is a resource for the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) community, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strategic action to maximise the impact of NbS in Europe and beyond. NetworkNature clusters and connects more than 100 EU-funded NbS research and innovation projects, including Horizon 2020 and EU Mission initiatives.
Date & Time

Tuesday Feb 17, 2026 at 11 am CET

Agenda

Agenda

* All times are in Central European Time (EET)

11:00 - 11:05

Welcome address

11:05 - 11:25

Introduction to JUSTNature

Speaker

Jessica Balest - Senior Researcher at EURAC Research and JUSTNature coordinator

11:25 - 12:00

Panel discussion – Best practices and NBS examples from funded projects

Panelists

- JUSTNature representative - Jessica Balest, Senior Researcher at EURAC Research
- UPSURGE representative - Darko Ferčej, Head of EU project office at E-zavod
- Invest4Nature representatives - Agnieszka Dziubała, Senior specialist in interdisciplinary projects, Project Coordination and Urban Regeneration Office, Poznań City Hall, and Małgorzata Bronikowska, Specialist in interdisciplinary project, Project Coordination and Urban Regeneration Office, Poznań City Hall

12:00 - 12:20

NbS Market and Business Perspectives

Speaker

Lydia Lienhart - Researcher and Science communicator in climate policy & economics

12:20 - 12:30

The Nature Building Helix Ecosystem

Speaker

Cais Jurgens - Head of Membership Development, Crowdhelix

12:30 - 12:35

Conclusion

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