Course Modules:

Module 1: Introduction to Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions

• Definitions, typologies, and guiding frameworks
• Ecosystem services and urban sustainability
• Policy frameworks supporting NbS
  Exercise: Map local ecosystem services in a city context
  Case Study: Singapore’s ABC Waters Programme

Module 2: Urban Hydrology and Green Stormwater Management

• Urban flooding and water quality challenges
• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)
• Constructed wetlands and rain gardens
  Workshop: Design a green stormwater intervention for a high-risk neighborhood
  Case Study: Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters Initiative

Module 3: Urban Greening, Biodiversity, and Public Space Design

• Green roofs, urban forests, green walls, and ecological corridors
• Enhancing biodiversity through urban design
• Greening schools, roads, and housing developments
  Exercise: Create a biodiversity-enhancing landscape plan
  Case Study: Berlin’s Urban Green Infrastructure Strategy

Module 4: Climate Adaptation and Heat Island Reduction

• Heat mitigation through vegetation and surface materials
• Cooling strategies in urban design
• Microclimate modeling and measurement
  Workshop: Assess and redesign a heat-vulnerable urban zone
  Case Study: Nature-based cooling projects in Medellín, Colombia

Module 5: Integrating NbS into City Planning and Zoning

• Planning tools and regulatory integration
• Participatory planning and community co-design
• Multi-functional infrastructure strategies
  Exercise: Update a zoning plan to incorporate green infrastructure
  Case Study: NbS mainstreaming in Barcelona’s city planning

Module 6: Financing and Maintaining Urban Nature-Based Projects

• Green bonds and climate finance for NbS
• Lifecycle costing and cost-benefit analysis
• Operations and maintenance models
  Workshop: Draft a financing proposal for an NbS intervention
  Case Study: Green infrastructure funding via EU’s Horizon Europe

Module 7: Governance, Partnerships, and Institutional Capacity

• Institutional arrangements for urban NbS
• Multi-stakeholder collaboration models
• Policies, incentives, and enabling environments
  Exercise: Build a governance roadmap for city-wide green infrastructure
  Case Study: Melbourne’s Living Melbourne strategy

Module 8: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Assessment

• Indicators and data collection for NbS projects
• Adaptive management and reporting tools
• Community-based monitoring approaches
  Workshop: Develop an M&E framework for an urban green corridor
  Case Study: NbS monitoring dashboard in Malmö, Sweden

Module 9: Social Inclusion and Equity in Green Infrastructure Planning

• Addressing climate justice through NbS
• Inclusive public space design and access
• Co-benefits for health, livelihoods, and urban agriculture
  Exercise: Design a nature-based project for a marginalized community
  Case Study: Nairobi’s Mukuru Special Planning Area

Module 10: Developing an Action Plan for Urban NbS Implementation

• Project development and risk mitigation
• Alignment with SDGs and city development strategies
• Drafting an implementation roadmap
  Workshop: Create a city-level NbS implementation action plan
  Case Study: Cape Town’s NbS urban transformation strategy