One of Nature4Cities project work was to build a system of integrated multiscale and multi-thematic Urban Performance Indicators for the assessment of Urban Challenges and Nature Based Solutions (NBS).
Constitution of an Urban Challenges Framework
The first step was to build a framework of Urban Challenges to consider to develop a clear and coherent indicator system. A comprehensive literature review served as a basis for the Urban Challenge selection. The review includes analysis of other relevant EU projects and initiatives (like eg EKLIPSE report), urban planning reports and scientific literature in general.
A plenty of different existing frameworks were analysed, summarized and structured together. To try to keep the structure as simple as possible, the EKLIPSE framework was adduced to be the base for it.
Finally, 5 main topics, containing 11 Urban Challenges and 26 Urban Sub-Challenges, were defined.
Creation of an Urban Performance Indicator Pool
After defining the relevant Urban Challenges framework structure, expert groups - based on each partner's expertise - were created and started investigating each Urban Challenge.
Each team focused on identifying and evaluating a core set of indicators for its Urban Challenge. Based on the expert groups’ knowledge and literature reviews, a total of 110 Urban Performance Indicators was compiled.
This Urban Performance Indicator Pool was further analyzed with the RACER evaluation method to identify relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each Urban Challenge and Sub-Challenge.
It will help refine the environmental and socio-economic assessment models developed for the Nature4Cities Platform and in particular to measure the impact of NBS and structure the assessment framework.
A work that will serve as basis for the upcoming Simplified Urban Assessment Tool
The Simplified Urban Assessment Tool (SUA Tool) is based on the results of this work. The modules and applications integrated in the tool, will use the Key Performance Indicators identified.
The following Urban sub-Challenges will be covered by the tool: Climate Issues, Environment - Biodiversity and Urban Space, Social - Urban Planning and Governance. This Tool will be part of the N4C Platform and will be capable of assessing the impacts of NBS on Urban environment.
Discover more publications and results on our publications and results page.