The Call for Host is now open for applications!

The event takes the shape of an interactive workshop that will increase the participants’ capacity and community development need of financing arrangements for local biodiversity, ecosystem services (ESS) and nature-based solutions (NBS) interventions in response to local urban challenges. "Financing Options for Greener Cities" is developed in close cooperation with ICLEI, EKLIPSE Mechanism and the NATURVATION project.

The objective of the event is to improve the expertise of local stakeholders to better understand (1) the financing landscape, (2) financing options, (3) possible ‘investment’ cases and (4) financial arrangements (such as blended financing). The event will build their capacity by actively involving them in a preparatory webinar, an interactive workshop and a follow-up survey.

The webinar seeks to provide participants with an opportunity to get to know each other, to explore specific participants’ needs and prepare them for the workshop. On this occasion, the organisers will present the focus of the workshop, key preparatory materials and will start to tailor the most common and urgent challenges in financing biodiversity, ESS and NBS projects. These will shape the workshop programme.

The 2-day workshop will actively involve 20-40 participants from across Europe, representing local level policy-makers, decision-makers, economic scientists and civil society. During the workshop participants will (1) observe the most urgent challenges; (2) map the financing landscape and (3) reflect on the financing options, (4) make the case for investing in biodiversity, ESS and NBS; and (5) will stimulate outside the box thinking around financing arrangements.

A short survey after the workshop will collect the reflections of the participants and the lessons learned. This information will be summarised in a report, which will serve as a knowledge base for the future development and implementation of 'green' projects.

In order to secure equal opportunities and transparency, organisers will open one Call for Host (cities) and one Call for Participants. Those interested in hosting or participating in the event are invited to apply. Complete information about the application process will be published soon on this webpage. 

The webinar: June/July 2019

The workshop: September/October 2019

Webpage: http://bit.ly/financinggreenercities

The Call for Host is now open. Applications must be submitted before 23:59 (CET), 11 April 2019.