Greening Cities Partnership Advances in Utrecht: Finalizing the Action Plan and Preparing for the Implementation Stage

The event brought together over 20 public authorities and organizations, including the European Commission’s DG Environment, as well as political representatives and delegates from Dutch municipalities like Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam, the EUI Urban Contact Point from Netherlands along with other invited stakeholders.

A Collaborative Effort for a Common Goal

The meeting followed the recent consultation process for the Greening Cities draft Action Plan, which ended in July after receiving 45 contributions from Member States, local authorities, and stakeholders. One of the key objectives of the meeting was to foster a collaborative mindset among the different working groups, creating links between actions to refine the Action Plan before submission while preparing the ground for the implementation stage. Members worked in diverse teams, engaging in both plenary discussions and breakout sessions to address any refinements needed in the Action Plan and discuss next steps for its implementation.

Vice Mayor of Utrecht, Ms. Linda Voortman, opened the meeting by emphasizing Utrecht's commitment to urban greening and biodiversity through key initiatives such as the Utrecht Green Leap strategy. She also highlighted the city’s recent signing of the Montreal Declaration (Habitat III) and its upcoming commitment to the Berlin Nature Act, reaffirming Utrecht’s leadership in promoting urban ecosystems.

“Urban ecosystems are critical for supporting biodiversity,” Vice Mayor Voortman stated, urging cities to have a clear vision, engage local communities, and ensure implementation at the community level. She also called attention to the importance of positioning urban greening as a priority when engaging with national governments.

Addressing the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR)

The meeting came at a pivotal time, following the adoption of the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) in August 2024. This regulation sets binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems, including specific goals for urban green spaces and tree canopy. EU countries are expected to submit their National Restoration Plans by mid-2026, showing how they will deliver on these targets.

To support cities in meeting the NRR’s ambitious goals, the Greening Cities Partnership’s Action Plan focuses on several critical areas, including how to quantify the demand for Green Infrastructure, set satisfactory levels for urban greening, define monitoring indicators, and propose financial models that help local authorities implement and maintain their green spaces. Emerging priorities from the European Commission, such as data access and housing policies, were discussed during the meeting, advising urban authorities to consider how their greening efforts could intersect with housing needs to create new opportunities for support.

Participants also highlighted the political significance of the Greening Cities Partnership highlighting the opportunities from to organizing high-level political meetings involving city leaders, and representatives from EU networks to garner broader support for the NRR’s implementation. As the core aim of the Urban Agenda is to give cities a stronger voice in EU decision-making, synergies between local, regional, and national initiatives are crucial for effectively implementing the Action Plan.

Inspiration from Innovative Actions

The meeting was enriched by four inspiring case study presentations from various cities across Europe, including the newly started EUI Innovative Actions under the Greening Cities thematic topic highlighting innovative approaches to urban greening:

• Utrecht Green Scalejump – Presented by Anne Marie Gout, City of Utrecht delegate, member of the Urban Agenda Greening Cities Partnership, this initiative outlined the city’s green ambitions in a rapidly growing and densifying urban environment. Through intelligent urban design solutions, such as the introduction of the "Utrecht Barcode," the city aims to ensure that green spaces grow in proportion to new housing developments.
• Ground for Wellbeing – Presented by Mr. Jan Jacob Sikkema from the City of Amsterdam, this project, funded by EUI-IA, employs Soil & Water Sensitive Urban Design in a historical neighborhood facing severe environmental and health challenges. The project seeks to improve climate resilience and community wellbeing through co-creation and sustainable design.
• Greening Without Borders – Mr. Gijs Norden from the City of Rotterdam introduced this public-private approach aimed at raising and greening private gardens as part of a collective green infrastructure project. This EUI-IA funded initiative focuses on creating economic and social opportunities through green space rehabilitation in port neighborhoods.
• European Platform for Urban Greening – Presented by Mr. Boudewijn Grievink, this platform seeks to increase the knowledge and skills needed to address climate adaptation, biodiversity, and well-being in urban environments across Europe.

Moving Forward with Implementation

As the Greening Cities Partnership gears up for the submission of its Action Plan, participants left the Utrecht meeting with a clear focus on the next steps. These include planning for upcoming political discussions and ensuring that the Action Plan is ready for implementation across Member States. The Partnership's work directly supports the objectives of the Nature Restoration Regulation and will play a key role in helping cities meet their urban greening targets.

Looking ahead, key political events will provide an opportunity to further promote the Partnership’s goals:

• Landscape: A Living Environment Forum (Zagreb, October 10-11, 2024): Hosted by Croatia’s Ministry of Physical Planning, this event will provide further insights into urban nature restoration efforts.
• Eurocities Environment Forum (Vienna, November 13-15, 2024): A dedicated workshop will address urban greening and satisfactory levels.
• Cities Forum 2025 (Krakow, mid-June 2025): Announcements on the progress of the Greening Cities Partnership will be made.

With these milestones ahead, the Greening Cities Partnership continues to build momentum, aligning its work with Europe’s ambitious environmental and urban greening agenda.