A total of 16 steps are envisioned to support cities in successfully implementing NBS. Each step is composed of one or more activities, which can be flexibly implemented by each city, depending on their local contexts (e.g. geography, geology, climate conditions; social, economic and cultural structures). For each step, it is important to achieve an outcome.
Establishing the UIP (Month 1 – Month 6)
This phase of the co-creation pathway envisions four steps to be taken according to each city’s resources and scale of implementation. Firstly, place CLEVER Cities project within the city context and agree with the local cluster partners on the project focus; secondly, map the stakeholders you would like to have on board and explore how to engage them effectively; thirdly, launch the UIP through a public event. Lastly, as an optional activity to be carried out at the city level, the internal co-creation of the local platform for diffusing and mapping the progress of NBS implementation is proposed.
CAL Co-creation planning (Month 7 – Month 12)
In particular, Step 05 recalls the scope of the CAL and creates a preliminary check of available material and the road-mapping of the projects, in order to update partners and create a preliminary status quo before the starting of co-design activities.
Step 06, on the other hand, will support the partnership to define in detail the ‘CAL space’. i.e. answering who, how, where and what for each project. The Co-creation Matrix will provide a grid for establishing co-creation opportunities for each phase along the pathway and define suitable participatory activities accordingly. Theory of Change Workshops are warmly recommended for cities to be carried out for each CAL to identify impacts and relevant supporting activities for monitoring.
CAL Co-design activities (Month 13- Month 36)
This phase is the core activity for the action labs and refers to the co-design of the Nature Based Solutions in place. This is the activity that mostly involves local stakeholders and citizens, hence requires a highly inclusive approach and communication effort.
The steps suggested in this phase must be applied to each CLEVER Action Laboratory. Co-design involves the collaborative design of urban regeneration interventions – CLEVER Stimuli. Novel smart technologies will be applied in this phase with the aim of improving the overall involvement of citizens in the process.
CAL Co-implementation of NBS (Month 15 – Month 40)
Co-implementation is working with PEOPLE and partners to put the solution into action; the tangible interventions serve as a ‘test’ environment to make NBS marketable and sustainable.
Co-implementing the solutions means involving people and stakeholders, especially local ones, in the provision and construction of the co-designed solution. Sponsors, suppliers, single citizens might will to contribute to this phase, depending on the possibilities that the construction offers. Feeling to be part of the implementation phase is fundamental in order to initiate the following taking care of the solution in place.
Guidance on Co-creating NBS 