ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the transition from an industrial to a post-industrial society, highlighting the pressing need for sustainable urban regeneration. As cities grapple with the legacies of industrialisation, such as pollution and social challenges, nature-based solutions (NBS) are presented as a critical strategy for addressing these issues. This chapter underscores how NBS, inspired by natural ecosystems, offer a cost-effective, multifunctional approach to urban regeneration. The research, conducted through Living Labs in the post-industrial cities of Dortmund, Turin, Zagreb, and Ningbo, explores how NBS can be adapted to local contexts, co-designed with communities, and sustained over time. This chapter emphasises the productive potential of NBS, particularly in creating new economies and enhancing biodiversity, while also addressing social and environmental challenges. Supported by the European Union’s (EU) Horizon 2020 programme, this research contributes to the broader understanding of NBS as a transformative tool for urban regeneration, offering insights and guidelines for replicating these solutions in other contexts. This chapter concludes by highlighting the importance of integrating NBS into urban strategies at both the local and EU policy levels, aiming to inspire further initiatives in cities worldwide.
