Insight notes on co-producing value-added governance instruments for restorative NbS

The document delves into the co-creation of governance instruments with partner cities, as part of the activities of the INTERLACE project. Drawing from structured exchange with city representatives and the expertise of the task team, it serves as a reflective piece and sheds light on the practicalities of co-creating NbS. The process resulted in the co-creation of 19 governance instruments across the six cities. A total of 18 governance instruments were planned, i.e. three per city, but Chemnitz developed four instruments. Governance instruments can be understood in this context to refer to organizational, financial, political, or legal instruments that guide and organize the interactions among and collective actions taken by public and private actors involved in developing and implementing NbS for restoration and rehabilitation of urban ecosystems. In the case of the INTERLACE cities, examples include a regulation for pocket parks or a Green Space Design Guide.

Structured systematically, the report outlines the similarities and differences in the design and co-production processes across partner cities in the EU and CELAC regions. It provides insights into the practicalities of co-creation processes and offers valuable considerations for planning collaborative governance implementations in cities. Furthermore, it reflects on the use of project resources such as the co-creation protocols, fiches and interviews, and complementary deliverables like UGA and the city policy analyses conducted. The document also includes key lessons learned from the process, providing essential considerations for future projects.

The primary audience is the INTERLACE project team, serving as an internal reflection method on learning around co-creation of NbS governance instruments.