This publication shows how to weave Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into urban regeneration so cities can tackle climate risk, biodiversity loss and inequality while advancing the SDGs. It defines NbS, links them to green-blue infrastructure and ecosystem services, and situates them within a co-governed regeneration approach that mobilises land, community and environmental assets.
It offers a practical framework to plan and deliver NbS at three spatial scales—river-basin/landscape, city and neighbourhood—addressing common governance and financing gaps through inclusive design, multi-stakeholder partnerships and evidence-based decision-making. The report highlights co-benefits (from cooling and flood mitigation to jobs and health), and outlines why, in many contexts, NbS can be more cost-effective and financially sustainable than grey infrastructure. Tools such as multi-criteria evaluation, GIS-supported workflows and community-level data help compare options and manage trade-offs.
International case studies illustrate application across scales: Nairobi Rivers Regeneration demonstrates basin-scale restoration paired with livelihood projects; Belmopan’s blue-green network shows city-wide integration of drainage, active mobility and public space; and Shanghai’s KIC Garden exemplifies neighbourhood-scale co-creation that reconnects
Written for local governments, planners and practitioners, the paper is part of UN-Habitat’s Flagship Programme “Inclusive Communities, Thriving Cities” and provides principles, checklists and cases to help teams design bankable, just and resilient regeneration projects that work with nature.
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