Uncovering the Role of Urban Governance Practices for Nature-based Solutions: Investigating the Instrumentalization Pathways in European Cities

Abstract: Nature-based solutions (NbS) have proven effective in addressing urban sustainability challenges. This thesis focuses on bridging the gap in NbS short-term interventions, scale, and financial barriers. It examines the instrumentalization and implementation of successful long-term interventions from a policy and urban governance perspective, aiming to inspire cities and identify commonalities. The study utilizes the Urban Governance Atlas (UGA) knowledge platform in collaboration with Ecologic Institute (Germany), to analyze 150 NbS instrument cases from European cities. Through this comprehensive cross-sectional analysis, key trends, and patterns of successful NbS implementation are identified, with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement, governance, and policy development involving local governments and civil society. This thesis highlights the pivotal role of universities in driving experimentation and identifies "governing by enabling" as the dominant approach. where local governments facilitate policy instrumentalization. Horizontal collaboration among sectors and departments emerges as a crucial factor while emphasizing that empowerment does not necessarily translate into improved sustainability outcomes, whereas collaboration serves as the common mode of participation for good practice instruments. Moreover, it identifies six key actions across 29 economic and fiscal instruments (EFI), underscoring the pressing need for upscaling NbS and the untapped potential of co-financing from the private sector and development banks, with current funding primarily reliant on local public budgets. The study leverages the wealth of information in the UGA to provide actionable knowledge derived from 150 European good practice cases, informing the design and implementation of future NbS policy instruments and governance models. By employing robust science-policy techniques, this research contributes to the literature on urban governance and NbS, offering a set of key recommendations for sustainable urban development to guide policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in deploying and maintaining urban NbS.