THE EUROPEAN UNION REGENERATIVE URBAN LIGHTHOUSE:
UPSURGE provides a new development model for cities, 
centered on Nature-Based Solutions for renaturing urban space, 
to address the challenge of  cities’ carbon footprint and air pollution
upsurge-logo-white

UPSURGE’s main objective is to build the EU Regenerative Urban Lighthouse as a reference framework offering guided support on how tested and verified NBS can be strategically implemented to significantly improve the multitude of problems faced by cities.

The Lighthouse will be a knowledge and practice-based European framework created on real-life tested NBS practices implemented by different innovative EU cities, research institutions and companies. As the knowledge core of the Lighthouse, the Urban Regenerative Development.

Map of the 5 large demonstrations in Europe: Belfast, Breda, Budapest, Katowice, Maribor.

Latest news

  • UPSURGE Final Conference – Guiding Cities to Deliver Regenerative Urban Transformation

    UPSURGE Final Conference – Guiding Cities to Deliver Regenerative Urban Transformation

    On 10 February 2026 in Katowice, Poland, the UPSURGE consortium will host its Final Conference, Guiding Cities to Deliver Regenerative Urban Transformation, showcasing the innovations, tools, best practices, and lessons learned developed throughout the project to accelerate regenerative urban transformation across European cities. Organised as hybrid, the event will bring together policymakers, urban practitioners, researchers,…

  • Realizing the Green City: Launching the Quick Guide for Monitoring Nature-Based Solutions

    Realizing the Green City: Launching the Quick Guide for Monitoring Nature-Based Solutions

    Maximise the Impact of Your Urban Green Investments The global movement towards resilient cities is accelerating, with Nature-Based Solutions (NbS)—from green roofs to urban forests—emerging as powerful allies against climate change, pollution, and urban heat. But for municipalities making these vital investments, a critical question remains: how do you prove their worth and ensure they…

  • Nature-Based Solutions Bring the Maribor Community Together

    Nature-Based Solutions Bring the Maribor Community Together

    At the demo site along the Pekrski Creek in Maribor, established within the European project UPSURGE, it is becoming increasingly clear how nature-based solutions can connect the community and encourage collaboration among residents and local organisations. In recent months, trees and shrubs have been planted at the site, marking the first step towards creating a…