Cities are growing fast – and with them, the pressure on people’s health and everyday life. More traffic, sealed surfaces, noise, and limited access to nature all contribute to stress, poorer air quality, and a sense of disconnection from the environment. The H2020 project UPSURGE explores how nature-based solutions (NBS) can counteract these effects and…

Edited by Vasileios Kantzaris (Municipality of Patras) Patras, Greece’s third-largest city and a key port in the Peloponnese, faces escalating urban challenges from climate change, including heatwaves, flooding, and social inequities in deprived neighborhoods. As a partner in the EU-funded UPSURGE project (2021–2025), Patras is actively piloting Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to enhance urban resilience. UPSURGE…

As part of the Smart City Expo World Congress, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability will officially launch the UrbanByNature Platform (formerly known as Lighthouse), a new hub designed to support cities in advancing Nature-based Solutions (NbS). To celebrate this milestone, ICLEI will host a networking event at the ICLEI Stand on 5 November at…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which has been marked for many years by the Europa Donna Slovenia Association. This year, the Podravje branch marked Pink October with a walk along the Pekrski potok stream, where participants were accompanied by posters with information on the importance of prevention, early detection of the disease, and women’s…

A big thank you to our hosts in Breda for such a warm and insightful experience! On 1–2 October 2025, the city of Breda hosted the meeting of the UPSURGE project partners. During the event, participants discussed current project matters, including a detailed review of achievements and challenges within individual work packages. Over two productive…