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Digest
The NetworkNature Task Force 4 (Communicators) is pleased to provide you with a summary of upcoming events and opportunities announced by Horizon 2020/Europe projects and select Missions. This Task Force is responsible for synergising and enhancing communication approaches and messages across Nature-based Solutions (NbS) projects. If you are not a task force 4 member, but would like to submit to this informal digest, please reach out to hello@networknature.eu. We will get back to you as soon as possible with instructions!
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TF 4 Digest: July 2026
Project Updates
- Have you noticed anything not quite right on the NetworkNature platform? Let us know here. We are always improving the platform and want your input!
- Quick Reads - Do not miss the NATURANCE briefs:
New Resource on design of NbS for urban water management: The NICE project has released a new guideline document to support the design, implementation and management of innovative Nature-based Solutions for urban water management. The resource is aimed at municipalities, water utilities, planners, engineers and policymakers seeking to scale up water-resilient NbS. Explore NICE resources.
Upcoming Events
June
- From Climate Risk to Nature-based Solutions: Methodologies for Identification and Implementation
Date: 30 June at 14.00 CET; Location: Online
The first LAND4CLIMATE webinar will bring together experiences from the EU projects LAND4CLIMATE, NBRACER and CARDIMED, with regions at the forefront of Nature-based Solutions implementation, including Steiermark, West Flanders and Izmir. The session will combine hands-on regional experiences with methodological perspectives from technical and academic partners and explore questions such as: Where do good Nature-based Solutions ideas most often struggle? What makes an NbS methodology truly usable for practitioners and local authorities? What is currently underestimated when identifying and implementing NbS across different regional contexts?
July
- OECD Green Growth and Sustainable Development Forum
Date: 1-2 July 2026; Location: Paris & online
The annual OECD Green Growth and Sustainable Development Forum (GGSD Forum) is a conference open to a wide range of stakeholders and experts for a multidisciplinary dialogue. Each year, it focuses on a different cross-cutting theme. The 2026 Forum will focus on the economics of climate adaptation, exploring how adaptation investments create economic benefits, how adaptation can be integrated into decision-making across sectors, and the roles of business, nature, and employment in driving progress. Register here! - Interactive Session on the European NbS R&I Roadmap
Date: 3 July 2026 11:30–12:30 CEST; Location: Online
Biodiversa+ and NetworkNature are organising a new interactive online session to help research and innovation projects engage with the European Roadmap for Research & Innovation on Nature-based Solutions. During the session, participants will be introduced to the Roadmap, explore how to contribute to its future update and increase the visibility of their project results through it. They will then take part in a practical activity to map project outputs against it. This is a valuable opportunity to ensure that the knowledge, tools, lessons learned, policy briefs, reports and scientific outputs generated by projects continue to inform the future direction of NbS research and innovation in Europe. Register here! - NbS Italy Hub Week 2026 – Nature-based Solutions for Water Resilience
Date: 6-10 July 2026; Location: Bari, Italy
NbS Italy Hub Week 2026 brings together researchers, public authorities, practitioners, and private sector representatives working on NbS. The focus is on how NbS can address water-related challenges, including urban flooding, stormwater management, coastal resilience, and the integration of green and blue infrastructure. The programme will include the NbS Italy Hub Annual Conference, field visits to regional NbS case studies, and a training school for municipalities and practitioners. The event is in Italian. - “Wildlife Tracking for Connection” learning session (Co-creation with the More-than-Human sandbox)
Date: July 15, 6 pm CEST. Location: online.
Join us for our 15th learning session: What do ancient tracking skills have to offer us in these challenging times? Tracking, and the deep awareness of ecology it demands — the understanding of interactions between living beings and their environment — can unlock a power of communication and instinct in those who travel this ancient path. Our speaker, Jon Young, has spent over 40 years walking this path. Initiated into traditional tracking skills at the age of ten, he went on to study tracking cultures across many parts of the world, seeking to understand how this ancient way of perception shapes people and communities. In this session, we explore the many facets and gifts of tracking — how it connects us not just through our senses, but to the more-than-human world, awakening ancient instincts and intrinsic values for caring for the Earth, its beings, and one another. For human beings are born to be in reciprocal conversation with the Earth, and holistic, intentional tracking is a potent and thrilling way to wake this gift back up. Register here!
August
- 15th European Conference on Ecological Restoration
Date: 24-28 August 2026; Location: Brest, France
The 15th SER Conference aims to share knowledge and strengthen collaboration across restoration ecology while building connections with emerging topics such as ecological networks and marine ecosystem restoration. With a focus on wetlands and coastal ecosystems, the conference will also address the implementation of European restoration legislation and National Restoration Plans. The programme will cover ecological, social, and policy dimensions of ecosystem restoration across diverse ecosystems and territories, including overseas regions. Register here!
September
- TERRAenVISION 2026
Date: 7-10 September 2026; Location: Trier, Germany
This conference aims to provide a platform for a broad range of stakeholders that together can exchange experiences and identify new transformational pathways towards a sustainable society within the planetary boundaries. It promotes the exchange of scientific research, solutions from industry and insights from policy for interdisciplinary collaboration and networking. Register here! - Soils for Europe Conference
Date: 7-11 September 2026; Location: Coimbra, Portugal
The Soils for Europe Conference, co-organised by multiple Mission Soil projects, will highlight panels on the Mission Objectives, including cross-cutting sessions aiming to showcase the latest research being developed across Europe. While the event will allow for the showcasing of innovations being produced by various European-funded projects, the conference will be open to all researchers and practitioners in an effort to bring together the best and most innovative initiatives in the European space, including a day dedicated to the Living Labs initiatives. Registration for the conference will open in early summer here. - 19th IWA International Conference on Wetland Systems for Water Pollution Control
Date: 13-17 September 2026; Location: Chania, Greece
The conference belongs to the IWA Specialist Group “Wetland Systems for Water Pollution Control” conference series; a bi-annual event that acts as a global forum for discussion and knowledge sharing on the state of the art in scientific and practical development and implementation on nature-based solutions, focusing on constructed wetlands providing water quality improvement and other co-benefits and ecosystem services. Register here! - CARDIMED Conference 2026
Date: 21-22 September 2026; Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Organised by CARDIMED project in collaboration with Utrecht University and its Pathways to Sustainability programme, the conference will bring together researchers, practitioners, planners, policy makers and artists to explore how urban rivers can be renatured and regenerated to foster climate resilience, biodiversity recovery and social connection. The programme will combine plenary sessions with interactive seed sessions, designed to stimulate emerging ideas and collaborations. Further information on registration and attendance will be published soon.
October
- European Week of Regions and Cities
Date: 12-14 October 2026; Location: Brussels, Belgium
The European Week of Regions and Cities is the largest annual event held in Brussels dedicated to regional and urban policy. It provides cities and regions with a platform to demonstrate their role in fostering growth and employment, implementing EU Cohesion Policy, and highlighting the importance of the local and regional level in effective European governance. - Brussels Climate Week Conference
Date: 12-15 October 2026; Location: Brussels, Belgium
The Brussels Climate Week Conference is the central forum of the Week, bringing together European institutions, Member States, industry, cities, investors, and innovators to shape the future of Europe’s climate-industrial transition. Over five themed days, the Conference will explore how Europe can advance resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability through high-level dialogues, curated roundtables, and cross-sector networking that turn ambition into action. Call for Speakers open here! - CBD COP 17
Date: 19-30 October 2026; Location: Yerevan, Armenia
The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a major global summit where governments, experts, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and other stakeholders come together to review progress and define new commitments on the protection and restoration of biodiversity.
November
- NbS International Congress
Date: 2-6 November 2026; Location: Paris, France
The NbS International Congress will bring together more than 500 researchers, practitioners, city and region representatives, national and EU authorities, policy-makers, local and international organisations, investors, businesses, and civil society from the NbS community. Through different thematic tracks —from science to policy and practice, and across diverse ecosystems and topics— the congress will offer a week of exchange across science, practice and policy, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing within the international network.- Scientific Conference: Organised by PERP SOLU-BIOD, the Scientific Conference will take place on 4, 5 and 6 November 2026 at Sorbonne University. A registration fee will be required. The call for sessions is now open! Registration here.
- NetworkNature Week: Running from 2 to 4 November 2026, the NetworkNature Week will feature a series of events designed to inspire and build the capacity of the NbS community and beyond to continue taking action for nature. Registrations will open soon! Key events not to miss:
- Smart City Expo World Congress
Date: 3-5 November 2026; Location: Barcelona, Spain
Held annually in Barcelona since 2011, the Smart City Expo World Congress is the world’s largest and most influential event dedicated to cities and urban innovation. It brings together leaders from global companies, governments, and organisations to explore how cities can evolve towards more sustainable, efficient, and inclusive futures. The event aims to turn urban ambition into concrete solutions by fostering partnerships, collaboration, and knowledge exchange to address the most pressing challenges facing cities today. Get your pass here. - COP 31 of UNFCCC
Date: 9-20 November 2026; Location: Antalya, Turkey
At the summit, world leaders, experts, and civil society representatives will discuss joint solutions to combat climate change and build a sustainable future. Hosted by Türkiye, this conference will be an important gathering for shaping global climate policies. - Re-Value Final Forum
Date: 18 November 2026; Location: Bruges, Belgium.
Organised by Re-Value, the Forum will celebrate the journey of 9 waterfront cities towards climate neutrality through inclusive urban planning and design. Save the date and keep an eye on our Events page for updates on the programme and registration opening. Stay up to date by following Re-Value on LinkedIn and Instagram, and by signing up for the Informed Cities Newsletter here.
Calls for Proposals (Events)
- 19th International Conference on Wetland Systems
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 19th IWA International Conference on Wetland Systems for Water Pollution Control to be held between 13-17 September 2026 in the beautiful city of Chania on the island of Crete in Greece. Submit an abstract now.
Calls for Abstracts (Publications)
- Call for Papers | Special Issue on the Water–Energy–Food Nexus
We are pleased to share a new Special Issue in the journal Water (MDPI) on: “Water–Energy–Food Nexus: Tools and Strategies for Resilient Growth.” Submission deadline: 20 September 2026.
Other Opportunities
- Call for External Reviewers for IPBES Assessments
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) invites experts, decision-makers, practitioners, and other knowledge holders to participate in the upcoming external reviews of two major assessments:- Methodological Assessment of Integrated Biodiversity-Inclusive Spatial Planning and Ecological Connectivity – 1 June to 26 July 2026
- Second Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services – 15 June to 8 August 2026
- Abstract submission for the IFLA Europe Conference 2026 is now open!
Submission deadline: 31 July
