Green and blue infrastructure
European countries have long engaged in practices that degrade natural capital, threatening sustainability and resilience against environmental shocks. Ecosystem services—essential benefits from nature like clean water, food, and climate regulation—are often undervalued and overexploited. In response to these challenges, many cities are shifting from traditional grey infrastructure to green and blue infrastructure (GBI).
GBI incorporates natural spaces such as parks, rain gardens, and wetlands, enhancing climate resilience, biodiversity, and overall air and water quality. This approach is supported by significant EU policies, including the Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, the Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change and the Nature Restoration Law. GBI is not only effective but also cost-efficient compared to conventional solutions.
Local authorities are encouraged to adopt various fiscal and non-fiscal strategies to promote GBI, fostering ecological resilience and sustainable development. This policy brief outlines EU initiatives, policy recommendations, and practical examples of GBI implementation, showcasing successful projects from Interreg Europe that can be replicated in other municipalities.
Download the policy brief
Download the policy brief below and start exploring how your region could integrate green and blue infrastructure!
Policy brief on green and blue infrastructure
Featured good practices
AQUARes urban distributed controlled micro-retention system
The urban distributed retention system ]for urban area.
