Consortium - GreenEsteem

Organisations

The GreenEsteem Consortium brings together 6 partners from 3 countries (Poland, Bulgaria and Austria), comprising highly relevant natural and social sciences disciplines for NBS and complementary expertise from academia, industry, policy-making, and community engagement. Both living lab locations – Konin and Sofia - are managed by a university-local actor partnership.

Adam Mickiewicz University

a leading academic institution in Poland, coordinates GreenEsteem and provides a strong foundation in research related to urban development, ecosystem services, and NBS. AMU’s Department of Integrated Geography has participated in numerous European and national projects, including CONNECTING Nature and TeRRIFICA, which focused on the implementation of NBS and climate adaptation. Their expertise in participatory methods, spatial planning and urban ecosystem resilience is critical for evaluating NBS and engaging stakeholders in co-creation. AMU’s interdisciplinary approach ensures scientific rigor in knowledge valorisation, while their long-standing partnerships with European research networks amplify the project’s potential for cross-border collaboration. AMU will bring in their deep academic and project-related experience in the field of ecosystem services, NBS, urban resilience and climate change adaptation, and will cooperate with Konin City Hall.

SYNYO GmbH

a research and technology enterprise from Austria, supports coordination, complementing AMU’s academic strengths with its capabilities in technological innovation and digital engagement. SYNYO has extensive experience in designing digital platforms and tools to facilitate citizen engagement and knowledge exchange, essential for involving stakeholders in NBS initiatives. Their role in previous projects (BioBeo, CircularCityChallenge) highlights their ability to disseminate complex research outputs to diverse audiences will drive the digital engagement and participatory elements of the project. SYNYO’s team include researchers in Social Sciences with expertise in inclusive and participatory research and in gender and intersectional aspects, as well as in citizens’ participation and engagement and partnering with CSOs (REINCLUGEN, COVINFORM, MigraCare, Embodied Perceptions).

TEAM SOFIA

TEAM SOFIA, an interdisciplinary group of urban experts, brings a practical, city-level policy perspective to the consortium. With extensive experience in urban planning and public engagement, exemplified by their leadership in the Vision Sofia 2050 strategy and URBiNAT, a Horizon 2020 NBS project, they ensure that the project outcomes are not only scientifically grounded but also politically and administratively feasible. Their hands-on approach to integrating citizen input into policy frameworks helps develop actionable NBS plans that resonate with local needs.

UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING AND GEODESY

The UACEG team, as an academic partner experienced in urban planning, urban regeneration and urban governance, will set a methodological framework for analysis, evaluation and transfer of best practices in knowledge valorisation related to NBS across local, national, and EU contexts. The practical experience gained through the action research performed as local scientific partner of Sofia municipality in URBiNAT project will contribute to translating theory into practice and will support methodologically the envisioned inclusive planning processes, and particularly the stakeholders mapping and the identification of their specific needs. The expertise of the team in educational projects at national (study programmes in formal education) and EU level (Erasmus projects HURBE and NeRu) will contribute to training needs assessment and effective knowledge transfer design. UACEG will cooperate with the CSO Urban Policies Association (thereafter TEAM SOFIA), both experienced in NBS R&I projects and dedicated at improving trust and participation in local decision-making processes.

Climate Alliance Austria

CAA is a CSO and part of the Climate Alliance global partnership for climate protection. It is specialised on consulting and supporting municipalities, schools and companies in Austria in their efforts to realise local action for climate protection, including NBS projects. With their experience in conducting target-group specific communication, stakeholder-engagement, education workshops and trainings of best practice on local, regional and (inter)national level CAA will lead the project’s capacity building and will assist DEC through their members network of 1.109 Austrian municipalities, 1.774 private companies and 937 educational institutions. CAA will contribute with their QH network in Austria and beyond for knowledge transfers via trainings and multiplication activities.

City of Konin

The City of Konin provides a real-world testbed for implementing and maintaining NBS. With their experience in green and blue infrastructure development, as well as community-led environmental projects like the Civic Budget Konin ensures the project’s outcomes are grounded in practical, scalable solutions. Their commitment to citizen participation and the ability to engage businesses in public investment aligns perfectly with the project's participatory objectives.