Transforming Stormwater Infrastructure for Urban Resilience and Circular Water Solutions through the CURE-NbS Project

Climate change and urbanisation contributes to urban water issues that have an impact on long-term sustainability, climate resilience and pollution. The CURE-NbS project will explore Nature-based Solutions (NbS) related challenges with the purpose of designing a innovative water management approach that integrates surface drainage systems into existing urban planning and reuse strategies. Nine different NbS across five international urban living labs (ULL) will be assessed through a combined modelling and monitoring framework. Each will be evaluated based on hydraulic performance to assess the effectiveness of NbS in mitigating excessive urban discharge during storm events, improve water quality and support effective water management strategies. Project results will also provide insight into co-benefits, socio-economic consequences and spatial implications of NbS. Structured project activities, such as interactive ClimateCafé workshops, will support stakeholder participation initiatives and adapt solutions to the local context. In addition, an open-source digital mapping tool, ClimateScan will leverage technology to facilitate geospatial data collection relevant to global climate adaptation strategies. Project outcomes are expected to demonstrate measurable improvements in urban water management and provide practical guidance for accelerating change and integrating NbS into existing planning and infrastructure.