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IMPACT AREA 3
Co-design with city knowledge holders
For nature-based solutions to be effective, they must be rooted in local realities. In many cities, past approaches excluded communities from shaping the very plans that affect their daily lives. This lapse limited buy-in and overlooked valuable lived knowledge. Since 2014, the UNA project has placed co-design, co-production and collaboration at the heart of its methodology. The project brought together city officials, traditional leaders, community members and technical experts to design solutions collaboratively. These multi-actor processes improved legitimacy, strengthened relationships and ensured that interventions are more inclusive, context-sensitive and widely supported.
3a
Learning labs
The UNA learning labs are a cornerstone of the project. These multi-directional workshops were held in each city, ensuring that nature-based planning and decision-making reflected local priorities and lived experiences. Participatory engagement brought together communities, practitioners, and decision-makers to unlearn, relearn and co-learn, creating inclusive processes that build trust and strengthen institutional capacity. This collaborative approach enhanced the legitimacy of decision-making while fostering ownership of the process, increasing the sustainability and scalability of nature-based interventions.
3b
Peer-to-peer learning
Peer-to-peer learning created a powerful platform for cities, stakeholders and partners to share experiences and practical solutions for advancing NbS. By exchanging lessons across contexts, cities built capacity, accelerated innovation and avoided common implementation pitfalls.
Case studies
RISE Africa Masterclass Series
From 26 to 30 May 2025, cities from all past phases of the UNA project took part in a curated learning experience at the RISE Africa 2025 Urban Action Festival in Cape Town, South Africa. This event marked the very first time all UNA cities were brought together to reflect on project learnings and impact together in person. The week-long programme combined immersive learning workshops, peer exchanges and working sessions, all grounded in the challenges and opportunities of implementing NbS in African urban contexts. Throughout the festival, participants engaged in UNA-led sessions, interactive workshops, site visits, networking opportunities and the broader RISE Africa project to learn, share insights and build local government connections across the continent. Activities during this in-person gathering were designed to (i) deepen participants’ knowledge of NbS and urban resilience; (ii) foster collaboration across the UNA network; and (iii) equip city representatives with practical tools and partnerships to advance nature-based resilience efforts in their home cities. By blending reflection, technical learning and real-world exposure, the experience strengthened both individual and collective capacity to integrate nature-based approaches into urban planning and policy.
Read more about the RISE Africa Masterclass Series:
Cape Coast: City-to-city Exchange
As part of the UNA Resilience project, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA), in partnership with ICLEI Africa, hosted a city-to-city exchange in Cape Coast, Ghana in October 2023. The exchange included a learning lab, the launch of a creative exhibition and a site visit, with a specific emphasis on the inclusion of women and youth voices. The overarching purpose was to exchange knowledge, voices, opinions, ideas, perspectives, experiences, learnings and skills, targeting UNA cities and partners from across Ghana and beyond. Using imagery, stories and narrative, as well as immersive on-site experiences to elicit responses from the viewers and stimulate discussion, the event allowed for peer-to-peer learning. City officials, community stakeholders and project practitioners and funders shared their commitments to nature. A core outcome of this event was the CCMA’s commitment to continue using the Cape Coast Biodiversity Centre as a dedicated space for nature and biodiversity education and awareness-raising. This outcome ensures that these capacities and skills continue to be built in the city.
Read more about the opening of the exhibition:
What I’ve learned from this gathering is that community participation is very important. Accountability is very important. And the resources to implement projects are key if you want to implement projects.
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Henry Powell, Chief Administrator, Bo City Council
The UNA approach benefits African cities in terms of community-based approaches and the collaboration and sharing amongst cities.
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Eduardo Pelembe, Senior Professional Officer at the Council of Environment and Climate Change, Quelimane Municipal
