CoP 13 Advances Nature-Based River Adaptation and Metropolitan Green Belt Solutions

The IURC Climate Adaptation Community of Practice 13 (CoP 13) is progressing towards the finalisation of its Urban Cooperation Action Plan (UCAP), following a series of coordination meetings and technical exchanges among partner cities. These discussions have enabled members to move beyond conceptual dialogue and focus on concrete nature-based adaptation interventions addressing river resilience, metropolitan ecosystems, and fragile environmental contexts.

A key highlight of the cooperation has been the exchange of best practices from Cluj Metropolitan Area, which serves as the lead city. Cluj has presented its metropolitan green belt and participatory landscape planning approach as a model for balancing urban expansion with ecosystem protection. The initiative demonstrates how peri-urban forests, biodiversity corridors, and recreational landscapes can function as climate buffers while strengthening citizen engagement and metropolitan governance.

Another important intervention discussed within the CoP is Cluj’s experience in river revitalisation and blue-green infrastructure development. The city showcased how restoration of river corridors can simultaneously address flood mitigation, biodiversity recovery, and public space regeneration, offering a replicable framework for partner cities seeking multifunctional adaptation solutions.

Iskandar Malaysia contributed complementary experience through its water-sensitive urban design and river rehabilitation initiatives, particularly the Sungai Skudai pilot. The approach highlights the importance of basin-scale governance, integration of economic development with ecological restoration, and cross-agency coordination in managing flood risks within rapidly urbanising regions.

Leh Municipality brought a unique perspective on adaptation in fragile mountain ecosystems, presenting community-based water management practices, climate-sensitive tourism planning, and nature-based sanitation solutions. These interventions underline the importance of culturally embedded and ecosystem-specific adaptation strategies in high-altitude environments experiencing accelerated climate impacts.

Christchurch further enriched the exchange by sharing lessons from post-disaster river corridor regeneration and coastal adaptation planning, demonstrating how long-term resilience can be embedded within recovery processes through community participation and living-lab approaches.

Across multiple meetings, partners also explored the development of pilot concepts including climate-resilient river corridors, metropolitan green infrastructure governance toolkits, and fragile ecosystem adaptation initiatives led by Leh.

With the UCAP nearing completion, CoP 13 is consolidating a cooperation framework that includes knowledge exchange sessions, technical workshops, and study visits to Cluj Metropolitan Area and Iskandar Malaysia. These activities will support practical learning, documentation of transferable solutions, and preparation of pilot proposals for the IURC Competitive Fund.

The ongoing cooperation demonstrates how ecosystem-based river adaptation, participatory metropolitan planning, and context-specific resilience strategies can be combined to support scalable and locally grounded climate adaptation pathways.