A glimpse into the euPOLIS multi-dimensional Indicator System for Site Screening & NBS Assessment

Abstract

Evaluating the impact of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) via appropriate indicators and metrics has attracted, in the past few years, significant interest. In response to this, the European Commission has recently published a handbook that aims to serve as a guide towards the evaluation of NBS impacts (EC, 2021) based on current available knowledge and state-of-art technologies and practices. The evaluation process, which involves the development and estimation of pertinent metrics, is crucial across the different NBS implementation stages, i.e., from the selection and design of effective NBS interventions to the NBS efficiency evaluation and potential improvement of the deployed systems. Within this context and as part of the work that was carried out for the euPOLIS project, an integrated indicator-based methodological framework is proposed herein for assessing the multi-dimensional aspects and impacts associated with the implementation of NBS in urban environments. The proposed framework employs different types of indicators with distinct functions and purposes and aims at providing structured guidance to practitioners and urban planners throughout all the different NBS analysis, deployment, and evaluation stages.