Adapting Urban Planning Strategies for Nature-based Solutions Integration inBogota (Colombia) - The euPOLIS project

The EU-funded euPOLIS project is developing an urban planning methodologyfor natural-based solutions (NBS) implementation on public spaceto improve public health and wellbeing without adding significant Life-Cyclecosts. The euPOLIS methodology is being tested in four front-runner cities and the process is followed for potential replication on five cities.As a follower city, Bogota is working to enrich urban planning by applying the euPOLIS philosophy to an urban renewal project located in a strategic zone called El Reencuentro. The project methodology is divided into five phases: data acquisition and baseline status, introduction to NBS performance, NBS implementation, NBS performance, and results scale up. One of the most important urban challenges identified in Bogotais the absence of NBS and the loss of permeability in the case study. To mitigate this challenge, the implementation of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in public space was considered to emulate and restore the hydrological processes before urban development. These systems promote wellbeing by the improvement of ecosystems aspects or ecosystem services (ESS) generation. For the selection of the best SUDS types, a feasibility and optimization tool was implemented to identify the best SUDS location in the public space. Results show a lack of provision and socio-cultural services and a high potential for regulation services generation. Tree boxes, infiltration basins, extended dry detention basins, bioretention zones, and grassed swales were selected in all budget scenarios.