CARDIMED Conference 2026: Bringing Urban Rivers Back to Life

SEED 1A:Tensions, Trade-offs and Ways Forward in the Transformation of Urban Waterways with Nature-based Solutions​

Charlotte Stijnen (Utrecht University, The Netherlands); Loan Diep (Urban Systems Lab NYU, USA); Paula Jimenez (Traza Consultario, Spain); Gonzalo Pradilla (Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany).​

This session is focussed on the tensions and trade-offs that may emerge in the processes of transforming urban waterways with NBS. Tensions in the planning and governance of urban river restoration processes can be multidisciplinary, cutting across diverse themes including issues of urban landscape planning, governance processes, and importantly, how tensions are embedded in issues of politics and justice. ​

SEED 1B:What the river knows: Designing novel knowledge infrastructures for monitoring urban rivers ​

Anne Beaulieu (Utrecht University, The Netherlands); Lisette de Senerpont Domis (Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), The Netherlands).​

The aims of the session are to: gather different kinds of actors to formulate novel design principles to develop better (in the sense of more pluralistic and responsive) approaches to monitoring; reflect on how monitoring contributes to connecting NBS, biodiversity, regeneration and the constitution of liveable futures; and help meet knowledge needs of cities and bottom-up initiatives by providing elements of a knowledge infrastructure for monitoring to both inform and engage.​

SEED 1C: Urban river regeneration in the Global South: governance, justice and locally led adaptation in vulnerable territories​

Pedro Torres, UNESP/USP, Brazil; Luciana Travassos, Federal University of ABC, Brazil; Erich Wolff, Utrecht University, The Netherlands; Stefano T.L Silveira, USP, Brazil; Isabela Kojin, UNESP, Brazil; Bárbara Frutuoso, Federal University of ABC, Brazil; Mariana U. de Freitas, Federal University of ABC, Brazil; Fahima Salam, University of Evora, Portugal.​

This session addresses planning/governance and politics/justice dimensions by exploring how urban river regeneration and renaturing processes are designed, governed and contested. It focuses on emerging experiences in vulnerable and peripheral territories, highlighting locally led adaptation (LLA) initiatives and their interaction with legal frameworks and public policies. By unpacking tensions, opportunities and inequalities, the session debates how Rights to and for Nature are mobilized in practice, and assesses adequacy, effectiveness and feasibility of these approaches in the context of climate change adaptation.​

SEED 1D: Living Labs as Shared Ecosystems: Lessons from Governance Pathways for Nature-based Solutions across Mediterranean socio-ecological systems ​

Eylem Keskin, (İzmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH), Turkiye); Zeynep Özçam, (İzmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH), Turkiye); Özge Yaylalı, (Doğa Derneği (Doga Foundation), Turkiye​)

The session centres on the insights from the case study of Doğa Okulu (The School of Nature) in İzmir, Turkey, conducted under the EU Horizon ASSETS project, as a concrete example of how a living lab operates in practice to support Nature-based Solutions (NBS) within local contexts. It examines how Doğa Okulu functions as a multi-stakeholder, knowledge co-producing platform that brings together ecological education, agroecological practices, and local production supports to shape NBS governance. Building on this case, the session expands the discussion by engaging participants in cross-case exchange across Mediterranean contexts, fostering shared learning on governance practices, challenges, and conditions for supporting NBS implementation through community-based learning, ecological knowledge, and practice.​

SEED 2A: Reimagining Urban Rivers: Art, Participation, and More-Than-Human Relations for Nature-Based Solutions and Community Stewardship​

Elena Marie Enseñado, (Erasmus University, The Netherlands); Maurice Specht, (Buitenplaats Brienenoord, The Netherlands); Rosanne Van der Voet, (Leiden University, The Netherlands); John Hanna, (TU Delft, The Netherlands); Genesis Daquinan, (Leiden University, The Netherlands); Tannya Pico, (Institute for Urban Excellence, The Netherlands).​

Urban river restoration is often driven by technical solutions, yet many projects struggle to build lasting community stewardship. This session explores how art and participatory practices can strengthen Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) by deepening relationships between people and urban rivers. Focusing on more-than-human relations, it highlights the social dimensions of water through case studies from Rotterdam and Quito. Participants will engage in interactive discussions on art, participation, and more-than-human relations. A hands-on workshop introduces creative methods to foster awareness, reflection, and community stewardship.​

SEED 2B: From awareness to governance: coproducing river basin regeneration in water-scarce Mediterranean territories ​

Stephanie Rosenkranz, (Utrecht University School of Economics, The Netherlands; Movimento Rigenerazione Asinaro, Italy); Giusy Pappalardo, (Università degli Studi di Catania, Italy; Universtitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain); Thieu Besselink, (Utrecht University Honours College, The Netherlands; Movimento Rigenerazione Asinaro, Italy); Natasha Owen, (Movimento Rigenerazione Asinaro, Italy); Laura Saija (Università degli Studi di Catania, Italy).​

This session examines how communities in water-scarce Mediterranean territories can move from cultural mobilisation around a river to genuine coproduction of its governance. Centring on a grassroots initiative in south-east Sicily and drawing on a decade of action research in the neighbouring Simeto River Valley, we explore the transition from awareness-building to
institutional engagement as the most generative yet vulnerable phase of co- productive planning. The session connects river regeneration scholarship with agonistic planning theory and Southern epistemologies, asking what role participatory mapping, cultural practice, and conflict play in building community capacity for water governance under scarcity, tourism pressure, and institutional fragility.​

SEED 2C: Listen to the rivers speak: Drink the city: Regenerate the world​

Duncan Crowley, (DINÂMIA’CET and CE3C, University of Lisbon, Portugal); João Dinis, (Climate Action Director at Cascais Municipality, Portugal); Gil Pessanha Penha-Lopes, (CE3C, University of Lisbon, & “Mira River – A Living Being with Legal Rights”, Portugal); Andresa Lêdo Marques, (Institute of Social Sciences Lisbon (Naturescapes project), Portugal); Adolfo Chautón Pérez, (Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) & Donut Spain, Portugal). ​

Bringing together a small part of the “Little Portugal ‘Guarda Rios’ Network” (River guardians / kingfishers), who are all working on different rivers that flow in Portugal, in different locations, and at different scales, all with different histories and challenges. This session mostly relates to planning and governance & politics and justice in rivers. The Alcântara and Sever communities from part of the wider Tagus bioregion. The Sever River forms part of the Portuguese – Spanish border where greater challenges exist. The Rio Mira is Portugal’s first river community seeking “Rights of Nature” legal recognition.​

SEED 2D: From Invisible to Visible: Capturing and Communicating Perceptions of Nature-Based Solutions for Water Management ​

Kyra Gmoser-Daskalakis, (Utrecht University, The Netherlands); Jessica Lillquist, (Utrecht University, The Netherlands); Katrin Merfeld, (Utrecht University, The Netherlands).​

This session brings together experts from two EU funded projects studying stakeholder perceptions of nature-based solutions. Together we unite our efforts to generate new opportunities for stakeholder engagement and to enhance diverse contributions to the planning and governance of nature-based solutions. Through an interactive workshop, participants will engage in a mental modelling exercise helping to inform and design potential communication strategies focused on urban river management.