Towards a more resilient Lisbon UrbaN Green InfraStructure as an adaptation to climate change

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Lisbon, the biggest city in Portugal, faces growing threats linked to climate change because of its geographical location and climate. Annual average rainfall is decreasing, although the city experiences more winter rainfall. This means longer droughts and more seasonal floods,reducing soil water uptake and soil conservation. Meanwhile average temperatures are increasing by 14C per year, with up to 5C higher maximum temperatures. Climate change will therefore have a negative impact on Lisbon citizens life quality and health and its urban green areas.

OBJECTIVES

LIFE LUNGs main objective is to implement the municipal climate adaptation strategy (EMAAC) by making use of urban green infrastructure as a tool for climate change adaptation. It will also promote and develop related ecosystem services. Its overall aim is to increase Lisbons resilience and resistance to climate change. It will target water use by developing zero rainwater waste urban green infrastructure and increasing flood resistance, while maintaining a quality, resilient ecological base. By developing more green spaces, it will also tackle rising temperatures caused by urban heat islands.

RESULTS

Expected results:

better use of rainwater by trialling zero rainwater waste areas and implementing rain-fed ecosystems in an area of over 100 ha;

over 100 ha of shaded areas thanks to tree planting, with improved microclimate conditions within the urban, green areas of vora;

improved flood resilience in over 100 ha of the urban green infrastructure areas;

around 115 ha to benefit from increased resilience against soil erosion by using natural-based solutions;

around 740 tonnes of CO2 sequestered;

replication of the project once at EU level during the project lifetime, and three times afterwards two cases in Portugal and one at EU level;

reproduction of project activities in five private green areas in Lisbon;

share technical knowhow with around 20 municipalities in the Lisbon metropolitan area and with five other Portuguese municipalities which are working on climate adaptation; and

encourage more local urban farmers to use more water-efficient and climate-adapted irrigation.