The Serious Game “Financing Nature-Based Solutions” is an interactive and practice-oriented tool designed to provide insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding the financing of green infrastructure in urban areas. The game’s goal is to raise participants’ awareness in a playful yet serious manner about the various perspectives, interests, and financial arrangements required to create and maintain urban greenery.
Purpose and structure of the serious Game
The game simulates a realistic scenario where participants take on the roles of different stakeholders, such as municipalities, housing associations, water boards, developers, insurers, and residents.
In the standard scenario, the game focuses on the development of a park in a densely built-up neighborhood with social housing. The park can serve various purposes, such as providing space for recreation and sports, enhancing biodiversity, or offering water retention and climate adaptation solutions.
Participants negotiate on the following:
- Financial Contributions: Which party contributes to which costs and why?
- Design and Layout: Which park features are most valuable from the stakeholder’s perspective?
- Synergies: Where can stakeholders find mutual benefits, and how can these be realized?
The game can be tailored to specific real-world cases, such as incorporating green-blue elements in new developments, like nature-inclusive playgrounds, food forests, or bioswales. Its interactive nature encourages discussions on priorities and synergies among stakeholders.
For whom is the game?
The Serious Game is designed for professionals from various sectors involved in urban greening, such as governments (municipalities, provinces, water boards), housing associations, or project developers. The game is suitable for use in different contexts, such as workshops with colleagues, training programs, or engaging stakeholders in ongoing projects.
During the game, participants face realistic challenges and dilemmas:
- Complexity of Financial Arrangements: It is challenging to ensure that various beneficiaries – such as water boards, housing associations, and residents who gain from the green spaces – also contribute to the financing.
- Interests and Priorities: Each stakeholder has different goals and budgetary constraints, leading to negotiations over compromises and collaborations.
- Barriers and Solutions: Participants identify practical obstacles (legal, financial, organizational) that need to be overcome and explore innovative solutions.
Practical application
In addition to the Serious Game, the workshop “Value, Valuation, Monetization” is frequently organized. This workshop serves as a starting point for exploring the value of urban green spaces and how this can be practically utilized in financing arrangements. The Serious Game contributes in several ways:
- The value of green: What benefits do different parties experience? Consider increased property value, improved water management, or enhanced livability.
- Stakeholder perspectives: How do other parties approach the issue, and where are the opportunities for collaboration?
- Financing models: How can public and private entities contribute to financing Nature-Based Solutions?
Want to know more about the Serious Game?
Contact our colleague Merlissa Diele at (merlissa@natuurverdubbelaars.nl)!