NBSCLIMATE, as the project partner of the NatUR-W project, has organised and delivered a climate route around the city centre of Lorca on June 4.
NatUR-W is a European urban initiative project regenerating Barrios Altos, a neighbourhood in Lorca’s historic centre, to combat energy poverty and the inefficient use of natural water resources in the face of climate change and rising temperatures. The project’s new urban regeneration system uses self-sustaining nature-based solutions (NbS) that respect the natural water cycle in the area.
What is a climate route? The Climate Route, an initiative supported by the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Tourism’s Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, serves as a dynamic platform for climate action, environmental education, responsible tourism, and cooperation. It aims to establish interactive, guided experiences—from themed routes and engaging “gymkhanas” to hands-on training and recreational activities—that tackle the climate emergency directly within local communities. Through these initiatives, participants can gain a deeper understanding of the causes and impacts of climate change, inspiring them to seek and implement local solutions. Ultimately, The Climate Route is dedicated to fostering critical thinking, igniting social mobilization, championing direct democracy, building local well-being economies, promoting urban biodiversity and ecosystem restoration, implementing nature-based solutions (NbS), cultivating regenerative cultures, and integrating art into climate solutions.
The climate route in Lorca provided an overview of the NatUR-W project’s Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), including what innovative NbS solutions are, how they will be implemented, and how they contribute to climate change adaptation in the city. Additionally, the climate route was organised as part of the engagement activities in the project to inform participants about the effects, causes, and solutions of the climate emergency, and to inspire collective action for climate and social justice.
The climate route was organised on June 4th, starting from the main entrance of Lorca Jail, where participants received an update on the NatUR-W project work plan. It continued towards the square of Hermandad de la Curia, where we visited a green wall, and technicians explained the similarities and differences between this green wall and the proposed green walls for the project. We continued visiting different squares and green spaces in Lorca, discussing the impact of heatwaves, water scarcity, and social well-being. NBSCLIMATE provided an overview of European initiatives that utilise urban Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for climate change adaptation, such as the refugee climate initiatives in Paris, Barcelona, Zaragoza, and Milan. Additionally, we draw on historic local knowledge to combat water scarcity, such as the network of acequias, aljibes, and azudas, which are well-suited to semi-arid conditions.
NBSCLIMATE wants to thank all project partners (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, UNESCO Centre on Integrated and Multidisciplinary Water Resources, SingularGreen, INDRESMAT, and the Lorca city council) for their contribution to the organisation of the climate route. Thanks to the urban authorityand the Lorca city council for their support in organising this event, and to SingularGreen for their technical assistance. The NatUR-W project will run until 2027, and NBSCLIMATE will continue to support the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), coordinate governance and engagement activities, and foster citizen participation.
