At the heart of the CONE project is a powerful cross-border partnership. Organizations and partners from different countries have joined forces to create Urban Living Labs, where innovative, nature-based solutions (NBS) are tested and applied in diverse urban contexts through a participatory and digital approach.

Following the implementation of three pilot actions, experts have developed a set of guidelines for setting up the Urban Living Labs, created through an iterative process. These guidelines foster a co-creation environment, enabling collaboration among multiple actors and stakeholders and supporting the multifunctional assessment of nature-based solutions. This approach ensures that local communities and stakeholders are part of the solution from the very beginning, working together to create greener, more resilient urban environments.

In five different "model regions" across Europe, the CONE project is putting its ideas into practice. In the Living Labs three key solutions are tested: • Rainwater Management: Using natural systems to prevent flooding and manage storm runoff. • Heat Stress Reduction: Creating green spaces that naturally cool down neighborhoods during hot weather. • River Basin Management: Implementing solutions to protect and restore local waterways. The findings from these pilot projects are all documented in detailed reports, complete with participants lists, photos and videos, to help share experiences and support knowledge exchange.

To make these solutions easily accessible, the CONE project has developed a series of practical manuals for each pilot action. These guides offer step-by-step procedures and highlight the best nature-based solutions, identified in each context-based Living Lab. A key feature of these solutions is their multifunctionality, meaning a single green intervention can contribute to more than one challenge.

Finally, the project is working on a long-term plan: a joint Urban Greening Plan Strategy for small and medium-sized cities in Central Europe. This strategy, as called for by the EU Biodiversity Strategy, is designed to help local governments integrate nature into their urban planning. By getting policymakers to commit to this strategy, the project aims to improve policy development, learning, and change within the framework of nature-based solutions in urban contexts as well as help reduce barriers to citizen involvement in topics of common interest, such as climate change mitigation and adaptation. The CONE project is a clear example of how international collaboration and community involvement can lead to tangible, green improvements in our cities, proving that a healthier planet starts right at our doorsteps.

CONE Toolbox for knowledge transfer and exchange in the field of Nature Based Solutions. This Toolbox presents proven, practice-based NbS solutions from CONE pilot actions and highlights their climate adaptation potential and ecosystem service benefits.