Lisbon, Lisboa (FUA), Portugal
City population: 2679729
Duration: 2019 – 2025
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Public Greenspace Area, Mixed-use development (combination of residential, commercial, and/or industrial)
Last updated: May 2025

Lisbon is facing an increasing threat linked to climate change due to its geographical location and climate (6), which has had a negative impact on health and quality of life in the city (5). Its average annual precipitation is decreasing, although the city experiences more winter precipitation. This results in longer droughts and more seasonal flooding, which reduces water retention and soil conservation (6). Average temperatures are increasing by 14°C per year, with maximum temperatures up to 5°C higher (6). As an adaptation measure to these challenges, the LIFE LUNGS project aims to increase Lisbon's resilience by implementing green infrastructure and promoting related ecosystem services (1, 3, 5, 6). Thus, it focuses on measures aimed at coping with temperature increase, mitigating the effects of heat waves and water scarcity, which are expected to become more frequent, being in line with the climate policies adopted by the municipality. The project runs from 2019/2020 to 2024/2025 (1, 5, 6). It aims to address cross-cutting issues such as climate, water and biodiversity (3). The project expects to work hand in hand with the City of Malaga, which has been developing projects aimed at adapting the city to climate change. It is expected to replicate the work in Malaga and post-project to 2 national territories, and 1 in the EU (4). It is also intended to transfer the project work to be implemented in private areas that are part of Lisbon's green infrastructure, and to disseminate and technically train municipalities of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and other municipalities committed to climate change adaptation (4).

Tree Planting Activity at Vale de Chelas
Tree Planting Activity at Vale de Chelas
LISBON CITY COUNCIL

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Green areas for water management
  • Sustainable urban drainage systems
  • Grey infrastructure featuring greens
  • Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Soil quality improvement
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Effective management

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Climate-Related Hazards
  • Urban flooding (stormwater)
  • Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
  • Environmental Degradation
  • Soil degradation and loss
  • Physical water retention and availability
  • Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
  • Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)

Key priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)

Focus

Maintenance and management of urban nature, Urban reforestation, restoration of street trees, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens), Strategy, plan or policy development, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood climate adaptation or mitigation strategies/programs, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Creation of new, innovative governance and management approaches, Regional or international exchange of knowledge and experience concerning NBS governance and management

Project objectives

The main goals of the project include: To contribute to the implementation of the Municipal Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (EMAAC, 2017), particularly by promoting the city's resilience to rising temperatures and water scarcity (1, 2) To make urban green infrastructure a fundamental tool for climate adaptation, promote and develop the ecosystem services associated with it and guarantee its sustainable management (1) Specific objectives (2): - Adapt the urban green infrastructure to events of extreme precipitation and flooding, through water management measures and improvement of soil cover - Increase carbon sequestration by promoting the creation of biodiverse rainfed meadows and increasing tree coverage - Promote the sustainability of urban green infrastructure through cost reduction, implementing natural-based solutions - Promote an ecological balance of urban green infrastructure, including biodiversity richness, soil conservation and hydrological cycle regulation - Promote replication and transferability of the project - Promote citizens' awareness and capacity building

Implementation activities

This is achieved through (1): - Increase in the shadow area, thus contributing to minimising the effect of the urban heat island - Adapt urban green infrastructure - Development of zero rainwater waste areas and adoption of sustainable behaviours, such as adaptation to water scarcity There have been developed 6 implementation actions: - The installation, improvement, and operation of biodiverse rainfed meadows in areas of Parque Bela Vista and Alto da Ajuda, as a more adapted alternative to climate change than conventional urban lawns (7, 12) - Sheep have returned to Lisbon to replace the machines used for vegetation control. Inserting themselves into the ecosystem, the flock also helps in soil conservation (8) - A mass planting of trees and shrubs in various areas of the city, involving citizens. The areas include streets where trees can provide shade directly to buildings and sidewalks (9) - The transfer and replication of the project results to interested national and European cities, namely the municipality of Malaga, partner of the project (10) The actions associated with promoting the dissemination, replication, and transfer of the project are developed through workshops and technical visits for the public and the media (14) There are also plans to transfer of project work to be implemented in private areas that are part of Lisbon's green infrastructure (4)

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
  • Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
  • Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater
  • Reducing socio-economic vulnerability to climate impacts (e.g. awareness raising)
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes

Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities

Urban heat islands

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)

Governance

Management set-up

  • Government-led

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Lisbon Municipality: Leader of the project (5) The CML team is responsible, within the scope of LIFE LUNGS, for ensuring the quality of the technical details of the project, coordinating the project, supervising subcontracted work and operational work, raising awareness and empowering citizens and developing communication mechanisms, dissemination and networking. The Municipal Directorate for Environment, Green Structure, Climate and Energy (DMAEVCE) is responsible for coordinating the project, with the collaboration of other departments of the municipality (15) Partners: Malaga City Council, Spain; Municipal Management of Urbanism, Works and Infrastructures of the Malaga City Council, Spain (5) Co-funding source: LIFE - Environment and climate action, EU Fund (5) Lisbon City Council's technical team: will develop the actions associated with promoting the dissemination, replication, and transfer of the project through workshops and technical visits for the public and the media (14)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (The project offers solutions with measurable results that deal with European Union (EU) policies, such as those related to biodiversity conservation, assessment and mitigation of flood risks and water management. Despite focusing on climate change, the project is expected to contribute to other European targets and objectives, namely (3): 1. EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020, through the use of native flora (better adapted to local conditions and have a lower water consumption than plants from other regions), the promotion of urban biodiversity and the prevention of proliferation of invasive species 2. EU Flood Risk Assessment and Management Directive (Directive 2007/60 / EC), by improving urban soil cover and rainwater retention and drainage conditions)
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (This project is part of the Municipality's policies initiated in 2008, with the signing of the Covenant of Mayors (and approval of the Action Plan for Climate and Sustainable Energy - SECAP) and with the preparation of the Municipal Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (2017) (3))

Type of enablers

City network or regional partnerships focused on climate change, sustainability, GI or NBS in the city, Collaboration with other projects that implemented NBS

Financing

Total cost

€2,000,000 - €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget
  • EU funds

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget
  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Enhanced protection against extreme weather events (e.g. storms, cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion)
  • Expected enhanced protection against extreme weather events (e.g. storms, cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion)
  • Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves
  • Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves
  • Environmental quality
  • Improved soil quality
  • Expected improved soil quality
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Increased protection against flooding
  • Expected increased protection against flooding
  • Improved stormwater management
  • Expected improved stormwater management
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Expected increased green space area
  • Increased number of species present
  • Achieved increased number of species present

Economic impacts

  • Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
  • Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Expected increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Education
  • Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
  • Expected increased awareness of NBS and their benefits

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Unknown

References

1.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - The Project. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
2.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - Objectives. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
3.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - Framework. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
4.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Lide Lungs - Expected results. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Climate Adapt (2021). Towards a more resilient Lisbon UrbaN Green InfraStructure as an adaptation to climate change (LIFE LUNGS). Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
6.
European Commission (n.d.). Towards a more resilient Lisbon UrbaN Green InfraStructure as an adaptation to climate change. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
7.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). The first LIFE project led by the municipality will make Lisbon greener and “cooler”. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
8.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Implementation actions - Sheep - The first LIFE project led by the municipality will make Lisbon greener and “cooler”. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
9.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Implementation actions - Planting trees and shrubs - The first LIFE project led by the municipality will make Lisbon greener and “cooler”. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
10.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Implementation actions - Replication and transfer - The first LIFE project led by the municipality will make Lisbon greener and “cooler”. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
11.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (2022). Planting at Vale de Chelas. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
12.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). LIFE LUNGS Project Changes with which we all win. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
13.
EURES (EURopean Employment Services) (n.d.). Labour market information: Portugal - Lisbon. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
14.
Portugal National Statistics Institute (2022). A TAXA DE RISCO DE POBREZA AUMENTOU PARA 17,0% EM 2022 . Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
15.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - Actions. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
16.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (n.d.). Life Lungs - Our team . Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
17.
LISBON CITY COUNCIL (2022). A new planting season is about to start. Accessed on October 15, 2024, [Source link];
Tree Planting Activity
Tree Planting Activity
LISBON CITY COUNCIL
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.