Malmö, Sweden
City population: 306502
Duration: 2011 – 2013
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Industrial
Last updated: October 2021

Approximately one-fifth of the rain that falls in Malmö's urban area is led to Risebergabäcken, which makes it by far Malmö's largest watercourse. None of the other watercourses receives more than a very small part of the municipality's stormwater. The flow in Risebergabäcken is in many places it is narrow and deep, which means that the water rises quickly when there is a lot of rain (ref. 7). Large precipitation and asphalt industrial environment in Skogholm's meadows (Skogholms ängar) have long been a problem of overload in Risebergabäcken, but the ecological stormwater system delays and cleans the water, as well as preventing erosion and floods (ref. 1).

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Blue infrastructure
  • Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
  • Green areas for water management
  • Sustainable urban drainage systems

Key challenges

  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Flood protection
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Improvements to water quality
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation

Focus

Transformation of previously derelict areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas

Project objectives

The goal of the intervention was to reduce the stormwater load on the recipient (Risebergabäcken) from an area with a large proportion of hard surfaces. In addition, to cut water flow peaks, increase biodiversity, increased accessibility and recreation (ref. 2).

Implementation activities

An ecological stormwater system was created; with a new green oasis with the purpose of delaying and cleaning water (as well as preventing erosion and floods) (ref. 1).

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Create new habitats
  • Protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect species

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality
  • Public sector institution

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Unknown

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The project took place within the framework of the EU project 'GreenClimeAdapt', with VA SYD and Malmö City as the main actors involved (ref. 1).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (The project takes place within the framework of the EU project ‘Green Urban Tools for Climate Adaptation’ (GreenClimeAdapt). (Ref. 1))
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (The stormwater strategy for Malmö, where detailed guidelines for Risebergabäcken exist. (Ref. 3))

Financing

Total cost

€500,000 - €2,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • EU funds
  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

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

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
  • Environmental quality
  • Improved soil quality
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved water quality
  • Increased protection against flooding
  • Improved stormwater management
  • Green space and habitat
  • Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
  • Increased number of species present
  • Restoration of derelict areas

Economic impacts

  • Reduce financial cost for urban management

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

References

1. Malmö Stad. (2013). Ekologisk dagvattenanläggning vid Risebergabäcken invigs. Pressmeddelande. Available at: Source link (Accessed 6 August 2020)
2. Ericson, G. (2011). Ekologisk dagvattenhantering, exemplet Toftanäs våtmarks park m.fl. Malmö Stad. Available at: Source link (Accessed 6 August 2020)
3. Malmö Stad. (2008). Dagvattenstrategi för Malmö. Rapport. Available at: Source link (Accessed 6 August 2020)
4. VA SYD. (2016). Om VA SYD. Burlöv, Eslöv, Lund, Malmö. Vasyd. Available at: Source link (Accessed 6 August 2020)
5. Malmö Stad. (2014). Översiktsplan för Malmö - planstrategi. Malmö Stad. Available at: Source link (Accessed 6 August 2020)
6. Malmö Stad. (n.d.) Handlingsplan för klimatanpassning Malmö 2012-2014. Available at: Source link (Accessed 6 August 2020)
7. Malmö Stad. (2016). Skyfallsplan för Malmö. Strategi. Available at: Source link (Accessed 6 August 2020)