NBS HUB Portugal is a collaborative community of researchers, designers, policymakers, municipalities, entrepreneurs, civil society organisations, and engaged citizens committed to advancing Nature-Based Solutions across the country.
The HUB was founded by Portuguese partners of the European H2020 URBiNAT project, bringing together expertise in participatory design, social innovation, biodiversity research, governance, and sustainable territorial development. Its coordination combines academic leadership, applied research, and practice-based innovation, ensuring that knowledge is translated into real impact on the ground.
A central role within the HUB is played by the Centre for Social Studies (CES) of the University of Coimbra and GUDA – Give U Design Art, both key partners in the URBiNAT project and longstanding contributors to participatory innovation processes. CES, under the scientific leadership of Professor Gonçalo Canto Moniz, has been instrumental in advancing research on urban regeneration, governance, and socially inclusive Nature-Based Solutions. GUDA, directed by Professor Américo Mateus and Susana Leonor, contributes extensive expertise in participatory design, circular innovation ecosystems, and applied methodologies that bridge academia, communities, and implementation practice. Together, their leadership reinforces the HUB’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and transformative territorial impact.
Our community includes universities, research centres, innovation ecosystems, public authorities, regional development agencies, and organisations working at the intersection of sustainability, climate action, circular economy, and territorial resilience. Together, we form an open and evolving ecosystem dedicated to co-creating regenerative futures.
We believe that the transition towards socially inclusive and ecologically just territories requires collaboration across sectors and scales. No single institution can address today’s environmental and societal challenges alone. Nature-Based Solutions demand shared intelligence, shared responsibility, and shared action.
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