![Green flat roof at the Green House Bremen The picture shows a hexagonal, green-colored residential building with a green flat roof. The green roof is designed to be insect-friendly, with flowering plants and dead wood for nesting.](/sites/default/files/styles/banner_image/public/paragraph_image_100/Gruenes_Haus_Vogelperspektive_%C2%A9GEWOBA.jpg?itok=ap5CWYNp)
Urban greening on private sites through regulatory standards and funding programs
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About this good practice
As a town state, a large potential in Bremen for nature-based carbon offsetting lies in urban green infrastructure. To strengthen urban green for climate change mitigation and adaptation on privately owned sites Bremen has recently made green roofs mandatory for new buildings with flat roofs from a size of 50 square meters and has banned gravel gardens by the year 2027. This is complemented by smaller funding programs for unsealing, green roofs and facade greening at privately-owned buildings. Currently this measures are reviewed also in the context of urban biodiversity conservation and in particular the protection of insects. Both measures directly link to two measures of the policy instrument Climate Action Plan to reach climat neutrality by 2038.
Resources needed
The regulatory component (green roof requirement, gravel garden ban) does not require public funding. When starting smaller funding programs, good experiences can already be made with € 100,000 per year and per funding program (green roof, facades, unsealing).
Evidence of success
Implementation of green roof projects. Regular reporting of gravel gardens. Applications in the funding schemes for green roofs above the subsidies.
Potential for learning or transfer
Mixture of command and control instruments (green roof requirement, gravel garden ban) and small-scale subsidy programms for nature-based solution on private properties in cities.
Further information
Good practice owner
Die Senatorin für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Mobilität, Stadtentwicklung und Wohnungsbau der Freie Hansestadt Bremen
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