Abstract:Integrating information about how ecosystem services (ES) are provided and benefited from in spatial planning is essential to enhance quality of life in urban areas. This study aims to assess mismatches in the provision of urban ES. Specifically, it compares the amount of services that urban dwellers currently benefit from with the capacity of green spaces to provide service and the ES demand, in order to assess two mismatches: "unsustainable flow" and "unsatisfied demand", respectively. We focus on two ES, recreation and food supply, and conduct an empirical study in two adjacent municipalities of the city of Havana, Cuba. The methodological approach includes: the identification of services providing and demanding areas; and the quantification of mismatches by carrying out a spatial comparison between critical capacity and flow, and demand and flow. Results show that urban green spaces may be potentially exposed to overcrowding. Concerning food supply, a mismatch between demand and flow emerged in both of the municipalities. The assessment can support planners in addressing the sustainable use of green spaces and the equitable distribution of ES benefits. However, its applicability requires a deep understanding of local specificities, including demand levels, accessibility to ES, and sustainability thresholds.

Nature based solutions (NbS) have the potential to build climate resilience and tackle key societal challenges while also providing multiple co-benefits to biodiversity and human well-being. The demand for nature-based innovation is strongly felt in Malta -a small island state, with the highest population density in the European Union. Learning and training play a pivotal role in the endeavour to create sustainable societies. Current environmental, social and economic challenges to meet the balance of the four dimensions of sustainable development (social, environmental, economic and governance) require new ways of thinking and acting. The ReNature project helps to facilitate international knowledge exchange for the mainstreaming of NbS, via holistic and interdisciplinary stakeholder education. This will be demonstrated through increasing outstanding research initiatives in NbS for innovation, sustainable economic growth and human well-being in Malta. The ReNature consortium is working towards increasing the range of appropriate learning opportunities and sharing experiences about NbS implementation around the Mediterranean basin. The outcomes of this project will foster capacity building and enhance research excellence in the field of NbS through a number of strategically designed training activities and project outputs in topics related to the key areas of this concept. This article is aimed at presenting the ReNature capacity-building framework and learning model. We believe that these tools are setting a direction for learning that is based on values, principles and practices which are indispensable to respond effectively to current and future challenges.