Cities are evolving rapidly, but ensuring that urban green initiatives are inclusive, effective, and sustainable requires more than just planting trees—it demands collaboration, structure, and clear decision-making. This report explores how Living Labs (LLs)—urban spaces for testing and co-creating sustainable solutions—can be governed in a way that truly engages all stakeholders. Whether it’s city officials, local communities, businesses, or researchers, effective governance ensures that everyone has a voice and that urban greening efforts deliver real, lasting impact.

Primary Audience:

• City planners & local governments – to implement effective governance in urban greening projects.

• Living Lab coordinators & project managers – to enhance stakeholder collaboration.

• Researchers & academics – to explore governance models for co-creation.

Secondary Audience:

• Community leaders & NGOs – to advocate for inclusive urban governance.

• Businesses & tech providers – to identify opportunities in sustainable city initiatives.

• Policymakers – to integrate governance insights into urban sustainability strategies.

This report builds on established governance and project management concepts, adapting them to the unique context of GreenInCities Living Labs.

The report:

• References governance best practices from ISO 37000, ensuring transparency and accountability in decision-making.

• Highlights insights from project management frameworks such as PMBOK, PRINCE2, and PM2, offering structure for planning and stakeholder coordination.

• Develops a customised governance framework designed specifically for multi-stakeholder collaboration in Living Labs

Creating sustainable and inclusive urban spaces isn’t just about greening cities—it’s about ensuring that the right people are involved in the right way at the right time. This report provides practical governance guidelines to help Living Labs function effectively, ensuring that collaboration leads to real impact.

Key recommendations include: ݀

• Establish clear governance principles – Define roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes to keep projects on track.

• Plan stakeholder engagement – Use a governance matrix to plan stakeholder participation and collaboration.

• Prioritise inclusive stakeholder engagement – Ensure that all voices, especially those from vulnerable communities, are heard and actively involved.

• Apply co-creation methods – Foster collaboration between citizens, experts, and policymakers, integrating both qualitative and quantitative insights.

• Continuously monitor and refine governance – Use the governance matrix to treat governance as an evolving process, using feedback loops to improve engagement and impact.

This deliverable lays the foundation for stronger governance in urban Living Labs, ensuring that GreenInCities’ initiatives are not just collaborative but also effective and sustainable. By defining governance principles and mechanisms, it provides a structured approach to stakeholder engagement, decision-making, and long-term impact.

To measure its effectiveness, the report implies key evaluation criteria such as: ݀

• Adoption of governance principles by Living Labs in different cities.

• Quality of stakeholder engagement, assessing inclusivity and collaboration.

• Practical application of governance mechanisms, tracking how stakeholder engagement and decision-making structures influence project outcomes.