The IGNITION Project

What is IGNITION?

IGNITION was a ground-breaking project that aimed to develop innovative financing solutions for investment in Greater Manchester’s natural environment, all to help increase the city region’s resilience against the increasingly extreme impacts of climate change.

Working with nature, solutions such as rain gardens, street trees, green roofs and walls and development of green spaces can help to tackle socio-environmental challenges including an increase in flooding events, water security, air quality, biodiversity and human health and wellbeing.

This project, backed by €4.5 million from the EU’s Urban Innovation Actions (UIA) initiative (opens in a new window), brought together 12 partners from local government, universities, NGOs and business.

More information about the IGNITION project can be found on the GM Green City website (opens in a new window)

Tools and resources

The IGNITION project developed a wide range of resources, evidence and tools to help businesses, local authorities, land owners, communities and others better understand and implement nature-based solutions. These files may not be suitable for users of assistive technologies. To request an accessible format please send an email to: pmo.ignition@manchesterfire.gov.uk

Green walls evidence database (XLSX)

Green roofs evidence database (XLSX)

SuDS evidence database (XLSX)

Green spaces evidence database (XLSX)

Street trees evidence database (XLSX)

Guide, methodology, report and webinar

User Guide - IGNITION Nature-Based Solutions Evidence Base (PDF)

IGNITION Nature-based Solutions Evidence Base Headline Findings Report July 2020 (PDF)

Evidence Review Methodology - IGNITION Nature-Based Solutions Evidence Base (PDF)

Webinar: How to use the IGNITION Nature-Based Solutions Evidence Base (external website, opens in a new tab)

Business Report: The Benefits of Nature-Based Solutions For Business and Society (external website, opens in a new tab)

IGNITION Interim Report

IGNITION Interim Report - April 2021 (PDF)

IGNITION Interim Report - April 2021 (Accessible HTML web page)

IGNITION project: Nature-based solutions factsheets

The IGNITION Project: Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)

The IGNITION Project: Climate Change and the Need for Nature-Based Solutions

The IGNITION Project: A Baseline for Nature-Based Solutions

The IGNITION Project: Building a Business Case for NBS

The IGNITION Project: SuDS-Enabled Trees

The IGNITION Project: Urban Green Spaces and Business

The IGNITION Project: Nature-Based Solutions for Health

Nature-based solutions: Future Funding Streams

Investigating Innovative Business Cases for Nature-Based Solutions (PDF - opens in a new tab)

Building a Business Case for Nature-Based Solutions (PDF - opens in a new tab)

IGNITION project case studies

Financing Green Roofs - Stockport Interchange Case Study

Financing Parks - Salford Heat Pump Case Study

Financing Sustainable Draining Systems - Dales Brow Case Study