In 2023, CNT co-implemented three green infrastructure demonstration projects in Chicago as Nature Near Transit, an extension of our Climate & Cultural Resilience program. This work threads the many benefits of green stormwater infrastructure with local art, place keeping, meaningful community engagement, and Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD).

Yet, what does this look like in practice around the world? How can Chicago learn from global examples of nature intentionally placed near public transit? International Inspiration, Ideas for Nature Near Transit Around The World answers these questions through urban case studies in Mexico City, Milan, and London.

These international examples demonstrate the potential of designing green solutions that are:

• collectively contextualized
• within a half-mile of public transportation, and
• informed by the landscape, project goals, and the priorities and considerations of the community.

Green projects with these components are an evolving approach to sustainable and equitable community development, and they are especially crucial as climate change impacts increase in intensity and frequency.