Planning for Environment and Resource eFficiency in European Cities and Towns
The socio-economic and environmental services provided by the protection, development and exploitation of natural heritage in urban areas are collectively known across Europe as ‘green infrastructure’ and the aim of the PERFECT project is to improve the implementation of regional development policies for the protection and development of natural heritage through the recognition of the multiple benefits of Green Infrastructure by Managing Authorities, partners and stakeholder groups.  
In 2013 the European Commission adopted a strategy which recognised that investment in Green Infrastructure enables nature to deliver benefits to ecosystems and to people, including health and quality of life, that are key to driving jobs and growth while tackling our environmental challenges head on. In addition, EU Structural Funding programmes encourage the improved resource efficiency of natural heritage but, despite extensive proven good practices and growing evidence from across Europe, many Managing Authorities, practitioners and politicians, working in the municipalities and public bodies responsible for natural heritage, are unaware of the multi benefits of Green Infrastructure to increase competitiveness. Investment in natural heritage is often overlooked or misunderstood and the PERFECT project aims to redress the balance and raise awareness of the value of the natural heritage through the exchanges of good practice, study visits and peer-to-peer working. PERFECT partners will work with regional stakeholders and inter-disciplinary teams within their organisations to identify and integrate the multi-use of Green Infrastructure into long-term policies and practices, and crucially, investments. 
PERFECT outputs will include 7 Action Plans for new and improved GI through maximising its multiple benefits; Expert Paper and Factsheets; Guidance on Green Infrastructure Partnership working, and a MAGIC (Multi-Advantages of Green Infrastructure in Cities) Matrix of good practices.