1,721,120 research outputs found
Towards mainstreaming nature-based solutions for achieving biodiverse, resilient, and inclusive cities
Full text linkReconnecting humanity to the biosphere must be a focus in cities. Transforming cities to be inclusive, equitable, resilient, and sustainable requires rethinking our relationship to nature, and investing in urban development, design, and governance that brings nature into the center. We provide seven key insights drawn from the chapters in this book: (1) put nature-based solutions (NBS) first in adaptation to climate change in cities; (2) make equity and justice central in the design, planning, management, and governance of NBS in cities; (3) ensure biodiversity is a priority in urban planning for NBS; (4) employ and design NBS to improve human health in cities; (5) realize NBS in cities with inclusive urban planning and innovative governance approaches that respond to local context dynamics; (6) assess the holistic value of urban nature to make a case for NBS in cities; and (7) bring art into NBS and position art as a NBS in cities
Nature-based solutions for sustainable, resilient, and equitable cities
Full text linkNature-based Solutions for Cities brings diverse perspectives from across the globe together to describe the state of the art in advancing nature-based solutions (NBS) for cities. Our goal is to provide a handbook for graduate students, early-career professionals, and emerging and advanced scholars to begin working with NBS in ways that consider multiple perspectives, disciplines, and ways of knowing. Together, the chapters in this book aim at understanding how NBS can be better managed, planned, and engaged with, and to center questions of NBS for whom and for what NBS are planned and implemented in cities. Through chapters led by experts in both global south and north contexts, we describe key knowledge and learning for advancing the interdisciplinary science of NBS in, for, and with cities and discuss the frontiers for next-generation NBS
Urban ecological resilience: ensuring urban ecosystems can provide nature-based solutions
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A social-ecological perspective on urban biodiversity and its effects on ecosystem services
No full textBy 2050, more than two-thirds of the global population will live in cities. These areas are continuously subject to environmental impacts, such as climate change, threatening human health and well-being. A crucial strategy to mitigate these impacts is through the implementation of urban green infrastructure. However, the distribution, composition, and benefits of green spaces and green elements are shaped by social and ecological factors that can act as biodiversity filters. To enhance urban livability, assessing these local drivers and modeling ecosystem services at high spatial resolutions is essential for maximizing benefits. The general aim of this thesis was to categorize and model the social and ecological mediators of various biodiversity facets within green infrastructure and provide insights into local factors influencing climate regulation. This is particularly relevant for urban areas in the Mediterranean basin, which are highly vulnerable to climate change. Specifically, this thesis 1) Proposed a conceptual “Socio-Ecological Traits Framework” that explores linkages between species traits, social-ecological filters, and ecosystem services; 2) Analyzed the distribution of neighborhood trees’ abundance and diversity (both taxonomic and functional), and functional groups at multiple scales in Lisbon, Portugal; 3) Modelled the influence of social-ecological factors on these trees; and, 4) Modelled the influence of green infrastructure and local contexts on climate regulation at high spatial resolutions. We categorized the ecological factors into urban abiotic and biotic dimensions and social factors into socio-cultural, economic, and governance dimensions, which affect human interactions with urban nature. Our findings reveal that: i) Social factors significantly influence urban tree abundance, taxonomic and functional diversity, and functional groups’ distribution, while ecological factors affect abundance; ii) Higher values of abundance and diversity are observed in the most urbanized areas, which are dominated by a few species; iii) Urban trees can be categorized into different functional groups with potential contrasting resilience to disturbances and complementary ecosystem services delivery; iv) Tree canopy and urban morphology greatly influence microclimate regulation. These results underscore the importance of considering local factors to understand biodiversity facets and ecosystem services delivery, providing valuable insights for urban planning aimed at creating more livable and sustainable cities
Governance of and with nature-based solutions in cities
Full text linkThis chapter centres on the planning and governance of urban nature-based solutions (NBS). We discuss on the one hand the governance of NBS, where the implementation of NBS is the goal and governance centres around questions of planning, designing, and building NBS, and on the other hand the governance with NBS, where NBS become a governance tool to achieve other goals in urban areas, such as the Sustainable Development Goals. We argue that inclusivity is critical in NBS governance and offer five dimensions of inclusive governance to be considered: cross-sectoral, epistemic, multi-species, intergenerational, and spatial inclusivity. While these dimensions highlight diverse takes on who should be included in NBS governance and how, they share a foundation in two critical principles of inclusive governance that we briefly discuss: intersectionality and inter- and transdisciplinarity
Nature-Based Solutions for Cities
Full text linkNature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly being adopted to address climate change, health, and urban sustainability, yet ensuring they are effective and inclusive remains a challenge. Addressing these challenges through chapters by leading experts in both global south and north contexts, this forward-looking book advances the science of NBS in cities and discusses the frontiers for next-generation urban NBS
A social-ecological perspective on urban biodiversity and its effects on ecosystem services
No full textBy 2050, more than two-thirds of the global population will live in cities. These areas are continuously subject to environmental impacts, such as climate change, threatening human health and well-being. A crucial strategy to mitigate these impacts is through the implementation of urban green infrastructure. However, the distribution, composition, and benefits of green spaces and green elements are shaped by social and ecological factors that can act as biodiversity filters. To enhance urban livability, assessing these local drivers and modeling ecosystem services at high spatial resolutions is essential for maximizing benefits. The general aim of this thesis was to categorize and model the social and ecological mediators of various biodiversity facets within green infrastructure and provide insights into local factors influencing climate regulation. This is particularly relevant for urban areas in the Mediterranean basin, which are highly vulnerable to climate change. Specifically, this thesis 1) Proposed a conceptual “Socio-Ecological Traits Framework” that explores linkages between species traits, social-ecological filters, and ecosystem services; 2) Analyzed the distribution of neighborhood trees’ abundance and diversity (both taxonomic and functional), and functional groups at multiple scales in Lisbon, Portugal; 3) Modelled the influence of social-ecological factors on these trees; and, 4) Modelled the influence of green infrastructure and local contexts on climate regulation at high spatial resolutions. We categorized the ecological factors into urban abiotic and biotic dimensions and social factors into socio-cultural, economic, and governance dimensions, which affect human interactions with urban nature. Our findings reveal that: i) Social factors significantly influence urban tree abundance, taxonomic and functional diversity, and functional groups’ distribution, while ecological factors affect abundance; ii) Higher values of abundance and diversity are observed in the most urbanized areas, which are dominated by a few species; iii) Urban trees can be categorized into different functional groups with potential contrasting resilience to disturbances and complementary ecosystem services delivery; iv) Tree canopy and urban morphology greatly influence microclimate regulation. These results underscore the importance of considering local factors to understand biodiversity facets and ecosystem services delivery, providing valuable insights for urban planning aimed at creating more livable and sustainable cities
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