• By students

• Nature & Environment,
• Inclusion & Participation,
• Sustainability

MSc Thesis: Towards Urban Green Justice

An analysis of urban green (in)justice and the governance capacity to address urban green (in)justice in Rotterdam and Utrecht

This research focuses on the governance capacity of Rotterdam and Utrecht in addressing urban green (in)justice. With the vulnerability of urban areas to climate change impacts and the increasing need for cities to take action, urban greening is being utilized as a strategy to adapt to climate change. However, recent studies indicate that the benefits of urban greening are unevenly distributed, leading to environmental (in)justice issues. This research employs an embedded multiple case study methodology with the aim to enhance understanding of how urban green (in)justice is assessed and analyze the governance capacity in relation to urban green (in)justice.

Both Rotterdam and Utrecht demonstrate a level of commitment to addressing urban green (in)justice. They acknowledge existing disparities in the quantity and quality of urban green, particularly in older neighborhoods and the city center. Utrecht exhibits a stronger commitment by explicitly recognizing inequality and consistently acknowledging disparities in urban green. Rotterdam, on the other hand, has a broader focus on overall city attractiveness and livability, with no explicit mention of inequality or distributional green injustice in its documents and vision. Furthermore, the findings show that there is a need for more tailored and inclusive approaches to engage residents in decision-making processes. Currently, stakeholders feel that their input is disregarded by authorities, indicating a gap between aspirations for procedural green justice and practical implementation. Additionally, while both cities do not explicitly address recognitional green (in)justice in their policy documents, both do recognize the diversity of the city. However, there is still room for improvement in representing the diversity of neighborhoods in participation processes.

The governance capacity of both cities contributes to addressing environmental (in)justice in urban green initiatives, with Utrecht scoring slightly higher. However, all dimensions of governance capacity (knowing, wanting, and enabling) are equally important for effective change. The increasing awareness of urban green (in)justice as a priority is observed in both cities, particularly in Utrecht.

In conclusion, this research highlights the importance of governance capacity in addressing environmental (in)justice in urban green initiatives. With the expectation of continued climate change and more extreme weather conditions, urban green (in)justice will become increasingly relevant worldwide. The findings provide valuable insights for Rotterdam, Utrecht, and other cities, facilitating the development of more inclusive and equitable approaches to urban greening in the face of climate change challenges.

Media