As the world becomes more urbanized, researchers and city managers from Baltimore to Britain are recognizing the importance of providing urban habitat that can support biodiversity. It just may be the start of an urban wildlife movement.
A peregrine falcon soars above New York City's Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. MTA/Patric Cashin
A few years ago in Baltimore County, Maryland, environmental staffers were reviewing a tree-planting proposal from a local citizens group. It called for five trees each of 13 different species, as if in an arboretum, on the grounds of an elementary school in a densely-populated neighborhood.
It seemed like a worthy plan, both for the volunteer effort and the intended environmental and beautification benefits. Then someone pointed out that there were hardly any oaks on the list, even though the 22 oak species native to the area are known to be wildlife-friendly. Local foresters, much less local wildlife, could barely recognize some of the species that were being proposed instead. As if to drive home the logical inconsistencies, both the school and the neighborhood were named after oak trees.
“Why are we doing this?” someone wondered.
That sort of epiphany has been happening a lot lately in metropolitan areas around the world, as people come to terms with both the dramatic increase in urbanized areas and the corresponding loss of wildlife. The portion of the planet characterized as urban is on track to triple from 2000 to 2030—that is, we are already almost halfway there. Meanwhile,17 percent of the 800 or so North American bird speciesare in decline, and all 20 species on the Audubon Society’s list of “common birds in decline” have lost at least half their populationsince 1970.
Those kinds of stark numbers, repeated around the world, have made it disturbingly evident that it’s not enough for cities to plant a million trees, preach the gospel of backyard gardens, or build green roofs and smart streets. The trees, shrubs, and flowers in that ostensibly green infrastructure also need to benefit birds, butterflies, and other animals. They need to provide habitat for breeding, shelter, and food. Where possible, the habitat needs to be arranged in corridors where wildlife can safely travel.
Though it may be too soon to call it an urban wildlife movement, initiatives focused on urban biodiversity seem to be catching on. The U.S. Forest Service, which once laughed off the idea that anything urban could be wild, now supports a growingurban forest program. Urban ecology and urban wildlife programs are also proliferating on university campuses. There’s a“Nature of Cities”blog, launched in 2012. University of Virginia researchers recently announced the beginning of aBiophilic Cities Networkdevoted to integrating the natural world into urban life, with Singapore, Oslo, and Phoenix among the founding partners.
Source: Conniff, R. 2014. Urban Nature: How to Foster Biodiversity in World's Cities. Yale Environment360.
Never before have we lived in such an urban world. Asphalt and concrete extend themselves over the earth, water disappears undergroundand steel and glass sparkle under the sun. Urban expansion is one of the chief characteristics of the freshly minted Anthropocene era.
Yet hunters still leave the fringes of Mexico City to stalk game among the dormant volcanoes inside its southern limit. People are killed by leopards in the informal slums invading Sanjay Gandhi National Park within the megacity of Mumbai. Woodpeckers hammer the trees of Sao Paulo’s Ibirapuera urban park; badgers raise their young in hidden locations in London; and penguins walk the beaches of Cape Town. Diminishing ecosystems are somehow hold together under the pressure of urbanisation.
Humans have always been attracted to sites with a great natural variety of plants and animals. The most biodiverse cities encompass several biomes, combining ocean and dry land habitats, lakes and mountains, or forests and savannahs. But to calculate which city is the world’s most biodiverse is complicated. Not all cities have the same area within their administrative limits, or the data necessary.
A monkey crosses a road as motorists travel along it inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai.Photograph: Divyakant Solanki/EPA
Two of the world’s largest megacities, Sao Paulo and Mexico City, are surprising candidates for the title. Sao Paulo perches between Brazil’s great Atlantic rainforest and the tropical savannah of the Cerrado – two highly rich biomes – allowing the megacity to surpass even the Amazon river port of Manaus in biodiversity, according to conservationist Denise Rambaldi. “One lesson from the reintroduction of the Golden Lion Tamarin monkey in the Mata Atlantica is that it is much cheaper to preserve species in a particular area than to reintroduce them,” she says. Mexico City, meanwhile, was founded on lakebeds where the deserts of the northern highlands encountered the wooded volcanoes of Mexico’s neo-volcanic axis. Even now, it still contains2% of the world’s specieswithin its city limits.
Singapore, in the Sundaland biodiversity hotspot – a term used for regions where great biodiversity is threatened by destruction – is another interesting contender. Extending through Malaysia to Borneo and Bali, this high-density city, with its 392 species of birds, has made greening and biophilia an integral part of urban planning.
A male baboon in Cape Town, which is home to 83 species of mammals.Photograph: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images
By law, in certain areas, developers are responsible for replacing the greenery they occupy for construction. The result is a city of rooftop gardens, interconnected parks and abiodiversity-spotting appallowing citizens to record sightings of plants and animals. Amazingly, Singapore has managed to increase both its population and its green spaces at the same time. Since its independence, the citystate sought to distinguish itself by being clean and green, and today it has a40% vegetation cover, despite its high density.
By way of comparison, Greater London has an averagetree cover of 19.5%; Los Angeles was recorded as having 13% in 2015 after a dramatic decline from21% in 2008. Several other biodiverse cities – Medellin in Colombia, Iquitos in Peru, Brunei, Kunming in China, and Mumbai – are contenders for a position in the top five. In the index proposed by theCities and Biodiversity Outlook, biodiversity itself is not the only indicator to consider.Some cities such as Singapore, as well as Curitiba, Barcelona and Melbourne, are notable precisely for their leadership in recognising and exploiting biodiversity as a policy-making tool and an integral part of urban wellbeing.
A group of wild otters sand-bathing on the beach along Kallang basin in Singapore.Photograph: Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images
Indeed, a study from Denmark shows that people living more than one kilometre from agreen area had higher oddsof experiencing stress than people living within 300 meters. Increased stress impacts mental health, increases risks of heart attacks and diabetes – so it is not surprising that access to parks has been shown to increase home values from 5% to 7%.
The world’s most biodiverse countries – Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, China, Mexico, Peru, Australia, India, Ecuador and Venezuela – are tropical or semi-tropical, and rapidly urbanising. Nature can seem a lesser priority here, trumped by water supply, paving, housing, education, health and other issues. But Singapore, for example, has shown that biodiversity can be part of the solution to many of these problems; it can be an integral part of urban infrastructure which prevents flooding, mitigates extreme temperatures and filters pollution, as well as promoting tourism and better health.
The Western Cape, where Cape Town is located, contains50% of all mammal speciesin South Africa. Baboons, ostriches and zebras, live in Table Mountain National Park, while whales, seals and otters swim off its shores. The stability of Cape Town’s climate on the southern tip of Africa has enabled it to become home to approximately3,000 species of plants, 361 species of birds and 83 species of mammals.
It is a sad reality that this biodiversity is under threat: as its human population has increased by more than 30% since 2011, 318 types of plants, 22 types of birds and 24 types of animals are in danger of extinction. But Cape Town is taking a variety of measures to protect and preserve this incredible natural asset. One species endemic to South Africa, however, is not likely to be at risk any time soon, adorning balconies throughout the world as it does. Next time you see a geranium in bloom, think of the world’s most biodiverse city, fighting against the tide.
You know what needs to be done: save nature, end the biodiversity crisis, help protect humanity. What you might not know is how we’re going to do it. The best contemporary science and traditional wisdom tell us that nature needs half. That may seem like a lot, but we have a plan for how to get there and transform the way society thinks about and benefits from nature.
What we do
Nature Needs Half is an international coalition of scientists, conservationists, nonprofits, and public officials defending nature at the scale she needs to continue to function for the benefit of all life, and support human well-being. And we've got a global ground game in place that will protect 50% of the planet by 2030, turning the tide in favor of Earth's life support systems and transforming society's relationship with nature, one ecoregion and country at a time.
Video: What is Nature Needs Half
Case Studies
Have you ever wondered why some places seem to effortlessly achieve conservation successes while others find it more difficult? Check out these in-depth studies on how countries around the world have achieved or are attempting to achieve half.
India
India is home to 1.3 billion people and 8% of the world’s most biodiversity, placing it among the most mega-populated and megadiverse countries. For these reasons alone, advancing protection for nature in India is as necessary as it is challenging. India’s human population is dependent upon this region’s rich biological diversity, and both the human and natural environment will accrue substantial benefits from the expansion of interconnected protected areas.
Many of the case studies for Nature Needs Half have involved an area within a defined political jurisdiction at the national, provincial or city level. It is important to note however, that nature crosses borders and that an ecological region is often spread amongst many different political jurisdictions. This is the case with NNH case studies including the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area, the South Caucasus Eco-Region, and the Silk Road. The most ambitious and the largest transfrontier conservation area in the world, however, is known as the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Area.
As criminal extractive industry undermines the ecological foundation of the Amazonian rainforest, the Kayapo defense of traditional lands is a glimmer of hope for the last large block of southeastern rainforest, lands large enough to sustain healthy ecological processes and endangered species. Drawing strength from a coalition of Kayapo leaders and the international NGOs who support them, 35 Kayapo villages withstand the coercive tactics of illegal miners and loggers while successfully caring for the forest upon which they depend for the continuation of their culture. The Kayapo Indigenous stewardship of the rainforest demonstrates the stunning potential for conservation and traditional cultures to work together for the benefit of nature.
Namibia’s protected area system is one of the most comprehensive in the world (covering over 42% of Namibia’s land mass and 12,000 km2 marine protected areas) and sustains healthy human and wildlife populations. Engaging a cross-sectoral suite of land owners and managers, Namibia has cultivated ecological connectivity that is second to none. With the recent declaration of Dorob National Park in 2010, Namibia became the first and only country in the world to have its entire coastline (1,500km) under protection via a network of four National Parks. Namibia is an example par excellence of the Nature Needs Half vision.
By creating a reserve network that protects 45% of its total land area, 7.7% of its marine coastal environment, and 45% of its forests, Tasmania has established a steadfast commitment to conserving the state’s incredible landscape and biodiversity. And, with the development of the Forest Agreement of 2012 to provide for the protection of an additional 500,000 hectares of the state’s native forests, Tasmania is demonstrating its continued dedication to expanding the amount of area to be protected for wild nature.
The Vertical Forest is the prototype building for a new format of architectural biodiversity which focuses not only on human beings but also on the relationship between humans and other living species. The first example, built in Milan in the Porta Nuova area, consists of two towers that are respectively 80 and 112 metres high, housing a total of 800 trees (480 first and second stage trees, 300 smaller ones, 15,000 perennials and/or ground covering plants and 5,000 shrubs, providing an amount of vegetation equivalent to 30,000 square metres of woodland and undergrowth, concentrated on 3,000 square metres of urban surface.
The project is also a device for limiting the sprawl of cities brought about through a quest for greenery (each tower is equivalent to about 50,000 square metres of single-family houses). Unlike “mineral” facades in glass or stone, the plant-based shield does not reflect or magnify the sun’s rays but filters them thereby creating a welcoming internal microclimate without harmful effects on the environment. At the same time, the green curtain “regulates” humidity, produces oxygen and absorbs CO2and microparticles, a combination of characteristics that have brought the project a number of important awards, including theInternational Highrise Awardfrom the Deutschen Architekturmuseums in Frankfurt (2014) and theCTBUH Awardfor the best tall building in the world from the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat at Chicago’s IIT (2015).
The concept behind theVertical Forest, that of being a “home for trees that also houses humans and birds”, defines not only the urban and technological characteristics of the project but also the architectural language and its expressive qualities. On a formal level, the towers are mainly characterized by large, staggered and overhanging balconies (each about three metres), designed to accommodate large external tubs for vegetation and to allow the growth of larger trees without hindrance, even over three floors of the building. At the same time, the porcelain stoneware finish of the facades incorporates the typical brown colour of bark, evoking the image of a pair of gigantic trees in which to live and which are rich in literary and symbolic implications. The contrast with a series of elements in white stoneware – the stringcourses of the balconies and some modules on the front of the windowsills – introduces a syncopated rhythm in the composition which breaks up and “dematerializes” the visual compactness of the architectural bodies and amplifies the presence of the plants even more. More than just surfaces, the façades can be viewed as three-dimensional spaces not only because of the denseness and function of the green curtain but also in aesthetic-temporal terms, due to the multi-coloured cyclical and morphological changes in the size of the plants.
The variations in colour and shapes of the plants produce a tremendous iridescent landmark in every season and it is highly recognizable even at a distance. In just a few years this characteristic has resulted in the image of theVertical Forestbecoming a new symbol for Milan. This principle of variation also acts in relation to the different treatments applied on the sides of the towers and the various floors, where the choice and distribution of the plants and trees reflects both aesthetic and functional criteria applied in order to adapt to the direction and heights of the facades. The development of the botanical component, the result of three years of studies conducted together with a group of botanists and ethologists, preceded the lifecycle of the building complex since it started in summer 2010 when the plants destined to be installed in the towers were in fact cultivated in a special botanical “nursery” set up at the Peverelli nursery and garden centre near Como in order to get them used to living in conditions similar to those found in their eventual homes.
Rather than just a simple architectural object therefore, the presence of the plant component means that the Vertical Forest is more akin to a set of processes – partly natural, partly man-managed – that accompany the life and growth of the inhabited organism over time. Perhaps the most unique component of this highly developed system, now widespread in urban imagery, is that of the “Flying Gardeners”, a specialized team of arborists-climbers who, using mountaineering techniques, descend from the roof of the buildings once a year to carry out pruning while checking the state of the plants in addition to their eventual removal or substitution. All the maintenance and greening operations are in fact managed at the condominium level in order to maintain control of the anthropic-vegetal balance. Irrigation is also centralized: the needs of the plants are monitored by a digitally and remotely controlled installation while the necessary water is largely drawn from filtered effluent from the towers. All these solutions overcome the still essentially anthropocentric and technical concept of “sustainability” while moving in the direction of a new biological diversity. A few years after its construction, the Vertical Forest has given birth to a habitat colonized by numerous animal species (including about 1,600 specimens of birds and butterflies), establishing an outpost of spontaneous flora and fauna recolonization in the city.
Het project ‘Groen Bouwen’ waarvan Groen Groeien partner is en het project ‘Groen in de Bouw’ van Vlaamse Confederatie Bouw (VCB) organiseerden van 10 tot 13 oktober een studiereis met als insteek kwaliteitsvol groen als onderdeel van gebouwen. Via een artikelenreeks zetten we de hoogtepunten van deze leerrijke studiereis in de kijker. In dit vierde en laatste deel komt het Bosco Verticale uitgebreid aan bod.
Biodiversiteit
Er was onmiddellijk na ingebruikname een relatief grote toename van de biodiversiteit. Twee maanden na de aanplant werden er al vogelnesten aangetroffen. Een veertigtal vogelsoorten werden ondertussen gespot waaronder enkele vogelsoorten die eerder niet meer in Milaan voorkwamen zoals zwaluwen. Bosco Verticale blijkt veel gebruikt te worden door trekvogels als een soort tussenhalte waar ze zich kunnen voeden met insecten. Men neemt zelfs vlinders waar op de hoogste verdiepingen
Bron: Vancayzeele, J. 2019. Sierteelt & Groenvoorziening (2), Wageningen University & Research.
This is a case study on the development of the Gardens by the Bay, Bay South and Conservatory Complex to provide intelligent and integrated building responses. This article demonstrates the effectiveness of combining a number of environmental design and building services optimization steps to achieve a sustainable design. Key initiatives undertaken include high-level daylighting design of the building skin to achieve exacting natural light requirements inside the spaces, while at the same time limiting thermal loads. Desiccant dehumidification systems are applied to minimize system cooling loads, so that waste heat from biomass combined heat and power (CHP) can drive substantive portions of the conditioning requirements. A waste stream made up of horticultural biomass is also identified and proposed to be utilized to provide the primary fuel for the biomass CHP system. In addition, this article provides a case study of how external structures are integrated to the building to provide ventilation and renewable energy harvesting.
This article presents a case study of the Gardens by the Bay, Bay South (GBBS) project in Singapore to illustrate how design optimization and crossdiscipline integration can result in a highperformance and responsive building. Bay South Gardens is comprised of 52 ha of landscaped gardens on reclaimed ground in Singapore’s new Downtown in Marina Bay (the estuary mouth of the Singapore River). The gardens feature a 20,000 m2 complex of cooled conservatories and 18 huge structures supporting vertical gardens ranging in height from 25 to 50 m, known as the ‘supertrees’. The project is currently under construction and is due to be completed in late 2011.
Source: Davey, M., Bellew, P., Er, K., Kwek, A., & Lim, J. 2010. Gardens by the Bay: High performance through design optimization and integration. Intelligent Buildings International, 2(2), p. 140-157. DOI: 10.3763/inbi.2010.0029
How we can reimagine our cities as biodiverse hubs
Biodiversity – all living organisms, including plants, animals and microorganisms – is essential for human existence. Yet when we think about biodiversity, we rarely picture a city in our minds. Nature has often been associated as purely a feature of rural landscapes, when in fact urban areas are home to a myriad of ecosystems and natural wealth, harbouring rich biodiversity. We are embedded in nature and yet we know very little about it.
Today marks the launch of theUN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which serves as a reminder that we must mobilize urban decision-makers and citizens to put nature at the heart of urban life. We have a unique opportunity to ensure that cities become true drivers of growth, resilience and well-being that operate within healthy social and planetary boundaries.
Cities play a unique role in today’s world. COVID-19 has placed them, once again, at the forefront of dealing with some of the most pressing global issues putting well-being and prosperity at risk, including climate change and biodiversity loss. But imagine a city where buying your favorite products leads to more nature, not less, and where your job can withstand environmental and economic shocks; where the air you breathe is pure and fresh, and where birdsong no longer has to compete with the roar of traffic.
Most cities in the world are ill-equipped to address the threats urbanization poses to natural habitats. In 1800, only 3% of the global population lived in urban areas. Today, we hit 55%, and the figure is projected to reach over two-thirds by 2050. While cities continue to expand at unprecedented rates, so does the pressure that they put on natural resources, ecosystems and the climate. If left unchecked, this puts our livelihoods, sustenance and the very air we breathe under real threat. Thankfully, solutions exist to allow cities to minimize these risks and reinvent themselves for the benefit of nature, the economy and society.
Some cities have understood the opportunities that addressing biodiversity loss and climate change present and have shown leadership in developing innovative solutions. Despite its small territory, Singapore is home to 4% of the world’s bird species, signalling clearly how rich urban biodiversity can be. In response to increasing urbanization and the effects of climate change, Singapore transformed itself from a Garden City into A City in a Garden, and then took a bold step to further evolve into aCity in Nature.
Singapore has appliednature-based solutionsto achieve climate, ecological and social resilience with innovative modern technology. This paradigm shift focuses on restoring nature in the city to make it both more liveable and sustainable.
Source: Espinel, M. R., & Chan, L. 2021. How to reimagine our cities as hubs for biodiversity conservation and climate resilience, World Economic Forum.
This paper outlines the characteristics of an emerging new planning paradigm called biophilic urbanism by detailing a case study of Singapore, which, over a number of years, has demonstrated how high density does not have to mean reduced natural systems. The paper looks at how biophilic urbanism works to improve natural systems between buildings and on the fac¸ades and rooftops of buildings.
Biophilia literally means ‘love for our living systems’. It is a term popularised by Edward O. Wilson in his book Biophilia (1984), which he describes as an innate affinity that human beings have with nature. He stresses that humans coevolved with nature, so they need it in their daily lives. Tim Beatley has applied the idea to cities and tried to find what he calls a: ‘daily dose of nature’ (Beatley 2011). The biophilic city, therefore, brings landscaping both into and onto buildings, walls, roads and concrete watercourses to bring nature into every element of the built environment (Kellert, Heerwagen, and Mador 2011; Beatley 2011). The benefits are considered to include the cooling of the city (especially as the urban heat island effect grows with climate change); reduced stormwater surges, as rain slows down in the same way that it does in a forest; reduced energy needs in buildings, due to the mantle of insulation from plant life; improved biodiversity; and improved health.
This paper seeks to answer some questions about biophilic urbanism through examining Singapore and its recent activity in this area. The questions raised are as follows:
(1) Does the density of an Asian city preclude it from bringing nature more intensely into the city or does it help it?
(2) Can a dense city like Singapore make a contribution to local biodiversity?
(3) What kind of urban ecosystems can be imagined developing if biophilic urbanism is taken seriously?
The need for a radically new approach to bringing nature into cities has never been more obvious than in the endless modernist, cookie-cutter high-rise towers of the emerging megalopolises of the world, especially in Asia, where they are usually surrounded by little more than grass and concrete and where biodiversity loss continues apace (UNEP 2012). Singapore has bucked the Asian cookie-cutter high-rise tower syndrome through its planning over many years, particularly its recent commitment to biophilic urbanism. It now appears to be a leader in this new approach to city building. This paper illustrates biophilic urbanism by highlighting what appears to be happening in Singapore and stresses the planning implications for any city as regards the three questions listed above.
Bron: Newman, P. 2014. Biophilic urbanism: a case study on Singapore, Australian Planner, 51(1), p. 47-65. DOI: 10.1080/07293682.2013.790832
The recognition of rights to nature by the Constitution of Ecuador sets a new normative scenario for analysis of the role of law in human-nature interactions. Given the scope of such a recognition, one relying on unorthodox biocentric views, these rights raise controversy. To some, nature rights are rather symbolic; to others, these rights are not only real but fundamental to effectively address the ever-growing degradation of nature. Yet, others focus on enforcement and juridical interpretation of their normative content as to determine whether recognition of constitutional rights to nature provide the foundations for a more effective role of the law in this field.
In 2008, Ecuador became the first State to recognize constitutional rights to nature. This recognition, which acknowledges the intrinsic value of nature, goes beyond the approach of protecting the environment, as it aims at respecting nature. What effects would this recognition bring to Ecuador and, perhaps, comparative constitutional environmental law? Would this recognition be symbolic or would it be of real significance? This article will address these issues. It will present the background as well as the normative dimension of nature rights on the Ecuadorian Constitution. The article will also examine doctrinarian perspectives while focusing on constitutional jurisprudence, to conclude that the Ecuadorian experience has provided a new scenario for analysis of the human-nature interactions from a biocentric perspective that coexists with a dominating anthropocentric perspective.
Bron: Echeverría., H. 2017. Rights of Nature: The Ecuadorian Case. Revista Esmat, 9(13), p. 77-86. DOI: 10.34060/reesmat.v9i13.192
Ecuador is the first country to recognize Rights of Nature in its Constitution. A great first step for humanity towards a change of paradigm! Ecuador rewrote its Constitution in 2007-2008 and it was ratified by referendum by the people of Ecuador in September 2008.
The new Ecuadorian Constitution includes a Chapter: Rights for Nature. Rather than treating nature as property under the law, Rights for Nature articles acknowledge that nature in all its life forms has theright to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles. And we – the people – have the legal authority to enforce these rights on behalf of ecosystems. The ecosystem itself can be named as the defendant.
Onlangs kende een hoge Indiase rechtbank aan de rivier de Ganges de status van ‘persoon’ toe, een uitspraak die tot meer aandacht voor het milieu in India zou kunnen leiden.
Onder normale omstandigheden zou een foto van een vrouw die over het water loopt, veel ontzag of verbazing hebben gewekt, maar in dit geval roept het beeld eerder afschuw op.
Fotograaf Giulio Di Sturco legde dit soort taferelen vast in zijn serieDeath of a River, ‘Dood van een rivier’: een vrouw die de rivier de Ganges oversteekt, door over een brug van bemodderde zandzakken en afval te klauteren, laat zien hoe zwaar deze heilige waterweg door vervuiling is getroffen.
‘De Ganges is een schoolvoorbeeld van een onopgelost conflict tussen mens en milieu,’ zegt Di Sturco. De rivier is verweven met alle aspecten van het leven in India – als de bron van water, energie en levensonderhoud voor de meer dan een half miljard mensen die aan zijn oevers wonen.
De rivier wordt al eeuwenlang aanbeden door hindoes uit de hele wereld, die geloven in het verhaal van de zelfreinigende riviergodin Ganga. Die reinigende kwaliteiten van Ganga zijn niet te zien aan de rivier zelf, die dagelijks wordt vergiftigd door miljoenen tonnen aan industrieel afvalwater en onbehandeld rioolwater. Om maar te zwijgen over de honderden lijken per dag die worden gecremeerd of soms alleen in linnen worden gewikkeld en in de rivier worden gelegd.
Maar er zijn veranderingen op komst voor de ‘Ganga Mata’ (Goddelijke Moeder) na eenrecente uitspraak van een hoge rechtbank in India. Het hooggerechtshof van de deelstaat Uttarakhand heeft namelijk de Ganges en zijn voornaamste zijrivier, de Yamuna, tot ‘levende personen’ verklaard.
New Zealand river granted same legal rights as human being
After 140 years of negotiation, Māori tribe wins recognition for Whanganui river, meaning it must be treated as a living entity.
In a world-first aNew Zealand river has been granted the same legal rights as a human being. The local Māori tribe of Whanganui in the North Island has fought for the recognition of their river – the third-largest in New Zealand – as an ancestor for 140 years.
On Wednesday, hundreds of tribal representatives wept with joy when their bid to have their kin awarded legal status as a living entity was passed into law. “The reason we have taken this approach is because we consider the river an ancestor and always have,” said Gerrard Albert, the lead negotiator for the Whanganui iwi [tribe]. “We have fought to find an approximation in law so that all others can understand that from our perspective treating the river as a living entity is the correct way to approach it, as in indivisible whole, instead of the traditional model for the last 100 years of treating it from a perspective of ownership and management.”
The new status of the river means if someone abused or harmed it the law now sees no differentiation between harming the tribe or harming the river because they are one and the same. Chris Finlayson, the minister for the treaty of Waitangi negotiations, said the decision brought the longest-running litigation in New Zealand’s history to an end. “Te Awa Tupua will have its own legal identity with all the corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a legal person,” said Finlayson in a statement. “The approach of granting legal personality to a river is unique ... it responds to the view of the iwi of the Whanganui river which has long recognised Te Awa Tupua through its traditions, customs and practice.”
Two guardians will be appointed to act on behalf of the Whanganui river, one from the crown and one from the Whanganui iwi. Albert said all Māori tribes regarded themselves as part of the universe, at one with and equal to the mountains, the rivers and the seas. The new law now honoured and reflected their worldview, he said, and could set a precedent for other Māori tribes in New Zealand to follow in Whanganui’s footsteps. “We can trace our genealogy to the origins of the universe,” said Albert. “And therefore rather than us being masters of the natural world, we are part of it. We want to live like that as our starting point. And that is not an anti-development, or anti-economic use of the river but to begin with the view that it is a living being, and then consider its future from that central belief.”
Financial redress of NZ$80m is included in the settlement, as well as an additional NZ$1m contribution towards establishing the legal framework for the river.
In March 2017, the Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act 2017 (NZ) (‘Te Awa Tupua Act’) became the first piece of legislation in the world to declare a river a legal person. Through this grant of legal personality the Whanganui River acquires the rights, duties, powers and liabilities of an entity with legal standing including the ability to sue those who harm it. This legislation is aimed at reconciling the relationship between the government of Aotearoa New Zealand and its Indigenous peoples (Māori) in light of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, one of the founding documents of Aotearoa New Zealand.
However, the Te Awa Tupua Act also offers a platform to explore the promotion and protection of Indigenous rights in international human rights law including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples in relation to Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand. This inquiry demonstrates that despite the novelty of the legislation and the exciting progress towards re-establishing Māori governance and management over the River that they held for centuries before European colonisation, the innovative grant of legal personality to a river does not fully address past wrongs in that it continues to exclude Māori ownership of freshwater. Ultimately the Te Awa Tupua Act leaves Aotearoa New Zealand wanting in its commitments under international human rights law.
This 76m2 living wall has been installed as part of a series of interventions that are part of the Borough High Street Low Emission Neighbourhood initiative led by Team London Bridge and Better Bankside, supported by the Mayor of London. Interventions are located to highlight calm and healthy walking routes in the busy London Bridge and Bankside area and are complemented by initiatives to promote green business practices like reduced deliveries and clean vehicles.
The wall is owned by the Guy's and St Thomas' charity who own the Orchard Lilse Building, and who are facilitating this project and will support its upkeep.
The Living Wall Planting Strategy
The living wall has been designed to enhance biodiversity and improve air quality.
Over seventy three species are included in the living wall of which 30 are RHS approved and 18 are RHS approved for supporting pollinators. The wall has been carefully curated to provide year round coverage for pollinating insects birds and butterflies.
To improve air quality the heterogeneous plant topography (high/low planting) allows for higher rates of particulate matter (PM) impaction through the living wall, increasing deposition rates and filtering the air more effectively of damaging PM10, PM5, PM2.5 and PM1. Plants included in the design such as stachys, pinus mugo and convolvulus are particularly effective at trapping particulate matter.
The topography of the wall has been facilitated by bespoke panels of the Scotscape Fytotextile system which have larger planting pockets, allowing bigger species and even trees to grow on the vertical surface. The design compostion uses irregular organic patterns to emulate nature.
In 2016, Ljubljana was the winner of the European Green Capital. The city made a large-scale transformation of their urban mobility systems by providing public transportation and cycling roads. Three-quarters of Ljubljana are green areas, filled with contiguous aquatic, forest and agricultural areas.
Slovenia is the third most densely forested country in Europe, and one of the richest European countries in terms of rivers and biodiversity. This is why a lot of importance is placed on nature conservation within the country and its cities. The initiative below, outlines some projects to further conserve nature and heighten biodiversity in the land- and cityscapes of Slovenia.
Additionally, Ljubljana was successful in implementing measures towards a healthier environment, listing the city’s traffic regime, the quality of water and a zero-waste strategy.
European Green Capital
Ljubljana is the political, administrative, cultural and economic centre of Slovenia and is home to over 280,000 inhabitants. Ljubljana impressed the Jury by the significant transformation which has been made by the city in sustainability over the previous 10 – 15 years. This transformation has been achieved in areas including local transport and the pedestrianizing of the city centre. From being a city which was previously dominated by car transport the focus is now on public transport and on pedestrian and cycling networks. The most significant measure that has been taken has been the modification of the traffic regime on the main traffic artery (Slovenska Street).
Progress has also been made in preserving and protecting the green areas which characterise the city and in the revitalisation and transformation of brownfield spaces. Ljubljana has also demonstrated how they have progressed in terms of the treatment of waste and waste water. They have committed themselves to pursuing a zero waste objective. In addition to this the Jury recognised the example Ljubljana has shown by sharing its experiences and solutions in managing natural disasters. This was demonstrated in recent times by its work with the Balkan Region during the recent flooding crisis.
Three quarters of the entire territory of Ljubljana are green areas. These areas include contiguous aquatic, forest and agricultural areas. Ljubljana has implemented numerous urban green measures over the past decade including the planting of more than 2,000 trees, the building of five new parks and revitalization of the embankments of the River Sava. The largest of these parks is the Path of Memories and Comradeship. It is the longest tree-lined avenue in the city, with 7,000 trees and numerous memorials, rest points and other features. In addition, in 2010 the Slovenian city declared 1,400 ha of the territory as forest of special purpose in being valuable as a CO2 sink.
Vitoria-Gasteiz, founded in 1181, is second in size (only to Bilbao) in the Basque Country, and has some 240,000 people currently inhabiting this gem in northern Spain. Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of the Álava province and of the Basque Country. The city will hold the title of European Green Capital in 2012.
Vitoria-Gasteiz is comprised of concentric circles, with the city itself at centre. The “Green Belt”, a semi-natural green area partially reclaimed from degraded areas, surrounds the centre and brings nature into the city. The third circle is dominated by forestry and mountains.
The city has a high proportion of green public areas, ensuring that the entire population lives within 300m of an open green space. Numerous tangible measures are in place to assist and increase biodiversity and ecosystems services.
Flora and fauna are monitored, habitat fragmentation is reduced wherever possible, and measures have been introduced to decrease light pollution. Besides being recreational areas and natural habitats for plant and animal life, the green areas also have an educational purpose: the community gardens, for example, enable the population to study horticulture at close range.
Managing Water Scarcity
Vitoria-Gasteiz has an ambitious objective of reducing domestic water consumption to below 100 litres per capita per day. Already today, water consumption has decreased steadily from 1999 to 2009. Water-related investments have been made within the context of the Agenda 21 environmental action plan for improved water supply, to reduce losses, work towards sustainable consumption and improve water quality. A citizen’s information office on water consumption and efficiency has also been set up.
Lisbon is committed to protecting and enhancing its natural areas, while also providing quality outdoor recreational space for its citizens. This is exemplified in Lisbon’s management of the Monsanto Park, for which the city has received the Sustainable Forest Management Certification.
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and its largest city, with a population of over 500,000. Located on the southeast coast, it is the country’s main port and its political and commercial centre.
Lisbon has experienced significant challenges in the past, particularly in 1755 when an earthquake demolished the entire city. More recently, the global economic downturn of 2008 greatly affected Portugal but despite such challenges, Lisbon has made strides in cementing the city’s environmental sustainability strategy and in turn enhancing the quality of life of its citizens, showing that environmental protection and economic growth can go hand in hand.
Sustainable Urban Mobility
Lisbon has a cohesive city-wide vision for sustainable mobility and is achieving this through measures to restrict car use and prioritise walking, cycling and public transport. In 2017 Lisbon launched a bike-sharing scheme, with electric bikes comprising two thirds of the fleet to encourage cycling in the hillier parts of the city. It is also promoting alternatively-fuelled vehicles, boasting one of the world’s largest electric vehicle charging point networks with 516 such points citywide.
Sustainable Land Use
Lisbon is committed to protecting and enhancing its natural areas, while also providing quality outdoor recreational space for its citizens. This is exemplified in Lisbon’s management of the Monsanto Park, for which the city has received the Sustainable Forest Management Certification.
Lisbon is also connecting its green areas with the Vale de Alcântara green corridor. The corridor will link up the city’s natural amenities, such as Monsanto Park and the Tagus River, with cycle paths and walkways, giving its citizens greater access to green spaces. The city will also create new green space along the corridor, allowing the wildlife to flourish and protecting its biodiversity.
Green Growth & Eco-Innovation
Lisbon is working towards a fully integrated city, employing a holistic approach to urban planning that considers all aspects of the city, including water, mobility, waste, as well as education and employment. The city involves a wide range of stakeholders, such as citizens, businesses, universities and international partners, in its policies and programmes for urban innovation.
Essen has built green and blue corridors within the city and is investing in green infrastructure which has been demonstrated through the development of the Krupp Belt. The City of Essen has implemented a range of practices to protect and enhance nature and biodiversity. Future plans focus not only on the greening of the city but also on the promotion of biodiversity in new green areas and in particular on species which are resilient to climate change.
Essen is the ninth largest city in Germany with 574,000 inhabitants and an increasing population density. Located in the Ruhr Area in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, its industrial history was closely linked to underground coal-mining operations which began in the early 19th century. The last colliery was closed in 1986 and since then Essen has developed into a services and financial centre which provides employment for approximately 80% of the workforce and brings an additional 140,000 commuters to the city every day.
The city is making admirable efforts to establish itself as a ‘City in transformation’ that is overcoming a challenging industrial history to reinvent itself as a ‘Green City’ and a leading example for others. The city credits its citizens and their ability to change as key to this success and this ethos is visible through their application tag line “ESSENtials – changing the way we act”.
Nature and Biodiversity
Essen has built green and blue corridors within the city and is investing in green infrastructure which has been demonstrated through the development of the Krupp Belt.
The City of Essen has implemented a range of practices to protect and enhance nature and biodiversity. Future plans focus not only on the greening of the city but also on the promotion of biodiversity in new green areas and in particular on species which are resilient to climate change.
Integrated Environmental Management
Essen also demonstrates a consistently strong overall performance across many of the other indicator areas including: Climate Change, Green Urban Areas, Air Quality, Waste Management and Energy Performance. An integrated initiative of particular note is the conversion of Emscher system, which has received a number of awards to date. The planned improvements to the waste water treatment system include the reduction of emissions of micropollutants and the focus on the removal of pharmaceuticals according to the watch list of the Water Framework Directive demonstrate ambition and innovation. Essen also leads by example in the field of integrated environmental management with the implementation of green public procurement and the use of initiatives such as Ökoprofit and KAKTUS.
The benefits of combining solar panel installations with green roofs has been confirmed by new research, which demonstrates significant improvements in energy production, stormwater filtration and most surprisingly, a major increase in animal biodiversity.
The study, led by UTS researchers Peter Irga, Fraser Torpy and Robert Fleck set out to measure the advantages of green roofs in cities, and was supported by Lendlease and Junglefy.
Undertaken in Barangaroo in central Sydney, the researchers compared the conventional photovoltaic (PV) solar system on International House with a combined PV solar and integrated Junglefy green roof system (biosolar roof) on Daramu House over an eight-month period that spanned summer and winter.
Fourteen sheep have summer jobs on the small island of Hovedøya close to the city centre, and they are unlikely to be short of work anytime soon. Their friendly and silent presence is keeping the cultural heritage site in tip-top condition.
A thousand years ago, Cistercian monks were devoted to managing the open landscape on Hovedøya. Today the task has been assigned to 14 sheep. Thus an important, but very vulnerable, cultural heritage site on Oslo’s busiest island is being carefully managed and preserved. “We try to preserve Oslo’s biodiversity, to achieve a greener and more biodiverse city,” says Inge Grepstad Kristoffersen, head of cultural heritage sites and grazing animals at the City of Oslo’s Agency for Urban Development. He explains about a bonus of using sheep as a workforce: “You know, people like sheep. There is a high enjoyment factor in having sheep grazing here.” Having said that, “Sheep do a better job than workers in hi-vis jackets,” laughs Kristoffersen.
Now he leaps up onto his boatLangøyene, which will take us from Oslo city centre to idyllic Hovedøya and the agency’s operational unit.
Summer is at its height and people are flocking to Hovedøya.
On the way out of Oslo’s harbour basin, we let thePearl of Scandinavia ferry, which serves the Oslo-Copenhagen route, go ahead of us. Behind us on Vippetangen towers the Vippa street food complex, which recently obtained funding for an innovative farming operation on its roof. Just 500 metres ahead of us is Hovedøya. Ground-breaking and historic farming practices are at either end of our route.
A cultural island
Hovedøya enjoys the most cultural history, the most visitors and the greatest biodiversity of any of Oslo’s islands. No island in the inner Oslo Fjord has a greater variety of plants than Hovedøya. A Cistercian monastery operated here from the early 12th century. In the 1530s, the island became Crown property. Since 1953, Hovedøya has been managed by the City of Oslo and has benefited the ordinary citizens of Oslo. Thanks partly to the mediaeval monks, who brought medicinal plants to the island, Hovedøya has an enormous diversity of plant species.
This diversity of species cannot be maintained without assistance. The number of visitors, particularly since the ferry started to run from Aker Brygge rather than Vippetangen, has increased sharply. The island’s biodiversity is under intense pressure. The very fine balance between conservation and use must be maintained, and the talents of the sheep are used in a careful and considered fashion. “First and foremost, the sheep reach places that strimmers and other mechanical cutters can’t access. In addition, they don’t make a racket. They do important work, but do it without making any noise,” says Kristoffersen.
The 14 sheep, which actually belong to Bogstad Gård in Sørkedalen, graze in a fenced off area for the first half of the summer, before being allowed to roam freely later in the season. In the first months, they graze an area of over six hectares.
Guardian of biodiversity
We are accompanied by Anders Thevik, who is caretaker and general handyman on Hovedøya. He has a bucket of feed to encourage the animals towards us. The black, grey and white sheep come trotting over as soon as they hear the bucket.
“Why do you have sheep here?”
“To keep the cultural heritage site well maintained. And to make the island more pleasant, and to manage the island actively. And of course it’s a way of preserving biodiversity,” says Thevik.
Bron: Messel, J. 2019. Working to boost biodiversity in the city. KlimaOslo, European Green Capital.
Nijmegen was already well-known throughout the Netherlands as a city for walking and cycling. Let’s be honest: who hasn’t heard of the Four Days Marches? Or the Seven Hills Marathon? In 2017 we, together with Arnhem, were designated VeloCity. And now, we will forever be the European Green Capital. In 2018 we put Nijmegen on the map as a green city. And we’re continuing our initiatives. Once the sustainable capital of Europe, always the sustainable capital.
In the short term, we have seen that the city’s residents are becoming increasingly involved in sustainability. A general goal in the Green Capital was to expand the circle of parties involved in five themes of sustainability. And we succeeded. In the long run, we can say that we have put Nijmegen on the map as a role model. We are on the list of European green cities worth visiting and we’ve received a lot of professional visitors. They see Nijmegen and the region as a frontrunner in areas such as green public transport, sustainable healthcare, the circular economy and green tourism. We have also closed a number of international deals, such as the covenant for sustainable inland navigation. It’s very important for the city to work on this because it will greatly improve air quality.
Within the Netherlands we have worked on our relationship with the national government. In addition to the king, we have also had visits from cabinet members. The effects of this may not be immediately noticeable for the city, but they are important in the long run.
Onwardssustainably
In 2019 and beyond we will continue to work on the themes that we chose in 2018. And we will continue with our networks, which have resulted in many wonderful initiatives. We will strengthen these by focusing even more on realising substantive goals.
I think we can be satisfied with ourselves. If you see, for example, how many more visitors come to a sustainability café, then we have really achieved something. The Challenges reached large numbers of people and will continue to do so in 2019. We have made new people enthusiastic and involved. In the area of, for example, sports, health or the Operation Steenbreek campaign. All sorts of new groups were reached, especially among residents.
I am very proud of all those residents, entrepreneurs, knowledge institutes, clubs, schools and event organisers who rolled up their sleeves or contributed new ideas for making our city sustainable. Without their efforts and those of countless volunteers, the Green Capital year would not have been possible. On top of that all those people constitute a strong network that will continue to help us to create a green and healthy Nijmegen, where future generations will also enjoy living and working.
Hier vindt u een video waarin u een project en goede praktijken uit heel Nederland aantreft. Gemeenten werken aan een integrale aanpak van de openbare ruimte die energietransitie mogelijk maakt en vorm geeft aan toekomstige klimaatbestendige steden.
Stefano Boeri en MVSA ontwerpen torens Jaarbeursboulevard
Stefano Boeri Architetti en MVSA Architects ontwerpen ieder een toren aan de Jaarbeursboulevard in Utrecht. De respectievelijk negentig en zeventig meter hoge torens vormen samen het Healthy Urban Quarter. De gebouwen moeten bijdragen aan een gezond stedelijk leven in Utrecht.
Stefano Boeri Architetti en MVSA Architects ontwerpen ieder een toren aan de Jaarbeursboulevard in Utrecht. De respectievelijk negentig en zeventig meter hoge torens vormen samen het Healthy Urban Quarter. De gebouwen moeten bijdragen aan een gezond stedelijk leven in Utrecht.
Het project wordt ontwikkeld door een consortium onder leiding van G&S Vastgoed en KondorWessels Projecten, zo heeft de gemeente Utrecht vrijdag bekendgemaakt. Het samenwerkingsverband werd via een tender, waarbij vier partijen een plan mochten presenteren, geselecteerd. Het plan Wonderwoods gaat over het terughalen van de natuur in de stad voor een gezonder leven.
De negentig meter hoge, door Stefano Boeri in samenwerking met Arcadis ontworpen toren komt aan de Croeselaan te staan. Het gebouw ziet eruit als een verticaal bos, waarbij de beplanting is mee ontworpen op de balkons en aan de gevel. De ontwerpers werden geconsulteerd door de Botanische Tuinen van de Universiteit Utrecht.
De door MVSA ontworpen toren bevat rondingen en veel groen aan de binnenkant. Dit is van buiten te zien doordat de te openen atria een doorkijk bieden naar de binnenkant. Enerzijds heeft de toren zoals de kantoren in de omgeving een robuuste uitstraling, anderzijds wordt het op detailniveau aangepast voor een prettig straatniveau.
Bron: Weessies, R. 2017. Stefano Boeri en MVSA ontwerpen torens Jaarbeursboulevard. Architectenweb.
Bajeskwartier Amsterdam. Waar technologie, cultuur en duurzaamheid samenkomen. In een vernieuwende wijk vol oude historie. Want Bajeskwartier bouwt met de kennis van nu, voort op de historie van toen. En die ingrediënten zorgen voor vernieuwing en oorspronkelijkheid. Voor inspiratie en levendigheid. Voor creatie en recreatie. Bajeskwartier geeft ruimte aan wonen en werken. Op loopafstand van het gezellige centrum en grenzend aan de Amstel.
Het is 1978 als de Bijlmerbajes wordt opgeleverd. Niet in de Bijlmer, maar in Overamstel. Zes hoge torens, verbonden door een gang ('de Kalverstraat'), bieden ruimte aan 600 gevangenen. En het moest vooral een humane gevangenis worden. Want het was de tijd van idealistische projecten. Zo waren er in het begin geen tralies en overwoog men een heg in plaats van een hoge muur. De bewakers waren vooral begeleiders en softdrugs was volop aanwezig. Tot 2016. Want inmiddels was de wereld echt veranderd. Voor de criminelen kwam er een nieuwe locatie en de Bijlmerbajes was klaar voor een nieuwe bestemming.
Totaalconcept
Bajeskwartier biedt woningen en kantoorruimte in alle soorten en maten. Van groot tot klein, van luxe tot basic. Daarbij is er veel aandacht voor duurzaamheid en circulariteit en staan kunst en design hoog op de agenda. Kortom, Bajeskwartier is wonen, werken en recreëren in een groene omgeving met een rijke historie. Completer kan haast niet.
Duurzaam
Bajeskwartier wil de impact op het klimaat tot nul reduceren. Door duurzaam te bouwen. Door een autovrije wijk te maken én door innovatieve installaties toe te passen. Daarnaast biedt Bajeskwartier ruimte aan nieuwe vormen van energieopwekking en aan Healthy Urban Living.
Historie
Wonen in Bajeskwartier is wonen in een historische omgeving. De unieke gebouwen, destijds ontworpen door Koos Pot-Keegstra, hebben een volledige re-design ondergaan. Niet alleen bieden ze nu state-of-the-art comfort, maar ook lopen ze voorop als het gaat om duurzaamheid.
Groen
Bajeskwartier houdt van groen! Wandel door het eigen park. Ontdek de grote variatie aan bijzondere tuinen. Of stap op de fiets en rij langs de Amstel met z'n mooie poldergebieden en fraaie tuinen van de eeuwenoude patriciërswoningen.
Lees hier meer over het programma en de laatste updates van Bajeskwartier
De gemeente Amsterdam en haar inwoners streven naar een groenere stad en een gezondere leefomgeving. Agrarische voedselbossen verschijnen door heel het land, maar ook in Amsterdam zijn de afgelopen jaren meerdere voedselbosinitiatieven ontwikkeld. De interesse naar voedselbossen is flink toegenomen door de groeiende belangstelling voor en urgentie van natuur en een natuurlijke vorm van voedselproductie. Een voedselbos is een ontworpen systeem om een natuurlijke bosstructuur te ontwikkelen met meerdere vegetatielagen, gedomineerd door houtachtige planten. Kenmerkend voor een voedselbos is de hoge biodiversiteit aan flora en fauna en een hoge bodemkwaliteit. Zo ontstaat er een rijk, robuust en zelfvoorzienend ecosysteem. Een voedselbos heeft naast deze hoge natuurwaarde ook andere veelzijdige waardes op het gebied van klimaat, voedsel en sociaal. Dit rapport biedt een startpunt en een eerste overzicht van de veelzijdigheid en complexiteit van het thema voedselbossen in een stedelijke omgeving.
Gemeente Amsterdam en Wageningen University & Research Jaëla Arian Master Biology – Conservation and Systems Ecology Begeleiding Geertje Wijten Ruimte & Duurzaamheid - Gemeente Amsterdam Madelon Lohbeck Forest Ecology and Forest Management - Wageningen University & Research
Door klimaatverandering krijgen we in de toekomst vaker te maken met extreem weer: van zware regenbuien tot hete zomerdagen. Door goed na te denken over de inrichting van de openbare ruimte én het ontwerp van nieuwe gebouwen, kunnen we extreem weer in de toekomst het hoofd bieden.
De gemeente Amsterdam en Waternet willen die inzichten op Centrumeiland samen met bewoners in de praktijk brengen. Zelfbouwers spelen daarin een cruciale rol. Door groen en blauw te bouwen, kunnen we hittestress en regenwateroverlast voorkomen, en ook nog eens bijdragen aan de biodiversiteit en de luchtkwaliteit in de stad.
Deze brochure heeft als doel om u te inspireren en laat u zien hoe u bij kunt dragen aan een groene, gezonde en aantrekkelijke leefomgeving.
In opdracht van: Gemeente Amsterdam, Grond en Ontwikkeling Waterschap Amstel, Gooi en Vecht, Amsterdam Rainproof, Waternet
Het ontwikkelen van natuurinclusieve bouwpraktijken is vooralsnog een zoektocht. Dit onderzoek laat zien dat de vastgoedsector al voorzichtig in beweging komt en dat veel partijen zich (deels) bewust zijn van de maatschappelijke vraagstukken rondom groen in de stad. De opkomst van nieuwe, natuurinclusieve niches is zichtbaar en demonstreren dat natuurinclusief bouwen, ondanks allerlei obstakels in de praktijk, wel degelijk mogelijk is.
Natuur speelt een belangrijke rol in de leefbaarheid van steden: het draagt bij aan gezondheid en welzijn, het creëert een aangename woonomgeving voor de inwoners en een positief vestigingsklimaat voor bedrijven. Ook met het oog op biodiversiteit en milieu is de aanwezigheid van voldoende groen in de stad van groot belang, omdat het bijvoorbeeld helpt met het tegengaan van wateroverlast en het een leefmilieu vormt voor allerlei diersoorten. Ondanks al deze voordelen legt groen het in de praktijk vaak af tegen concurrerende ruimteclaims. Dit kan een grote impact hebben op de mensen die leven en werken in de stad. Deze brochure, gefinancierd door het ministerie van LNV, richt zich op de vastgoedsector en gaat in op de noodzaak van een transitie naar een natuurinclusief stedelijk gebied en de rol die de vastgoedsector hierin kan spelen. Hieronder volgt een overzicht van de belangrijkste bevindingen.
Toenemend bewustzijn over de waarde van natuur in de stad
De wetenschappelijke literatuur laat zien dat er een toenemend bewustzijn bestaat over de waarde van groen in de stad, wat zich ook vertaalt in de wensen van de inwoners.
Natuurinclusief bouwen is nog geen gemeengoed
Er is weliswaar al enige aandacht voor en bewustzijn over natuurinclusief bouwen binnen de vastgoedsector in Nederland, maar natuurinclusief bouwen is nog lang geen gemeengoed. Er zijn inspirerende voorbeelden, maar het gaat daarbij nog vooral om ‘niches’: lokale, innovatieve bouwprojecten waarin op diverse manieren gebruik wordt gemaakt van groene elementen. De ontwikkeling van natuurinclusieve verdienmodellen is voor veel bedrijven een belangrijke randvoorwaarde. De geringe betalingsbereidheid die vastgoedpartijen nu nog ervaren, lijkt niet in verhouding te staan met de belangstelling die uitgaat van gemeenten en inwoners. Voor veel vastgoedbedrijven vormt de behoefte om iets goeds te doen voor de maatschappij, het eigen imago en het onderscheidend vermogen van natuurinclusief bouwen de belangrijkste drijfveren. Financiële motieven spelen hierbij een minder prominente rol. Hoewel er meerdere succesvolle voorbeelden van natuurinclusief bouwen bestaan in Nederland, kan geconcludeerd worden dat de belangstelling voor een natuurinclusieve leefomgeving zich nog niet overal vertaalt in een grootschalige toepassing ervan.
Een transitie naar natuurinclusief bouwen
Het ontwikkelen van natuurinclusieve bouwpraktijken is vooralsnog een zoektocht. Dit onderzoek laat zien dat de vastgoedsector al voorzichtig in beweging komt en dat veel partijen zich (deels) bewust zijn van de maatschappelijke vraagstukken rondom groen in de stad. De opkomst van nieuwe, natuurinclusieve niches is zichtbaar en demonstre - ren dat natuurinclusief bouwen, ondanks allerlei obstakels in de praktijk, wel degelijk mogelijk is. De gemene deler in succesvolle voorbeelden is visie, creativiteit en de bereid - heid om risico’s te nemen. Vasthoudendheid van de betrok - kenen is cruciaal voor het slagen ervan. Het gaat vooral om kennis en ervaring opdoen, het profileren in de markt en van betekenis willen zijn voor de maatschappij. Investeren als verdienmodel is hierbij zelden tot ooit het speerpunt.
Belemmerende en stimulerende factoren
Om een echte natuurinclusieve transitie te realiseren, is het belangrijk om inzicht te krijgen in de stimulerende, succes - volle factoren enerzijds en de belemmerende factoren anderzijds. Een belangrijk deel van de tegendruk bestaat uit het gebrek aan perspectiefvolle verdienmodellen voor natuurinclusief bouwen. Hoewel de uiteindelijke kosten in de praktijk doorgaans meevallen, is er vaak sprake van grotere risico’s en een mogelijk langere doorlooptijd. Een belangrijke positieve, stimulerende factor is de steeds toenemende bewustwording binnen de sector, waardoor veel vastgoedpartijen voorzichtig in beweging komen. Ook de positieve effecten van groen op de verkoopbaarheid van vastgoed zijn al in enkele segmenten van de markt duidelijk zichtbaar. De vasthoudendheid, ambitie en de motivatie van alle betrokken partijen om oplossingen te ontwikkelen en samen door te gaan is een cruciale succesfactor. Ook de bereidheid om risico te dragen door te innoveren speelt een belangrijke rol in de voorbeeldcases die in deze brochure aan bod komen. Kennis is nog niet altijd voorhanden en kan dus een barrière vormen, maar uiteindelijk ontwikkelen voorlopers altijd nieuwe kennis en verdienmodellen die in de toekomst breder toegepast kunnen worden.
Onderzoeksopzet
De eerste fase van het onderzoek dat in deze brochure wordt gepresenteerd bestond uit een literatuurstudie om inzicht te krijgen in de huidige rol van groen in de vast - goedsector vanuit een internationaal perspectief. Vervolgens ontwikkelden de betrokken onderzoekers een conceptueel kader voor het stimuleren van natuurinclusief ondernemen en het doorbreken van bestaande vastgoed - praktijken. Dit conceptuele kader vormde de basis voor een grote telefonische enquête onder diverse partijen van de vastgoedsector, waarbij tot slot werd ingezoomd op drie inspirerende voorbeelden.
Bron: Dijkshoorn-Dekker, M. W. C., Kortstee, H. J. M., Mattijssen, T. J. M., van Haaster-de Winter, M. A., Polman, N. B. P., van Rooij, S. A. M., & Steingröver, E. G. (2020). De transitie naar een natuurinclusieve stad: Breng de vastgoedsector in beweging. Wageningen University & Research. https://edepot.wur.nl/522835
The agriculture and horticulture sector in the Netherlands is one of the most productive in the world. Although the sector is one of the most advanced and intense agricultural production systems worldwide, it faces challenges, such as climate change and environmental and social unsustainability of industrial production. To overcome these challenges, alternative food production initiatives have emerged, especially in large cities such as Amsterdam.
The agriculture and horticulture sector in the Netherlands is one of the most productive in the world. Although the sector is one of the most advanced and intense agricultural production systems worldwide, it faces challenges, such as climate change and environmental and social unsustainability of industrial production. To overcome these challenges, alternative food production initiatives have emerged, especially in large cities such as Amsterdam. Some initiatives involve producing food in the urban environment, supported by new technologies and practices, so-called high-tech urban agriculture (HTUA). These initiatives make cultivation of plants inside and on top of buildings possible and increase green spaces in urban areas. The emerging agricultural technologies are creating new business environments that are shape d by technology developers (e.g., suppliers of horticultural light emitting diodes (LED) and control environment systems) and developers of alternative food production practices (e.g., HTUA start-ups). However, research shows that the uptake of these technological innovations in urban planning processes is problematic. Therefore, this research analyzes the barriers that local government planners and HTUA developers are facing in the embedding of HTUA in urban planning processes, using the city of Amsterdam as a case study. This study draws on actor-network theory (ANT) to analyze the interactions between planners, technologies, technology developers and developers of alternative food production practices. Several concepts of ANT are integrated into a multi-level perspective on sustainability transitions (MLP) to create a new theoretical framework that can explain how interactions between technologies and planning actors transform the incumbent social-technical regime. The configuration of interactions between social and material entities in technology development and adoption processes in Amsterdam is analyzed through the lens of this theoretical framework. The data in this study were gathered by tracing actors and their connections by using ethnographic research methods. In the course of the integration of new technologies into urban planning practices, gaps between technologies, technology developers, and planning actors have been identified. The results of this study show a lacking connection between planning actors and technology developers, although planning actors do interact with developers of alternative food production practices. These interactions are influenced by agency of artefacts such as visualizations of the future projects. The paper concludes that for the utilization of emerging technologies for sustainability transition of cities, the existing gap between technology developers and planning actors needs to be bridged through the integration of technology development visions in urban agendas and planning processes.
Source: Farhangi, M. H., Turvani, M. E., van der Valk, A., & Carsjens, G. J. (2020). High-tech urban agriculture in Amsterdam: An actor network analysis. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(10), [3955]. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU12103955