• AMS Institute

• Door studenten

• Natuur & Milieu,
• Bestuur & Governance

Revitalizing Amsterdam’s Green Policies

MADE Student Project

The decline of microbial diversity in the Anthropocene era has ecological and human health implications. The gut microbiome, which plays a crucial role in immune system regulation and overall well-being, emphasizes the importance of microbial diversity. Urban environments, however, present challenges for microbial exposure due to absence of biodiverse natural environments. Strategies like Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure (MIGI), which emcompasses green spaces that aim to support the functionality and resilience of microbial ecosystems, need to be integrated into long-term urban development plans to mitigate the loss of microbial diversity and foster healthier urban environments. This study aims to understand how MIGI or other microbial-inclusive practices can be effectively integrated into Amsterdam's existing green policy. This is done by studying the current relation between Amsterdam’s green policy and microbial-inclusive practices using a Policy Arrangement Approach with four dimensions: actors, resources, rules of the game, and discourse. Document analysis, semi-structed interviews and an expert meeting reveals that microbial-inclusive practices are largely absent within the current green policy of Amsterdam. Based on the findings recommendations are provided to systematically integrate microbial inclusive practices, alongside recommendations for further research.

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