Types and characteristics of urban and peri-urban blue spaces having an impact on human mental health and wellbeing: a systematic review

Urbanization is increasingly putting pressures on biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services. Evidence indicates that green and blue spaces can support the mental health of urban residents. Policy makers, city planners, other decision makers, healthcare professionals, and land managers now face a major challenge to maintain and enhance natural areas and characteristics. Knowing which types and characteristics of blue and green space are beneficial for mental health is necessary to inform planning and management decisions. EKLIPSE received a request from the Ministry in charge of the Environment of France (MTES) to review: “Which types of urban and peri-urban green and blue spaces, and which characteristics of such spaces, have a significant impact on human mental health and wellbeing?”. After a preliminary scoping, a decision was made to perform two systematic reviews assessing the specific types and characteristics of blue space (review 1) and green space (review 2) on mental health and wellbeing. The systematic searches were supported and conducted by an experienced team of librarians, made possible by the financial support of the WHO. This report presents the systematic review for blue space (Review 1)

Green space in urban and peri-urban areas and mental health: which green space types and characteristics are most beneficial?

Urban green space plays an important role in the mental and physical health of urbanites, as well as of people working in or visiting urban areas (WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2016). But green space can be very diverse in its typology, including for instance urban forests, parks, playgrounds, allotments and urban farming locations. These green space types can also differ greatly in their defining characteristics; for instance, parks can differ in scenic beauty, vegetative composition or openness. Globally, continuing urbanization, as well as climate change, is increasingly putting pressure on the existence of green spaces within urban areas (e.g. Dallimer et al., 2011; Richards & Belcher, 2020). The scarcity of urban green space and the desire to create liveable cities requires in-depth knowledge on how different green space types and characteristics influence mental health, to facilitate well-informed design and planning choices

Blue space in urban and peri-urban areas and mental health: which blue space types and characteristics are most beneficial?

There is an increasing awareness that besides green spaces, blue spaces can also positively influence mental as well as physical health (see for example, Völker & Kistemann, 2011; Gascon et al., 2017). Blue spaces are: “outdoor environments – either natural or manmade – that prominently feature water and are accessible to humans either proximally (being in, on or near water) or distally/virtually (being able to see, hear or otherwise sense water)” (Grellier et al., 2017, p. 3). Examples include coasts, lakes, ponds and pond systems, wadis systems, artificial buffer basins and water courses. Together with green spaces they form the green-blue infrastructure. Therefore, a second systematic review focused on effects of blue spaces on mental health

Green space in urban and peri-urban areas and mental health: which green space types and characteristics are most beneficial?

Urban green space plays an important role in the mental and physical health of urbanites, as well as of people working in or visiting urban areas (WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2016). But green space can be very diverse in its typology, including for instance urban forests, parks, playgrounds, allotments and urban farming locations. These green space types can also differ greatly in their defining characteristics; for instance, parks can differ in scenic beauty, vegetative composition or openness. Globally, continuing urbanization, as well as climate change, is increasingly putting pressure on the existence of green spaces within urban areas (e.g. Dallimer et al., 2011; Richards & Belcher, 2020). The scarcity of urban green space and the desire to create liveable cities requires in-depth knowledge on how different green space types and characteristics influence mental health, to facilitate well-informed design and planning choices

Operationalization of One Health Burnout Prevention and Recovery: Participatory Action Research-Design of Nature-Based Health Promotion Interventions for Employees.

Burnout is, besides a global, complex phenomenon, a public health issue with negative consequences on personal, organizational, social, and economic levels. This paper outlines the co-design of a novel Nature-based Burnout Coaching intervention, called NABUCO. Due to the complexity of burnout, we propose a One Health approach in healthcare, educational and governmental pilot organizations, to deliver guidelines and protocols for prevention and recovery of burnout. We advocate the inclusion of the salutogenic and mutual healing capacity of nature connectedness, facilitating a positive impact on mental and environmental health. A transdisciplinary Participative Action Research-design resulted in an iterative adaptive cycle of co-design, implementation, and evaluation of NABUCO

Psychologie et problèmes globaux

International audienc

Climate change: From perception to action

International audienc

Fonctionnements cognitifs et connaissances culturelles

«Ethnocognition » is, according to the author's definition, the study of the cultural knowledge that can be related to the cognitive processes underlying it. On the anthropological point of view, it would seem that, to be able to identify cognitive mechanisms in different cultures, one must follow the developing stages of the corresponding mechanisms. We will present, on the behavioral side, according to recent studies as well as personal research, proof of the existence of a culturally determined component of cognition. The reducing effects of «anglo-centering » on the concept of cognitive anthropology will be discussed briefly (in particular, connective and serial processes, D'Andrade 1995).L'«ethnocognition », selon la définition de l'auteur, est l'étude des connaissances culturelles qui peuvent être mises en relation avec les processus cognitifs qui les sous-tendent. Au plan anthropologique, il semble que pour pouvoir identifier les mécanismes de la cognition dans différentes cultures, il faille suivre les étapes du développement des mécanismes correspondants. On présentera, d'un point de vue comportemental, à la lumière des recherches actuelles et de recherches personnelles, les preuves de l'existence d'une partie culturellement déterminée de la cognition. Les effets réducteurs de l'anglocentrisme sur la conception d'une anthropologie cognitive seront brièvement discutés (processus connexionistes et sériaux notamment chez D'Andrade, 1995).Lammel Annamaria. Fonctionnements cognitifs et connaissances culturelles. In: Journal des anthropologues, n°70, 1997. Anthropologie et cognition, sous la direction de André-Marie Despringre et Dominique Lestel. pp. 113-124