Editorial: Shaping healthier cities. Ecosystem services and health for a responsive human-nature relations

Shaping Healthier Cities -Ecosystem Services and Health for a Responsive Human-Nature Relations Cities have become the predominant living environments of human beings worldwide. In an era of social-ecological crisis intensified by climate change, loss of biodiversity, and socio-environmental injustice, the shaping of responsive cities is crucial for fostering healthy and regenerative urban societies and nature preservation beyond the instrumental value. The role of urban environmental spatial qualities should be rethought in light of the COVID-19 pandemic diffusion (Bolleter et al., 2022). However, the relationship between the daily environmental conditions of urban citizens and their health, as well as the interconnection between healthy nature as a basis for resilient cities are lacking an organic inclusion in the urban design, thus limiting the capacity for shaping cities in the context of planetary health (Pineo et al., 2021;WBGU, 2021). Although ecosystem services' relations with urban planning have been at the center of numerous publications aiming to find practical solutions for building sustainable cities, the systematic investigation of how ecosystem services affect human health is still an open subject. Furthermore, the well-being of citizens is a concept that goes beyond the instrumental values of nature, which are the This is a provisional file, not the final typeset article focus of the ecosystem service concept. In this regard, an integrative ecosystem services valuation 39 needs to consider relational and intrinsic values unfolding in responsive human-nature relations 40 striving for a good life for humans and non-humans in cities and beyond. Healthy urban human-41 nature relations call for a fundamental shift in attitudes and norms regarding how we deal with non-42 humans, considering that our health is inseparable from nature's health, a web of interdependencies 43 (Moore, 2015). This is also linked with biocultural diversity, which has gained attention since 44 recognizing the intangible cultural values of the natural environment as a key for promoting 45 intercultural dialogue among communities. In fact, there is a need to integrate and consider the 46 sociocultural specificities in each territory and the diversity of visions of human-nature relations in the new shaping of healthier cities for all, humans and non-humans.MA was supported by the Leibniz Best Minds Competition, Leibniz-Junior Research Group under Grant No. J76/2019. DV and FA were supported by the “PHOENIX: phoenix the rise of citizens voices for a greener Europe” project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101037328 and by the R&D Unit Centre for Functional Ecology—Science for People and the Planet (CFE), Grant No. UIDB/04004/2020, financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wissen zum Stadtgrün durch neue Datenzugänge verbessern

Auf der Basis innovativer Methoden der Informationsgewinnung aus verschiedenen offenen Geodaten wird eine WebApp als Informations- und Entscheidungstool für das Aufsuchen und die Nutzung urbaner Grünflächen entwickelt1. Die gewonnenen Informationen zur Qualität und Erreichbarkeit von Grünflächen sowie zu Nutzerpräferenzen werden der Öffentlichkeit über eine offene Dienste-Infrastruktur sowie gezielt für die Stadtverwaltungen der Pilotstädte Dresden und Heidelberg bereitgestellt. Die WebApp sowie die neuen Bewertungs- und Routingdienste sollen sowohl an den Interessen der Nutzerinnen und Nutzer als auch von Stadtverwaltungen orientiert sein bzw. die jeweiligen Bedarfe und Informationslücken entsprechend adressieren. Dazu ist eine enge Zusammenarbeit mit den verschiedenen städtischen Akteuren (insbesondere Verwaltung und Zivilgesellschaft) unerlässlich. Unterschiedliche Formate und Aktivitäten zum Informations- und Wissensaustausch lassen sich nutzen. Eine Möglichkeit bot das in diesem Jahr neu eingeführte Workshop-Format im Rahmen des Dresdner Flächennutzungssymposiums (DFNS); die Ergebnisse des DFNS-Workshops „Wissen zum Stadtgrün verbessern – neue Datenzugänge“ werden in diesem Beitrag zusammengefasst

Fresnel laws at curved dielectric interfaces of microresonators

We discuss curvature corrections to Fresnel's laws for the reflection and transmission of light at a non-planar refractive-index boundary. The reflection coefficients are obtained from the resonances of a dielectric disk within a sequential-reflection model. The Goos-H\"anchen effect for curved light fronts at a planar interface can be adapted to provide a qualitative and quantitative extension of the ray model which explains the observed deviations from Fresnel's laws.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

Goos-Haenchen shift and localization of optical modes in deformed microcavities

Recently, an interesting phenomenon of spatial localization of optical modes along periodic ray trajectories near avoided resonance crossings has been observed [J. Wiersig, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 253901 (2006)]. For the case of a microdisk cavity with elliptical cross section we use the Husimi function to analyse this localization in phase space. Moreover, we present a semiclassical explanation of this phenomenon in terms of the Goos-Haenchen shift which works very well even deep in the wave regime. This semiclassical correction to the ray dynamics modifies the phase space structure such that modes can localize either on stable islands or along unstable periodic ray trajectories.Comment: 9 pages, 14 figures in reduced qualit

The uptake of the ecosystem services concept in planning discourses of European and American cities

Ecosystem services (ES) are gaining increasing attention as a promising concept to more actively consider and plan for the varied benefits of the urban environment. Yet, to have an impact on decision-making, the concept must spread from academia to practice. To understand how ES have been taken up in planning discourses we conducted a cross-case comparison of planning documents in Berlin, New York, Salzburg, Seattle and Stockholm. We found: (1) explicit references to the ES concept were primarily in documents from Stockholm and New York, two cities in countries that entered into ES discourses early. (2) Implicit references and thus potential linkages between the ES concept and planning discourses were found frequently among all cities, especially in Seattle. (3) The thematic scope, represented by 21 different ES, is comparably broad among the cases, while cultural services and habitat provision are most frequently emphasized. (4) High-level policies were shown to promote the adoption of the ES concept in planning. We find that the ES concept holds potential to strengthen a holistic consideration of urban nature and its benefits in planning. We also revealed potential for further development of ES approaches with regard to mitigation of environmental impacts and improving urban resilience

Nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban areas: Perspectives on indicators, knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities for action

Nature-based solutions promoting green and blue urban areas have significant potential to decrease the vulnerability and enhance the resilience of cities in light of climatic change. They can thereby help to mitigate climate change-induced impacts and serve as proactive adaptation options for municipalities. We explore the various contexts in which nature-based solutions are relevant for climate mitigation and adaptation in urban areas, identify indicators for assessing the effectiveness of nature-based solutions and related knowledge gaps. In addition, we explore existing barriers and potential opportunities for increasing the scale and effectiveness of nature-based solution implementation. The results were derived from an inter- and transdisciplinary workshop with experts from research, municipalities, policy, and society. As an outcome of the workshop discussions and building on existing evidence, we highlight three main needs for future science and policy agendas when dealing with nature-based solutions: (i) produce stronger evidence on nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation and raise awareness by increasing implementation; (ii) adapt for governance challenges in implementing nature-based solutions by using reflexive approaches, which implies bringing together new networks of society, nature-based solution ambassadors, and practitioners; (iii) consider socio-environmental justice and social cohesion when implementing nature-based solutions by using integrated governance approaches that take into account an integrative and transdisciplinary participation of diverse actors. Taking these needs into account, nature-based solutions can serve as climate mitigation and adaptation tools that produce additional cobenefits for societal well-being, thereby serving as strong investment options for sustainable urban planning

Effiziente Strategien zum Management städtischer Bodenversiegelung

Boden ist die Grundlage des täglichen Lebens und obwohl er weitgehend eine nichterneuerbare Ressource ist, nehmen die Flächeninanspruchnahme und damit die Bodenversiegelung stetig zu. Die Zunahme der städtischen Bebauung in Europa kann nicht nur durch die Bevölkerungsentwicklung erklärt werden. Des Weiteren fehlt es an konkreten Empfehlungen, wie eine effiziente Steuerung der Bodenversiegelung aussehen kann. In diesem Beitrag wird gezeigt, dass die Steuerung der städtischen Bodenversiegelung aufgrund ihrer Komplexität als ein lösungsresistentes Problem („wicked problem“) anzusehen ist. Diesem kann durch einen Lösungsmix begegnet werden, welcher auf Basis einer systematischen Bewertung unterschiedlicher Strategien abgeleitet und in diesem Beitrag präsentiert wird

The Role of Urban Agriculture as a Nature-Based Solution: A Review for Developing a Systemic Assessment Framework

Urbanization and achieving sustainable agriculture are both major societal challenges. By reducing food miles and connecting people with nature, food cultivation in cities has several major advantages. However, due to further urban development (peri-) urban agriculture (UPA) is under threat. To strengthen UPA, we argue for considering UPA as a nature-based solution (NbS) supporting systemic approaches for societal challenges. However, academic knowledge on UPA’s contribution to various societal challenges of urbanization is still fragmented. This study addresses the gap by conducting a systemic literature review, incorporating 166 academic articles focusing on the global north. The results of the review show that UPA contributes to ten key societal challenges of urbanization: climate change, food security, biodiversity and ecosystem services, agricultural intensification, resource efficiency, urban renewal and regeneration, land management, public health, social cohesion, and economic growth. The value of UPA is its multifunctionality in providing social, economic and environmental co-benefits and ecosystem services. When implementing UPA, social, institutional, economic, technical, geographical, and ecological drivers and constraints need to be considered. To upscale UPA successfully, the study develops an integrative assessment framework for evaluating the implementation and impact efficiency of UPA. This framework should be tested based on the example of edible cities

Human-nature resonance in times of social-ecological crisis – a relational account for sustainability transformation

ABSTRACTDespite increasing efforts by research and policy to approach sustainability, human impact on nonhuman nature is intensifying the current social-ecological crisis. To foster sustainability transformation, there is a need to re-think qualities of human-nature connections which calls for relational discourses that provide alternatives to the predominance of mindsets postulating a human-nature divide. Against this backdrop, this conceptual paper introduces ‘human-nature resonance’ as a relational account that provides system, target, and transformation knowledge for sustainability transformation. The paper argues that the social-ecological crisis has one of its root causes in mute human-nature relations. On this basis, it is illustrated how the social-ecological crisis is only slightly affecting the behaviours of Western societies, which are subsequently failing to establish responsive human-nature relations. Considering that mute relations are fostered by making the world constantly available, the non-affective human-nature relation can be traced back to a lack of material and moral boundaries of nonhuman nature perceived as a lifeless object of infinite availability. For strengthening human-nature resonance, the paper calls for the vision of human-nature partnership neglecting hierarchical human-nature relations. To strengthen the human-nature partnership, nature will speak with an own voice by assigning her legal personhood, agency, and soulfulness. Furthermore, human self-efficacy needs to be strengthened to listen to nature by nourishing internal relational capacities such as compassion and self-worth. Future work on human-nature resonance can integrate basic and applied inter- and transdisciplinary research which links natural and social sciences, Western and Indigenous ontologies, and the scientific world of logos and transcendental wisdom

Effiziente Strategien zum Management städtischer Bodenversiegelung

Boden ist die Grundlage des täglichen Lebens und obwohl er weitgehend eine nichterneuerbare Ressource ist, nehmen die Flächeninanspruchnahme und damit die Bodenversiegelung stetig zu. Die Zunahme der städtischen Bebauung in Europa kann nicht nur durch die Bevölkerungsentwicklung erklärt werden. Des Weiteren fehlt es an konkreten Empfehlungen, wie eine effiziente Steuerung der Bodenversiegelung aussehen kann. In diesem Beitrag wird gezeigt, dass die Steuerung der städtischen Bodenversiegelung aufgrund ihrer Komplexität als ein lösungsresistentes Problem („wicked problem“) anzusehen ist. Diesem kann durch einen Lösungsmix begegnet werden, welcher auf Basis einer systematischen Bewertung unterschiedlicher Strategien abgeleitet und in diesem Beitrag präsentiert wird