Not Simply Green: Nature-Based Solutions as a Concept and Practical Approach for Sustainability Studies and Planning Agendas in Cities

The concept of a nature-based solution (NBS) has been developed in order to operationalize an ecosystem services approach within spatial planning policies and practices, to fully integrate the ecological dimension, and, at the same time, to address current societal challenges in cities. It exceeds the bounds of traditional approaches that aim ‘to protect and preserve’ by considering enhancing, restoring, co-creating, and co-designing urban green networks with nature that are characterized by multifunctionality and connectivity. NBSs include the main ideas of green and blue infrastructure, ecosystem services, and biomimicry concepts, and they are considered to be urban design and planning tools for ecologically sensitive urban development. Nowadays, NBSs are on their way to the mainstream as part of both national and international policies. The successful implementation of NBSs in Europe and worldwide, which is becoming increasingly common, highlights the importance and relevance of NBS for sustainable and livable cities. This paper discusses the roles, development processes, and functions of NBSs in cities by taking Leipzig as a case study. Using data from interviews conducted from 2017 to 2019, we study the past and current challenges that the city faces, including the whole process of NBS implementation and successful realization. We discuss the main drivers, governance actors, and design options of NBSs. We highlight the ecosystem services provided by each NBS. We discuss these drivers and governance strategies by applying the framework for assessing the co-benefits of NBSs in urban areas in order to assess the opportunities and challenges that NBSs may have. This way, we are able to identify steps and procedures that help to increase the evidence base for the effectiveness of NBS by providing examples of best practice that demonstrate the multiple co-benefits provided by NBSs.Peer Reviewe

Mensch und Umwelt im Norden Russlands: geographische Gesundheitsforschung in einer Industrieregion

Die negativen Umweltveränderungen, die durch die industrielle Erschließung des russischen Hohen Nordens im Verlaufe des 20. Jahrhunderts bis in die Gegenwart verursacht wurden, haben sich gravierend auf den Gesundheitszustand der lokalen Bevölkerung ausgewirkt. Der Norden Russlands ist eine Region, die einerseits durch eine hohe Sensibilität der Ökosysteme charakterisiert ist und andererseits durch natürliche Bedingungen, die die Anpassung des menschlichen Alltagslebens an die Umwelt stark erschweren. Im Rahmen vieljähriger Untersuchungen wurden methodische Ansätze zur Beurteilung der Zusammenhänge von regionaler geoökologische Situation und Gesundheitszustand der Bevölkerung durch die Anwendung Geographischer Informationssysteme (GIS) im Europäischen Norden Russlands erarbeitet. Vor allem wurden Umweltschäden als Ergebnisse industrieller Naturnutzung und ihre Einflüsse auf die Gesundheit und Lebensqualität der Menschen aufgezeigt und hinsichtlich ihrer Ursachen analysiert. Ein besonderes Augenmerk wurde auf die industriellen Zentren (Industriegebieten bzw. impact regions) des europäischen Norden Russlands gelegt, wo aufgrund starker anthropogener Einflüsse negative Naturveränderungen hervorgerufen werden, die zur Entstehung und Entwicklung einer ungünstigen ökologischen Situation führen. Diese Form der medizinisch-ökologischen Vergleichanalyse wurde in Russland im Rahmen dieser Forschung erstmalig durchgeführt. Die geogra- phische Perspektive hat es ermöglicht, den komplexen Auswirkungen auf den Gesundheitszustand der Menschen besser gerecht zu werden. Dazu gehören nicht nur die unmittelbaren Rahmenbedingungen des Lebens vor Ort, sondern auch die technogenen, natürlichen und sozial-ökonomischen Bedingungen im weiteren, regionalen Umfeld der Arbeits- und Lebensorte der Bevölkerung. Dafür wurden neue methodische Ansätze für die medizinisch-ökologische Forschung ausgearbeitet, die die natürliche und wirtschaftliche Spezifik des Nordens Russlands berücksichtigen.The negative environmental changes that have ensued from industrialization in the Far North of Russia over the course of the 20th century and into the present have led to a major decline in the state of health of the local population. On the one hand, the North of Russia is a region which is characterized by great sensitivity of the ecosystems. On the other hand, it is marked by higher demands on people’s ability to adapt to environmental conditions. In the course of a long-term research project, methodical approaches were developed to assess the connections between regional geoecological conditions and human health, using geographic information systems (GIS) to map these factors in the European North of Russia. In particular, environmental damage was shown to be a result of industrial nature-use and its influence on human health and quality of life, analyzing their causes. Special attention was paid to the industrial centers (industrial areas or impact regions) of the European North of Russia where on account of strong anthro- pogenic influence negative natural changes were shown to have occurred and led to an unfavorable ecological situation. This form of medical-ecological comparative research was carried out in Russia for the first time. The geographic perspective has enabled a better insight into the complex processes affecting human health. These include not only the direct basic conditions of life in the location, but also technogenic, natural and social-economic conditions in the region surrounding people’s working and living areas. In order to be able to analyze these, the new methodical approaches for medical-ecological research were developed, which consider the natural and economic specificity of the Russian North

Editorial: In search of the post-socialist urban geography. How do we see the post-socialist city today?

Today the question of the future development of post-socialist cities is increasingly attracting attention of researchers. The past few years alone saw a plethora of major academic publications and special issues, as well as many conferences and workshops (see e.g. Brade, Neugebauer, 2017; Ferenčunhová, Gentile, 2016; Gentile, 2018; Frost, 2017; Hagen, Diener, 2018). This is understandable. Three decades has passed since the collapse of the socialist system – a long enough period to provide s..

Post-Soviet single-industry cities in northern Russia: movement towards sustainable development

Development in northern Russian cities is determined by specific economic and social conditions, as well as by natural and climatic factors. Most of these cities were established in the period of the Soviet industrialization and, thus, have a mono-profile character; for that reason, economies of single-industry cities pose high development risks of the “boom-bust” type and the relevant social problems. This paper endeavours to discuss these issues, relying on the case study of Kirovsk (Murmansk region) in order to analyse the urban planning aspects and challenges on the way to sustainability. The main factors (e.g. socio-economic, environmental and land use, institutional) were analysed to learn how they may contribute to sustainable development of Kirovsk as a single-industry town. The role of different stakeholders (mining companies, local communities, and government authorities) in decision making process is discussed. The paper presents the potentials and challenges for a further development of Kirovsk and studies its chances to become a sustainable town. Most challenges are connected with structural and paradigm changes in economy and functionality of enterprises after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Among them are contradictions of interests (e.g. ecological: enterprise owners – citizens), downsizing and depopulation, domestic and foreign market situation, environment pollution and degradation as well as associated health problems linked to the quality of life of the local population. The paper argues that following the long history of industrialization the mining activity is still dominant and has a great influence on the everyday life of urban dwellers. However, Kirovsk also has opportunities to become a sustainable town based on tourism development potential and innovations, development towards environment saving technologies conducted by scientific institutes located there. In addition, participatory approaches (e.g. public participation, involvement of stakeholders and activism of local NGOs) in urban management allow the linkages to be made among specific forms of land use, its management and policies.Le développement des villes dans le nord de la Russie se heurte à la fois à des conditions socioéconomiques et à des facteurs naturels et climatiques. La plupart d’entre elles datent de la période de l’industrialisation soviétique, ce qui explique leur caractère uniforme. Pour la même raison l’économie de ces villes mono-industrielles présente des risques élevés de cycles "boom-bust" (expansion /ralentissement) et de problèmes sociaux y afférents. Cet article se base sur une étude de cas menée à Kirovsk (région de Murmansk) visant à analyser l’aménagement urbain et les défis en matière de durabilité. Les principaux facteurs (socio-économiques, environnementaux, institutionnels…) ont fait l’objet d’une analyse, à savoir comment ils peuvent contribuer à un développement durable de Kirovsk en tant que ville mono-industrielle, quel peut être le rôle des différents acteurs (sociétés minières, communautés locales et pouvoirs publics) dans la prise de décision, quels potentiels et défis sont à prendre en compte. La plupart de ceux-ci sont liés à des changements structurels et de paradigme en matière d’économie ainsi qu’à la fonctionnalité des entreprises depuis l’effondrement de l’Union Soviétique, notamment les conflits d’intérêts entre chefs d’entreprises et citoyens, la dépopulation, la situation du marché intérieur et extérieur, la pollution et la dégradation de l’environnement sans compter les problèmes sanitaires liés à la qualité de vie de la population locale. En effet force est de constater que c’est toujours le secteur minier qui domine et il impacte largement le quotidien des habitants. Toutefois, Kirovsk possède certains atouts pour devenir une ville durable grâce à son potentiel touristique, à des innovations et des technologies de préservation de l’environnement développées par les instituts scientifiques locaux. En outre, des approches participatives (public, acteurs locaux, activisme d’ONG) permettent de combiner économie, gestion du territoire et intérêts politiques

Editorial for Special Issue “Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in Cities and Their Interactions with Urban Land, Ecosystems, Built Environments and People: Debating Societal Implications”

Peer Reviewe

Lawns in Cities: From a Globalised Urban Green Space Phenomenon to Sustainable Nature-Based Solutions

This opinion paper discusses urban lawns, the most common part of open green spaces and urban green infrastructures. It highlights both the ecosystem services and also disservices provided by urban lawns based on the authors’ experience of working within interdisciplinary research projects on lawns in different cities of Europe (Germany, Sweden and Russia), New Zealand (Christchurch), USA (Syracuse, NY) and Australia (Perth). It complements this experience with a detailed literature review based on the most recent studies of different biophysical, social, planning and design aspects of lawns. We also used an international workshop as an important part of the research methodology. We argue that although lawns of Europe and the United States of America are now relatively well studied, other parts of the world still underestimate the importance of researching lawns as a complex ecological and social phenomenon. One of the core objectives of this paper is to share a paradigm of nature-based solutions in the context of lawns, which can be an important step towards finding resilient sustainable alternatives for urban green spaces in the time of growing urbanisation, increased urban land use competition, various user demands and related societal challenges of the urban environment. We hypothesise that these solutions may be found in urban ecosystems and various local native plant communities that are rich in species and able to withstand harsh conditions such as heavy trampling and droughts. To support the theoretical hypothesis of the relevance of nature-based solutions for lawns we also suggest and discuss the concept of two natures—different approaches to the vision of urban nature, including the understanding and appreciation of lawns. This will help to increase the awareness of existing local ecological approaches as well as an importance of introducing innovative landscape architecture practices. This article suggests that there is a potential for future transdisciplinary international research that might aid our understanding of lawns in different climatic and socio-cultural conditions as well as develop locally adapted (to environmental conditions, social needs and management policies) and accepted nature-based solutions.Peer Reviewe

Human dimensions of urban blue and green infrastructure during a pandemic. Case study of Moscow (Russia) and Perth (Australia)

Significant challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that features of a modern, sustainable and resilient city should not only relate to fulfilling economic and social urban strategies, but also to functional urban design, in particular, related to urban blue and green infrastructure (BGI). Using results from a web-based questionnaire survey conducted May–July 2020 in Moscow (Russia) and Perth (Australia), this paper provides insights regarding citizens’ needs for and values of urban BGI as well as their changes during and after the COVID-19 restrictions. Survey data collected during the lockdown period have captured information about people’s ability to access green and blue spaces within urban BGI, inequalities in access, feelings, and values as well as needs and perceived pathways of future development of urban natural environment. In both cities, lockdowns limited access of people to green spaces which affected their mental and physical health. Survey results revealed that the quality, functionality, and location of open green spaces illustrated a disparity in distribution, meaning that in many cases several communities from particular neighborhoods suffered from limited access to BGI. Furthermore, in addition to analyzing perceptions and values of urban nature during the COVID-19 pandemic, some suggestions for improvement of urban BGI based on the survey responses are provided

Human-Nature Interactions during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic in Moscow, Russia: Exploring the Role of Contact with Nature and Main Lessons from the City Responses

Urban green spaces (UGS) as essential elements of the urban environment provide multiple ecosystem services including benefits for physical and mental health. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have influenced human relationships with nature. Based on empirical research, this article explores the pathways and implications of human-nature interactions during and after COVID-19 and how human health and well-being could be supported by contact with nature. The article discusses the reasons that attract people to visit UGS (value of UGS, their perceptions, ways of contact with urban nature, etc.). It also analyses the effects of social isolation on the usage and perception of UGS during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The research revealed current needs for UGS and their role in adaptation of urban development and greening strategy. For this purpose, an online questionnaire survey among residents of Moscow was conducted in April–July of 2020 when restrictive measures were imposed in the city in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, non-participatory observations and photo documentation were used to supplement the data on UGS visitation and use. The GIS mapping method was applied to analyze the UGS provision (availability and accessibility of UGS). Moreover, expert interviews were conducted aiming to explore the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the urban fabric and life of the citizens. The aim was to reveal the main tendencies that can be used in the adaptation of urban development plans, especially regarding UGS and human-nature interactions. The results show that citizens (both survey respondents and experts) highly value urban nature as a tool for coping with COVID-19 challenges. They underlined a need for accessible UGS, most notably for breathing fresh air, reducing stress, relaxing, and observing and enjoying nature. The survey also revealed the particular health effects resulting from the reduction of UGS visitations due to COVID-19 restrictions. Several changes in human-nature interactions were also observed: many respondents especially missed spending time outdoors and meeting other people. That highlights the fact that while UGS normally provides places for social integration and socializing, during the COVID-19 isolation UGS were especially valued in regard to physical health and well-being (self-recovery). Both respondents and experts expressed their opinions regarding the future development of UGS network and how the UGS’s structure and design should be adapted to the current challenges. The claimed interests/preferences included the need for providing all residents equal access to UGS in a time of pandemics and post pandemics. A set of limitations and directions for future research of UGS was suggested