Search

Due to unsustainable land management and climate change, floods have become more frequent and severe over the past few decades and the problem is exacerbated in urban environments. In the context of climate-proofing cities, the importance of nature-based solutions (NBSs), obtaining relevant outcomes in the form of ecosystem services, has been highlighted. Although the role of ecosystem services in building resilience against negative climate change effects is widely recognized and there is an identified need to better integrate ecosystem services into urban planning and design, this has proven difficult to operationalize. A critical limitation is that modeling is a time-consuming and costly exercise. The purpose is to roughly estimate the ecosystem service of water run-off mitigation through simplified, cost-effective, and user-friendly modelling at three nested biophysical scales, under four climate change scenarios. Using the Swedish city of Gothenburg as an example, we propose an approach for navigating NBS-oriented flooding adaptation strategies, by quantifying the ecosystem service of water run-off mitigation at three nested biophysical scales, under four climate change scenarios, hence, proposing an approach for how to navigate nature-based solutions in a multi-scale, social–ecological urban planning context against present and future flooding events. Our findings validate the effectiveness of employing an ecosystem service approach to better comprehend the significant climate change issue of flooding through user-friendly and cost-efficient modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) can provide key ecosystem services (ES) for human well-being. For this purpose, it is critical to ascertain which characteristics regulate the provision of ES by UGI. In this study, eight ES (water supply, water regulation, waste regulation, nutrient regulation, soil formation, carbon sequestration, air temperature regulation and air humidity regulation) of thirty UGI sites of Zaragoza (Spain), were evaluated using proxy indicators derived from analyzed soil samples, and in-situ measured air temperature and humidity. A principal component analysis was performed to group different ES, and to study the dispersion of different types of UGI along the distinct ES. Additionally, relationships, between the evaluated ES and predictors; flatness, imperviousness, regularity, naturalness and functioning of the UGI sites were studied through linear and quadratic regressions. Large UGI sites such as riparian zones, meanders and natural forests showed relatively high values of ES in contrast with more artificial sites. Moreover, the study showed that water supply, water regulation, soil formation, carbon sequestration and air temperature regulation were significantly and positively related to ecological naturalness and functioning, while imperviousness was the main predictor explaining the reduction of five ES. Our findings provide evidence for the existence of important interactions between predictor variables and ES in UGI. It also showed that the provision of urban ES can be improved expanding the variety and type of green infrastructure sites, decreasing impervious area, and increasing the naturalness and functioning of UGI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of urban ecosystem services on the perception of parks among the public is profound. Parks are valued for their functional benefits, the experiences they provide, and their relationship with green spaces. To better understand the sociocultural values associated with five urban parks in Tunja (Boyacá, Colombia), in this case study, we interviewed three types of stakeholders: decision-makers, social leaders, and park users. We employed semi-structured interviews to identify the perception and orientation values of different stakeholders. According to the results, stakeholders recognize 18 ecosystem services as the most important, with cultural ecosystem services having the highest perception value. We found that socio-cultural values are influenced more by the characteristics of the parks than their size, and socio-demographic aspects of stakeholders such as age, level of education, and gender had no significant effect. We conclude that people value urban parks for the benefits associated with trees and the emotional connections they develop with them over time, assigning intangible value to city parks. However, we also identified discrepancies in values between governmental and non-governmental stakeholders that may adversely affect decision-making and policy formulation. This information can be valuable to urban planners who seek to assess and integrate measures that promote green spaces in cities to achieve sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban agricultural soils have important social, environmental, and economic roles in big cities, contributing to their sustainability. However, food production in urban soils may be compromised due to soil pollution that resulted from decades of industrial, non-regulated environmental activity and mobile transport. In this study, 12 soils from the urban agricultural area of Rome (Italy) were analyzed for the potentially toxic elements (PTEs) Be, Ba, Pb, Co, Ni, V, Zn, Hg, Cd, As, Cu, and Cr. All but one of the soils under analysis were characterized by at least one PTE concentration above the threshold limit defined by the D.Lgs 152/06 for agricultural soils. Multivariate analysis showed that the soils could be classified into five clusters: clusters I and II had relatively lower mean PTE concentrations; clusters III, IV, and V had relatively higher mean PTE concentrations with several PTE concentrations above the threshold proposed by ILD. Three factors contributing to the variability of the PTE's concentration in the soils under investigation were identified: a geological factor related to PTE As, Ba, Be, and V; an anthropogenic factor related to Pb and Cu; and a mixed factor related to Co, Cr, Ni, and Zn. High PTE content may limit the utilization of urban soils for food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are considered as means to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss while simultaneously enhancing human well-being. Yet, it is still poorly understood how NBS could be mainstreamed. We address this gap by proposing a framework on NBS and employing it in Finland's Kiiminkijoki River basin through participatory workshops and a questionnaire. We examine socio-environmental challenges and visions, existing and emerging NBS to reach the visions, and ways to scale-up NBS to a river basin level. In the river basin, water quality is the priority challenge, due to its relationships with local culture, climate change, and biodiversity. Our results consider how (1) to ensure the relevance of NBS for local actors, (2) instrumental, intrinsic, and relational value perspectives can be enhanced simultaneously by NBS, and (3) site specific NBS can be mainstreamed (i.e., by scaling up, down, out, in, deep) to the river basin level and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban agriculture refers to any type of activity located within or around a city designed to provide ecosystem services. Given the rapid population growth and urbanization, urban agriculture is seen as a potential alternative route to a more sustainable urban food system. This review answers the main question: What are the benefits of non-commercial of Urban Agriculture (NCUA) forms and its contribution towards food production? using a systematic literature review approach. The methodology involved capturing 1355 recent articles from qualified search engines, using key terms according to the defined question, then screened for relevance and the defined scope of this review, resulting in a final selection of 40 articles for analysis. The results show that implementing NCUA practices has multifaced social, economic, and environmental benefits, such as improving people's health, reducing expenditure on food and creating sustainable cities, highlighting the need to recognize the multifaceted role of NCUA in promoting a more sustainable lifestyle and strengthening local communities and engagement. Moreover, awareness of urban agriculture differs between developed and developing countries, as does the recognition and valorization of its benefits. Further research is needed to examine the enabling factors and barriers to NCUA adoption in different urban context, the resource implications, and the long-term sustainability of these practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As major hubs for energy and resource consumption and carbon emissions, cities are at the forefront of the discussion on the impacts of megatrends, such as demographic changes, technological advancements, and the shift toward climate neutrality. Despite growing literature suggesting pathways for cities to cope with these challenges, the intersection between circular economy and urban agriculture for sustainable urban development has been little explored, especially concerning practical applications. To bridge this gap, this study aimed to explore the role of urban agriculture in promoting the circularity of resources at the city level. Aarhus, in Denmark, and Ås, in Norway, provide the empirical context for this discussion that uncovers the barriers that impact the successful implementation of C-E practices in the context of UA and delves into how these obstacles challenge cities in transitioning to circular and sustainable food production models. Using a case study approach and qualitative data sources, the findings suggest that while urban agriculture demonstrates potential in reducing resource consumption, it requires further evidence-based research and clear monitoring tools to assess its environmental impact and economic viability. Obstacles to urban agriculture implementation include regulatory challenges, social acceptance of waste, high investment costs, and limited recognition of its indirect impacts. Concerning recommendations, local governance and public policies were found to play a central role in fostering circular urban agriculture by promoting collaboration, fostering innovation, developing regulatory frameworks, and showcasing successful examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence from studies in the global north has shown the beneficial effects of green spaces (GS) for our psychological and physiological health. In this study, we examine whether the connection between GS, wellbeing, and restoration is also applicable to low/middle-income countries (LMICs), using Tanzania as a case study. During May–July 2021, an online survey was conducted among 108 students and/or staff of the University of Dar es Salaam. Information was provided regarding exposure to campus's green spaces (CGSs) measured by the NDVI and subjective questions relevant to accessibility/availability of CGS, duration and frequency of visits, as well as perceived greenness. Self-reported questions were also used for assessing the quality of CGSs and motives for using them. Mental wellbeing and restoration were measured with the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Short Scale ((S)WEMWBS) and the Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS), respectively, while the Nature Relatedness Scale (NR-6) was used to determine the feelings and thoughts of our participants towards nature. Generalized linear regression indicated a positive relationship between the need to be close to nature and relaxation as motivators for visiting CG; (S)WEMWBS (p < 0.05). The same correlation was observed for the ROS (p < 0.01). The ROS was also positively associated with the NDVI (p < 0.01), age group of 18–25 (p < 0.05), and employment status (full time p < 0.01, part time p < 0.05). Our findings confirm that GS can be considered an effective tool for promoting SDG 3 and SDG 11 in LMICs. More importantly, urban planners should focus on the motives for using such places in order to make them inclusive and multifunctional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) is a prominent concept toward climate adaptation and urban resilience, but it is also affected by droughts and heat. Hence, this study aims to advance the multi‐assessment of drought and heat risks (DHRs) for UGI through the DHR assessment framework with conceptual and methodological features, paving the way toward knowledge creation and decision support. The framework was systematically developed, starting with defining the situation, analyzing concepts, and finally, constructing the framework. The situation is interpreted as a coupled human and natural system to represent the biophysical and immaterial elements, processes, and interrelations. Further, the concepts of risk, UGI, and ecosystem services lead to a risk system showing the compound hazards, the exposure, and the cascading vulnerabilities of the UGI. The DHR assessment framework distinguishes two stages, multi‐risk analysis and multi‐criteria risk evaluation. The analysis includes the definition and interpretation of the UGI situation under drought and heat conditions, analyzing the hazards, exposures, and vulnerabilities of the system, and translating the risk system into an indicator‐based information system. Hereby, the vulnerability analysis of the biophysical UGI aspects comprises the susceptibility and resilience of UGI entities, as well as the degree to which providing ecosystem functions and services can be affected. The multi‐criteria risk evaluation covers the assignment of thresholds and weights for indicators, in addition to the aggregation methods. The resulting framework intends to support local actors in the risk assessment of current and future conditions, fostering evidence‐based decisions and interventions to deal with compound DHRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unprecedented urbanisation in the Global South is transforming natural urban landscapes, impacting on the ability of nature to provide essential ecosystem services.Within the context of pressures facing many urban natural open spaces, particularly in Africa, we used a local municipality in South Africa as a case study to (i) identify local government priorities for a natural open space system; (ii) develop an understanding of whether, and how, ecosystem services are considered by local government, and the reasons thereof; and (iii) ascertain the extent of proactive planning regarding regulating and other ecosystem services, including the temporal and spatial scales, and implications. In‐depth qualitative interviews (n = 12) were undertaken with senior municipal officials representing departments whose work impacts the environment. Municipal decision‐support documents were also analysed for any direct and/or indirect references to ecosystem services.Planning for, and management of, ecosystem services provided by natural open spaces is influenced by interwoven infrastructure, municipal service delivery and equity challenges, complex institutional constraints and poverty, with little focus on the socio‐economic opportunities and other benefits of natural open space systems. Values, perceptions and knowledge also influence the management of ecosystem services.The study contributes to understanding the opportunities and challenges for the future governance of natural open space in the Global South, which require explicit consideration in municipal planning, management and budgeting processes.Policy and management implications identified include prioritisation of the regulating functions provided by natural open space systems, pivotal to the urban resilience agenda; building on the inherent appreciation of nature features as city assets, while achieving socio‐economic upliftment; improved (on‐site) collaborative management of natural open spaces; and involvement of local government officials in the preparation and updating of environmental policies and decision‐support documents, to ensure skills and knowledge transfer and interest are entrenched in local government departments. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Web‐based studies of human dimensions are increasing across environmental and socio‐ecological disciplines. However, the prevalence of fraud threatens research quality. Increased fraud rates should be expected as surveys move progressively more online, motivated by expanding reach, cost savings and/or in response to COVID‐19. Web‐based research must better account for fraud to maintain confidence in findings. Practical diagnostic tools and data quality protocols are required to detect fraud and ensure results quality.Drawing on our experience using an online participatory mapping case study, we discuss methods to detect potentially fraudulent responses—and identify some limitations. We begin by reviewing the current state of knowledge on fraudulent responses or 'fraudsters' and its relative absence in environmental and socio‐ecological disciplines. We then describe our research approach, the indicators and variables we used to detect and assess fraud and our decision‐making process to eliminate suspicious responses without jeopardizing research integrity.We found that despite several preventative measures, many fraudulent respondents could provide survey responses and effectively mimicked legitimate respondents at first glance. By assuming each response to be 'potentially fraudulent', we determined that the complete screening of each respondent, while time‐consuming, can limit the prevalence of fraud. We also determined that the most common data consistency checks (e.g. duration, trap questions and straight‐liner checks) are unlikely to guarantee valid respondents.If not acknowledged and addressed, fraud has the potential to undermine data integrity, discredit research findings and limit the utility of results for policy. This study contributes to environmental and socio‐ecological research by reviewing existing fraudster literature and using our experience with fraud to provide recommendations for researchers to address this problem. We encourage researchers implementing online qualitative research methods to thoroughly assess and report fraud, when possible, to ensure widespread knowledge of this growing threat. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban experiments intervene in selected sites to initiate transition processes. But how do the socio-spatial characteristics of these sites affect urban experiments and vice versa? We address this question by focusing on everyday habits and their reciprocal relationship with the socially produced space that surrounds them. Using conceptual analysis and by means of empirical examples, we consider which socio-spatial narratives, infrastructures and regulations facilitate or hinder urban experimentation. Rather than treating space as a pre-determined neutral stage, we conceptualise it as socially produced configurations that both affect interventions and are shaped by them. The transactional pragmatist perspective allows us to conceptualise how everyday habits can be disturbed and transformed in experimental processes. This notion is enriched by a socio-spatial categorisation of three aspects that co-constitute space. On this basis we develop an analytical framework to outline four possible dynamics arising from urban experimentation and the changing relations between actors and spaces. Empirical examples from the transdisciplinary research project Dresden – City of the Future: Empowering Citizens, Transforming Cities! illustrate the applicability of the framework. Our conceptual contribution provides a tool for analysing the socio-spatial dynamics of urban experiments. This sheds light on the agency of actors by conceptualising how they engage with socio-spatial configurations. We argue that further research on the role of space in urban experimentation is required to better explicate underlying socio-spatial understandings, while drawing on empirical data to test which socio-spatial concepts provide explanatory power for transition dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's current urban gardening promotion policies mainly focus on community gardens and lack in-depth research on the differentiated needs of different urban gardeners. To meet the diverse needs of China's gardeners, this study proposes a typology that classifies gardeners into urban native and migrant ones based on their urban and rural living experiences in China. A questionnaire survey conducted in the core area of Chongqing city revealed significant differences and some similarities in gardening motivations and behaviors between urban native and migrant gardeners: (1) Although most of the gardeners approved of the value of food production and green scenery creation that Chinese urban gardening has, and disapproved of its value for family income generation, the urban native gardeners' disapproving attitude towards family income generation, and their approval of green scenery creation were more assertive, while on the contrary, the urban migrant gardeners had a more robust approval attitude towards food production. (2) The urban native gardeners preferred proximity and small private spaces for a combination of ornamental vegetation and edible vegetables. In contrast, the urban migrated gardeners preferred larger areas for gardening in non-community spaces and leaned towards edible vegetables. (3) Both have shared motivations related to the recreation and ecological conservation values of urban gardening. Given the above differences and similarities, this paper proposes an urban gardening development strategy that meets the needs of the two types of gardeners in China, including space planning and design, operation, and management of gardening spaces, and organization of activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing levels of nature-oriented sustainability strategies (NOSSs) are being recognized as offering solutions to combat climate change at scale, both through transformative infrastructure and autonomous technology innovations. This paper presents a synopsis of the mainstream literature covering the emerging trends from the last two decades across two broad trajectories of NOSS initiatives—"nature-inspired" (NI)- and "nature-based solution" (NBS)-oriented approaches. The specific scopes of these two approaches have been categorized into disciplinary fields, highlighting their peculiarities and commonalities, followed by an appreciation of their evolutionary trends based on the literature abundance over three distinct time-horizons—pre 2000, 2000–2010, and 2011–2021. We find ambitious levels of sustainability-led developments are driving NOSS initiatives beyond 2010; in particular, the increased level of NI approaches in the field of chemical processing, material structure, and renewable energy. Likewise, there has been rapid growth in NBS approaches in the last decade from a systems perspective, reducing the level of grey infrastructure by offering sustainable alternatives to the ecologically destructive technologies. However, we identify some crucial red herrings to the main-streaming of NOSSs as a 'true sustainability solution', such as the inherent challenges in their scaling-up, operation and management, and in ensuring ecologically and culturally adaptive interventions across different global contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global food system is currently facing significant challenges that make it unsustainable and environmentally harmful. These challenges not only threaten food security but also have severe negative impacts on the environment. Efforts have been made to reform agrifood systems and align them with the built environment, but emerging obstacles have revealed the weaknesses in these systems, particularly in less self-sufficient countries. This review outlines the primary environmental problems associated with global agrifood systems and the challenges in promoting food security. It emphasizes that the increasing global population and urbanization need rational and equitable changes in food systems, including production, distribution, storage, and consumption. These changes should aim to minimize environmental impacts by protecting and efficiently utilizing natural resources such as air, water, soil, and biodiversity, reducing food loss and waste, and mitigating pollution that contributes to ecosystem degradation and climate change. In this context, hydroponics emerges as a sustainable, plant-based food production technique that can be employed as a solution in urban areas. It can be implemented in domestic microproduction systems, serving as a complementary alternative to conventional food production methods. This study also provides insights into the challenges that need to be addressed in order to enhance home hydroponic systems. The integration of hydroponics into urban food production offers the potential to tackle both food security and environmental sustainability issues, providing a path toward more resilient and efficient food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the critical issues surrounding the development of sustainable urban environments, focusing on the impact of transport and urban form on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art on the subject and to unravel what directions the literature suggests for sustainable urban planning. Current research and practices are synthesized, highlighting the interdependence of urban design and transportation systems in achieving sustainability goals. Important dimensions and practices of city planning and transport policies are explored, including urban form, urban sprawl, mixed land use, densification and infill, and urban public spaces, and how these directly influence transport dynamics, including modal choices and energy consumption. Innovative approaches in urban planning, such as transit-oriented development, and technological advancements, such as electric mobility, are also examined and their potential roles in sustainable urban transport. The conclusion underscores the urgency of adopting holistic and adaptable strategies to foster sustainable urban environments, calling for concerted efforts from policymakers, urban planners, and communities. Awareness of the conclusions can help municipal decision-makers in planning their cities for a sustainable future. Finally, the authors analyze important directions for future research and practical applications towards developing cities that are environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities—being places where both growth at large and human activity concentrate to the maximum extent, as well as being places of creation, innovation, and development—have been facing the challenge of adaptation to changing climate conditions. Successive greening of urban spaces is becoming an indicator of civilisational progress and one of the most important aspects of sustainable urban development and quality of life of city dwellers. It also represents a part of the sustainable management of natural resources and energy in the urban environment. This article addresses the subject of urban space greening, perceived as one of the ways of mitigating the effects of climate change. The study focuses on a comparative analysis of various planning and implementing activities related to green areas, as well as on available quantitative data on the greening and climate change adaptation of 44 Polish cities with urban adaptation plans (UAPs) in place. The research, covering the years 2017–2023, identifies the variety of urban greening methods, initiatives, and tools used in the process of urban planning and urban design. The results of the study showed that measures planned by local authorities lacked detailed tools as well as a long-term and systemic approach to greenery, energy, and space management. On the other hand, what was observed in the implementation was an apparent prevalence of urban acupuncture spots and a failure to make the most of all the benefits of the adaptive, social, and ecosystem-forming role of urban greening. The authors imply that their research can be used to formulate conclusions and guidelines for urban development policies which highlight the role and raise the importance of the greening of Polish cities under all urban investments, particularly in the process of adaptation of urban areas to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is seen that the physical health of aged individuals, who constitute one of the very special and important groups in society, may have deteriorated, especially in the last moments of their lives. Individuals who have to leave the house less often may also be in a psychologically bad situation in parallel with this restriction. In this sense, the need for areas where especially older individuals can spend more quality time is quite high. In this context, the research aimed to evaluate recreation areas for older individuals, especially in a region such as Erzurum, where winter conditions are quite harsh. In the research conducted using the interview technique, one of the qualitative research methods, the data were collected with the general information form and interview form prepared by the researchers. The research was conducted between January 2023, and May 2023. As a result of the research, findings were found that older individuals generally go out for health reasons, they find the streets unsafe, and recreation areas are not suitable and need to be improved. According to the results obtained in the research, it can be recommended that recreation areas be developed for both summer and winter conditions and that necessary arrangements be made to enable older individuals to spend quality time in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing land use and land cover change and climate change have considerable impacts on urban green spaces and their ecosystem services. These impacts result in a loss of urban green space and particularly weaken the climate resilience of urban populations. Landsat imagery data from 1990 to 2020 were used to track the spatio-temporal dynamics of urban sprawl and its influence on the loss of urban green space in Bamako and Sikasso in Mali. Furthermore, a survey of local stakeholders was conducted to capture the perceptions of the status of urban green space. The results of the land use/land cover analysis of the cities between 1990 and 2020 showed that most of the vegetation classes, mainly urban green spaces, have been converted into built-up and bare land in both cities during the last 30 years. In Bamako, built-up land has risen from 5421 hectares in 1990 to 13,350 hectares in 2020, and in Sikasso, from 929 hectares in 1990 to 2213 hectares in 2020. Respondents mentioned street trees as the prevalent type of urban green spaces in both cities (20% of the respondents in Bamako and 24% in Sikasso). In addition, the majority of respondents perceived urban green spaces in Sikasso as having a good status and in Bamako as having a good or moderate status. This study recommends improving the number and quality of urban green spaces, which are crucial for the provision of ecosystem services and for the resilience of cities against climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New territorial units resulting from urban sprawl processes constitute a major challenge for territorial planning. The aim of this paper is to analyze periurban spaces, focusing on the delimitation and characterization of the urban units arising from urban sprawl processes. The delimitation derives from fractal analysis, where urbanized space is used to detect the limits of the units. The characterization starts with the calculation of eight different indicators, using Geographic Information Systems tools. PCA is used to obtain different dimensions of the urban sprawl phenomenon. Finally, a cluster analysis has been applied to establish a typology of territorial units and facilitate the comparative analysis. The methodology is applied to a case study, the metropolitan area of Valencia. Results show six groups of urbanized spaces, which present different types of urban sprawl structures with different necessities. This applied research can be useful for the spatial planning of the periurban spaces, insofar as it allows the identification of supra-municipal or infra-municipal areas, where it will be possible to improve infrastructures, facilities, or green infrastructure, to empower secondary urban nuclei and to create new inter-municipal cooperation and governance formulas. In addition, the results can constitute a non-administrative territorial basis for the calculation of land occupation indicators that are often used as thresholds for the creation of new residential spaces in regulatory planning documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effects of urbanized areas' growth might be mitigated by the multiple ecosystem services that urban green infrastructure provides. However, the design and composition of such infrastructure is still a hotly debated issue, mainly considering the challenges associated with the use of exotic plant species. To assess if there is a clear association between the species' origin and ecosystem services or ecosystem disservices, an in-depth systematic literature review was carried out based on a bibliometric approach to assess the panorama of the scientific perspective. Based on the results, a detailed analysis was performed for the urban green infrastructure of five European Mediterranean cities, where management and expansion of the urban green infrastructure might act as tools to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss. Urban green infrastructure benefits to urban areas and its composition must consider the balance between services and disservices provided by plant species. Data analysis shows that disservices are not exclusively related to exotic species, revealing that plant species selection based on their origin represents a biased approach, as it often disregards the higher capacity of some exotic species to thrive under continuous pressure and disturbance, along with relevant and highly valued cultural services provided. Since exotic species are commonly used, ecosystems formed can be seen as experiments to support decisions, allowing new approaches to planning, designing, and maintaining urban green infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local governments in China have decision-making authority over urban land use, and their level of environmental attention influences the green use of urban land. However, the impact of local government environmental attention on urban land green use efficiency and its mechanisms remain unclear. This study utilizes panel data from 284 cities from 2003 to 2020 in China and employs fixed effects models and mediation analysis to investigate the pathways through which local government environmental attention affects urban land green use efficiency. The main results are as follows: (1) Through a series of significance tests, local government environmental attention has a significant positive influence on urban land green use efficiency in cities. (2) Further research suggests that both the quantity and quality of industrial structure upgrading act as intermediaries between local government environmental attention and urban land green use efficiency, while the rationalization of industrial structure plays a partial masking role rather than acting as an intermediary. (3) Furthermore, a regional heterogeneity analysis indicates that the impact of local government environmental attention on urban land green use efficiency is significant in the central region but not in the eastern and western regions. Based on these research findings, this study provides valuable policy insights aimed at contributing to green land use and sustainable development in Chinese cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the context of Skopje's urban green infrastructure, this paper investigates the environmental contributions of six strategically positioned roundabouts, called Eco-roundabouts. Emphasizing their pivotal role within the urban green infrastructure network, the study evaluates landscape design, constituent elements and the collective impact on approximately 7000 m² of green space. All roundabouts integrate grass cover, three of them include low vegetation and the remaining three have a combination of low and high vegetation. Noteworthy is the prevalent use of unsustainable annual flowering plants, presenting economic challenges. Ineffectual maintenance practices and plants exposure to automotive emissions further compromise optimal conditions for proper growth. The paper offers recommendations to optimize functionality, sustainability and biodiversity, addressing economic concerns and enhancing aesthetic appeal. The study advocates for a strategic and holistic approach, offering guidance to urban planners and landscape designers in maximizing the environmental benefits of Eco-roundabouts, providing their seamless integration into Skopje's resilient urban green infrastructure network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban Green Spaces provide extensive ecosystem services, benefiting both human and wildlife in urban areas, and improving the overall ecological health of cities. The impact of Urban Green Spaces can be measured through various indicators. This study combined remote sensing data and social surveys to investigate the distribution patterns and driving factors of Urban Green Spaces and land use in Haikou, a tropical coastal city in Hainan, China. We analyzed Sentinel-2A images between 2016 and 2020 to determine the land cover extent of Urban Green Spaces within Urban Functional Units. We also considered the socio-economic variables which drive valuable ecosystem services related to land use, as land-use decisions often overlook the value of these variables. During the study period, parks contained the highest proportion of Urban Green Spaces, while the most significant decline in Urban Green Spaces was observed in industrial and commercial areas. Additionally, population density was found to influence the distribution of grassland, while the distribution of urban forestland was related to the combined effects of construction age (as predicted by the heritage-effect hypothesis) and human management. The results highlight the crucial role played by parks and universities in maintaining stable green spaces in Haikou throughout the study period. These relationships can guide future land-use planning and inform the formulation and management of green space policies in the urban ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the enabling governance conditions for implementing green stormwater infrastructure to transform waterways. Using Australia's largest integrated stormwater management project in Adelaide's River Torrens Catchment as a case study, we explore four key governance dimensions and their shifts over time: actors, rules of the game, discourse, and resources and power. Overall, 11 enablers emerged from these dimensions. These include collaboration and coordination, bipartisan support, regulation enforcement, knowledge and beliefs, leadership and expertise, and incremental funding. The paper reflects on the prevalence of these factors and provides recommendations to revitalize polluted waterways and address riverine flood risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that today’s societal crises are rooted in a lack of connection to ourselves, others and nature. At the same time, there is an increasing body of knowledge showing that humans possess innate capacities for connection that can be strengthened through certain methods, and throughout our lifetimes. Such methods have, so far, however, been rarely applied, or adapted to the context of sustainability leadership and education. Critical qualitative analyses and empirical evidence that would help to understand if, and how, related interventions can support sustainability outcomes across scales are vastly lacking. The present study addresses this gap. It examines global leadership programs that aim to nourish inner development and accelerate work towards the Sustainable Development Goals. More specifically, it systematises the qualitative impacts and learnings from a Climate Leadership Program for policy and decision-makers (e.g. the European Commission) that provided the basis for co-developing similar programs for the United Nations Development Program, the Inner Development Goals Initiative, and the Inner Green Deal. The findings demonstrate how sustainability leadership and education can become a vehicle for transformation, if certain principles are in place. They highlight the importance of addressing the ontological, epistemological and praxis dimensions of inner-outer transformation to empower participants to challenge unsustainable social paradigms and enable them to systematically mainstream the consideration of inner potential and capacities into existing cultures, mechanisms and structures. Our findings advance knowledge on the complex intersection between sustainability, inner development and transformation, and set a precedent that other training institutions could follow or learn from. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the potential of implementing analysis indicators in the Romanian context to enhance the development and maintenance of green and blue urban infrastructure. Previous studies on GBUI have primarily focused on larger scales, considering cities or territories, to understand connectivity and positive impacts. However, in Romania, green and blue infrastructure in urban areas has received less attention for analysis and development. To understand the impact of GBUI at a neighbourhood level, the study proposes the development of specific indicators that consider the urban form, functional zoning, and the provision of public urban green and blue spaces regarding housing and urban amenities. This research utilises international practice, scientific literature, and national legislation to understand new mechanisms for urban design and sustainable development. It maps indicators for GBUI analysis and design, contributing to a new methodological approach in the Romanian context. This research's findings can guide the design and development of new residential areas, thereby improving the quality of urban life through improved green and blue urban infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-Based Solutions concepts and practices are being used worldwide as part of attempts to address societal challenges but have also been criticised for not dealing with deeper transformations needed to face urgent issues including biodiversity loss, climate change and inclusion. In this paper, we explore how an inclusive, integrated and long-sighted approach, emphasising a more radical integration of nature within cities, might support the transformations needed to endure major contemporary challenges. Addressing important emerging critiques of Nature-Based Solutions, we consider the potential of a more incisive form of Nature-Based Thinking (NBT) in cities, based on more holistic perspectives. The paper draws on a reflective and iterative research process that engaged both the research and practice communities through a symposium and a series of futures workshops that together explored the potential of NBT to develop future nature-cities relations in Europe and Latin America. The results of the reflective process suggest that notions of nature with people—not for people— new organisational structures, and the intention and capacity to apply long-term perspectives, are needed when planning for NBS interventions aimed at sustainable urban development. This includes developing a cultural-structural change based on new and inclusive understandings of human–nature relations, and novel governance paradigms that allow cross-sectoral coordination and engagement of local stakeholders beyond formal organisational structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing density of urban spaces and buildings is undermining public health. To compensate, there is a growing trend towards biophilic design, including at one of the most frequented and highly functional sites: railway stations. Previous studies have confirmed the economic feasibility of station greenery and users' preference for this but also their reluctance to pay for greenery compared to other services. One research gap is the lack of consideration given to the full range and dose–response correlation of urban cultural ecosystem services provided by station greenery. To fill this gap, we present the development and implementation of a method using static 2D representations of virtual reality scenes generated from a digital twin. In a between-subjects experiment (N = 352), participants were randomly assigned to assess one of three levels of greenery by means of a six-item semantic differential. Supported by statistically significant differences between groups, we could identify improvements in well-being, aesthetics, stress reduction, perception of safety, psychological noise reduction and identity. Further, women were found to prefer higher levels of greenery than men. Based on our results, we recommend applying the method to evaluate planning options and that (more) greenery be introduced at metropolitan stations as part of biophilic design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University campuses provide a variety of ecosystem services (ES) that play an important role in both physical and mental benefits for students. However, the importance and actual service performance of ES in universities were not clearly perceived in Vietnam. This study was conducted to fill these gaps with the objectives of (1) assessing students' perceptions of the importance of ecosystem services on their university campus and (2) assessing students' satisfaction with these ecosystem services. Using the interview method, the study collected research data from 210 students at Can Tho University (CTU), a large university in Vietnam. The results of the study have confirmed the importance of ecosystem services such as trees, lawns, water bodies, and buildings on CTU's campus. With modern design, buildings play an important role in creating space to organize formal classes, self-study, and group work for students. Green spaces not only improve air temperature and bring high aesthetic value, but they are also habitats for many species of animals and plants. Most students were very satisfied with the ES provided by the CTU's campus. However, the functions of the grass and water bodies ecosystem need to be improved, as the student satisfaction with these ES was significantly lower than the value they expected. The results of analyzing the importance and satisfaction of ES will be a useful basis for making decisions on planning and developing ecosystems. This is a new research direction in Vietnam that needs continued research and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban forests in coastal regions are vulnerable to changing climate conditions, especially sea level rise (SLR). Such climate change impacts add complexity for urban forest managers as they make decisions related to tree species selection. The New York City (NYC) Parks Department manages over 660,000 street trees, many of which occupy sites that are susceptible to saltwater flooding. In order to build a resilient urban tree canopy in these flood-prone zones, we ranked tree species based on their overall tolerance to coastal vulnerability factors such as high winds, salt spray, and soil salinity. Our results revealed that 16 of the 44 species ranked high in overall tolerance to these factors. We also developed a GIS-based tool, specific to NYC, which delineates three coastal tiers based on their susceptibility to coastal vulnerability factors using SLR projections for the 2100s. The species list combined with the GIS tool provides urban forest managers a method to assign tree species to different coastal tiers based on their ability to withstand coastal climate change impacts into the future. We provide details on how this tool was developed for NYC so other coastal cities can replicate this approach to creating a more resilient future coastal urban forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to review the understanding of the term "green entrepreneurship" in contemporary management sciences and its interpretation by people who are or soon will be professionally active. Investigating the phenomenon from a historical perspective will allow an evolutionary approach to the category to indicate contemporary challenges. Apart from a review of the literature on the subject, the interpretations of the term by the target group are recognized in the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) context. The research methods used in the article include a critical analysis of the literature on the subject and field research presented in the empirical part. Primary research was carried out in two countries: Poland and Slovakia, among students and professionals working, as well as those professionally active in the private and public sectors. The study aimed to generally identify the knowledge of the concept of "green entrepreneurship". Based on the results, the responses were delimited and those indicated by less than 5% of the respondents were considered irrelevant. Based on the remaining answers, a new survey questionnaire was created, which was used to conduct the second stage of the research. To simplify the research tool, it was assumed that the questions would be binary ("yes" or "no" answers), and the resulting survey would consist of 22 phrases (marked with alphanumeric symbols) and a form. The respondents' answers from the second stage of the study allowed us to identify characteristic groups of variables with which the respondents associated the term "green entrepreneurship" and the groups of respondents who indicated an understanding of green entrepreneurship in a specific aspect. It also allowed for the identification the determinants of these indications, as well as similarities and differences between Poles and Slovaks in this respect. For this purpose, the classification and regression tree method (C&RT) was used. For the purposes of this study, JASP 0.18.1 software was used to create the tree. The results show that perceptions and knowledge of green entrepreneurship differ in both surveyed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expected increase in urbanization changes the morphology of urban areas. These changes affect the urban environment and impact several aspects, such as climate, energy, air quality, and socioeconomic factors, among others. Therefore, it is important to lead cities towards sustainable development. The goal of this paper is to understand which domains should be considered to assess the sustainability of cities, at an environmental level and with a focus on air quality, and how those domains are connected, based on a comprehensive literature review, which resulted in 1479 articles. The results show that "Urban Climate", "Air Quality", "Urban Morphology", "Health", "Energy" and "Mobility" are the most common domains in research, and that 39% of articles only assess one domain. It is possible to understand that though 96% of articles contain up to three domains, the great majority do not assess those domains in an integrated way. There are many studies that evaluate important domains of urban areas; however, they mostly evaluate these effects in isolation, and rarely in tandem. Moving forward, it is important to understand how to best connect the most relevant domains, under an integrated multicriteria approach, thus allowing a more complete assessment of the sustainability of urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recognition that not every climate adaptation policy is a good one has shifted attention to new tools and methods to measure the adequacy and effectiveness of adaptation policies. This study aims to propose and apply and applies an innovative adaptation policy assessment framework to identify the extent to which climate adaptation policies in Vietnam exhibit conditions that are likely to ensure a sufficient, credible and effective adaptation. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 21 conditions, categorized under five normative principles and covering critical issue areas in adaptation domain, form the climate adaptation policy assessment framework. The principles were double-checked and tested in case studies through observations and analyses of policy documents to ensure that each condition should be distinct and not overlapping across principles. To see if the principles and attendant conditions were able to capture all relevant aspects of adaptation, the authors used structured expert judgment. In total, 39 policy documents pertaining to climate change adaptation were selected for qualitative document analysis. In-depth interviews with local officials and experts were conducted to address data gaps. Findings: The study reveals major weaknesses constituting a reasonably worrisome picture of the adaptation policies in Vietnam since several critical conditions were underrepresented. These results shed new light on why some adaptation policies falter or are posing adverse impacts. The findings suggest that a sound policy assessment framework can provide evidence on what effective adaptation policy looks like and how it can be enabled. The framework for climate adaptation policy assessment in this study can be easily adjusted and used for different socio-environmental contexts in which new conditions for policy assessment might emerge. Social implications: The findings show underlying weaknesses constituting a reasonably worrisome picture of the adaptation regime in Vietnam. In the absence of mechanisms and measures for accountability and transparency in policy processes, adaptation in Vietnam appears more likely to be prone to maladaptation and corruption. While solving these problems will not be easy for Vietnam, the government needs to evaluate whether the short-term gains in sustaining the existing adaptation policies really make progress and serve its long-term climate-adaptive development goals. Originality/value: Although interpretations of adaptation effectiveness may be very divergent in different normative views on adaptation outcomes, the authors argue that a common, agreed-upon effectiveness can be reached if it is clearly defined and measurable in adaptation policies. Thus, the climate adaptation policy assessment framework proposed in this study is critical for policymakers, practitioners, donors and stakeholders dealing with adaptation to better understand the weaknesses in policymaking processes, pinpoint priority areas of action and timely prevent or prepare for possible adverse impacts of policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have sought to integrate sustainable principles, attitudes, and methodologies into urban development, drawing insights from the natural and social sciences as well as historical contexts. However, current sustainable urban planning (SUP) research has a broad scope, unclear boundaries, and an absence of systematic literature reviews. To fill this research gap, this review presents a visual analysis of 38,344 publications on SUP indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) from 1964 to 2023, with the aim of detailing the trajectory of SUP research. Utilizing data retrieval and scientific metrology techniques, we: (1) Identified distinct phases in SUP research: budding (pre-1990s), exploration (1990s), foundation (2000s), and maturation (2010–present). (2) Discovered that publications predominantly focused on urban research, landscape architecture, and ecological studies, with publishing trends favoring developed, highly urbanized, and coastal nations. (3) Employed visualized dual map overlays, co-citation clustering networks, and keyword statistical charts to construct a knowledge framework of the interdisciplinary progression and thematic shifts in SUP. Key knowledge clustering included 'community planning', 'urban expansion', 'ecosystem services', and 'nature-based solutions'. (4) Described the progression of SUP, green innovation is the most promising direction for future research. (5) Defined its scope and elements and advocated for three foundational principles: equity and justice, value articulations, and practical needs, offering a path to actualize SUP efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green and blue space (UGBS) contribute to a variety of nature-based values and human health benefits. As such, they play a critical role for the quality of life and sustainability in cities. Here, we use the metropolitan area of Geneva, Switzerland, as a case study to illustrate that UGBS are heterogeneous in spatial characteristics, such as surface area, naturality, or noise levels, which are associated with key cultural ecosystems services. For each characteristic, we defined a threshold with the realization of an associated cultural ecosystem service, including a novel noise threshold (LAeq < 45 dB) compatible with the notion of "quiet". We then used geospatial information to generate place-based and people-based indicators that collectively describe the variation in key dimensions of UGBS. We found that, in Geneva, the typical (median) resident has access to 4.7 ha of UGBS, and 89% of residents live within 300 m of the nearest UGBS. Accessible surfaces of UGBS per capita, however, were highly variable by type of UGBS and across neighbourhoods. For example, residents from precarious neighbourhoods are less likely to live within 300 m of quiet UGBS than residents of privileged neighbourhoods, and when they do, these UGBS tend to be smaller. The proposed methodology categorizes UGBS in a manner that both captures their distinct social roles and highlights potential social injustice issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewal projects dealing with public spaces in Chinese historic neighborhoods were mainly dominated by government entities and experts, but their increasing commercialization and standardization did not fully meet the residents' needs. In this context, resident-driven regeneration practices centered on small-scale gardening are becoming more popular as an alternative. However, few studies focused on the strengths and intentions of these informal gardens and the implications for the renewal of public space in historical communities. A case study was carried out in the Dashilar area, a historical community with numerous informal gardens. Specifically, resident-led community gardens were first sampled and investigated. Second, the components of these gardens were identified and classified with multiple indicators. Third, agglomerative hierarchical clustering was applied to distinguish the different types and the resident needs behind them, and two kinds of renewal projects were compared. The results show that the spontaneous actions and participation of residents, drawing on local knowledge, are critical to the popularity of informal community gardens among local residents, which is also supplementary to the current organizational mechanisms of public space renewal in historical communities. Our research is expected to enrich the research contents of urban green spaces and provide theoretical support for the sustainable development and renewal of historic neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green spaces are becoming increasingly important for cities due to the growing pressures of urbanization and climate change. Along with trees, shrubs, and lawns, flower beds are an important part of urban green spaces. The majority of flower beds in public spaces consist of annual and biennial flower species. Such seasonal flower beds feature eye-catching colors but require significant effort to maintain and manage. Compared to these conventional flower beds, those with herbaceous perennials are more ecologically effective and less costly to maintain, and therefore more sustainable. The aim of this research was to analyze flower beds with perennials in the public green spaces of the city of Zagreb and to develop a tool based on predefined criteria and indicators to evaluate the sustainability of flower beds. In the context of the research, sustainability meant appropriate selection of flower species based on environmental conditions (temperature, light, precipitation), species diversity, greater ground cover and extensiveness of maintenance. The research results showed that there were 327 flower beds with perennials planted in the ground. The constructed Flower Bed Sustainability Index (FBSI) showed that the majority of these perennial beds (56.3%) had a conventional character, as only 28.1% of the beds had a completely correct species selection. This result indicates that the use of perennials does not necessarily guarantee the sustainability of flower beds, since, as in the case of flower beds with seasonal flowers, it depends, among other things, on the correct selection of species adapted to local environmental conditions. The FBSI is shown to be a suitable tool for assessing the degree of sustainability of a flower bed and could be a useful tool in landscape design and management of such types of green spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests and green areas proved to be crucial and unexpected allies in the struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, urban and suburban green areas acted as propelling centers of public health during the most severe periods of lockdown. The exploitation of forested areas also contributed to mitigating the economic impact of job losses during the pandemic. This study specifically focused on the lessons that still need to be learned and suggested possible strategies for strengthening the lessons learned from COVID-19. Based on our investigation, we found that the use of urban green areas is significantly dependent on cultural and socioeconomic factors, and the increased interest in suburban green areas suggests a generally insufficient level of urban green spaces. Moreover, the exploitation of forests favored greater illegal deforestation in economically depressed countries, which led to biodiversity disruption and the further impoverishment of natural wood resources. First, as many citizens as possible, across different age, gender, cultural and socioeconomic conditions, should be encouraged to maintain the healthy habits that they developed during the pandemic. This may be accomplished by making cities more inclusive through the promotion of societal values, social cohesion and awareness campaigns. People should be encouraged to benefit from suburban green areas through increased connectivity between cities and their surrounding natural zones. Moreover, the promotion of the sustainable use of forested lands will contribute to not only ecological but also economic recovery through the creation of green jobs. Therefore, the greatest lesson of the COVID-19 pandemic is something that we have always known: equity is the guiding principle for a more resilient world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urban green spaces, parks can provide rich cultural ecosystem services (CES), enhancing the wellbeing of those living in urban areas. Understanding how people perceive the CES supplied by parks and identifying differences with their supply is crucial for decision-makers and urban planners. In this study, we conducted a quantitative assessment of CES by combining an expert field investigation of parks with visitor questionnaires in the Three Hills and Five Gardens area of Beijing, China. Our assessment system comprised five categories of CES (landscape aesthetics, historical heritages, education, recreation, health and fitness) and eleven indicators. We identified differences between CES supply and perceptions and noted that such discrepancies additionally vary by CES type. We found that multiple CES are interdependent and interwoven. In addition, we discovered that perceptions of historical heritages service are particularly dependent on supply, while perceptions of health and fitness service are relatively independent of the supply. We explored the reasons behind these differences, finding that the visibility and prestige of historical heritages as well as the positioning and the overall condition of parks can affect visitors’ perceptions. Our assessment can be used to guide the optimization of parks so that they may provide higher-quality CES for the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore new strategies to improve the efficiency of land for grain production in China, this study empirically investigates the relationship between the grain imports competition effect and the efficiency of land for grain production from the perspective of virtual land trade based on the new-new trade theory and induced technological innovation theory. We obtained the following conclusions: (1) Overall, the efficiency of land for grain production showed a slow upward trend from 2003 to 2020, with a growth rate of 27.53%. Among them, the efficiency of land for grain production in the Huang-Huai-Hai and northeast regions has increased by 66.41% and 36.30%, respectively. (2) The grain imports competition effect reduces the profitability of domestic grain production through shocks and forces the improvement of China's grain production land efficiency. It is caused by the trade-for-competition effect. Importing a large number of grain products with lower land use costs reduces the profits of grain producers in the domestic market through shocks, gradually eliminating producers with less efficient land use, thus forcing the improvement of land use efficiency in domestic grain production. (3) The grain imports competition effect is stronger because the developed livestock industry in the northern region requires the import of large quantities of soybeans and corn, and other virtual land content is much lower than the domestic feed grain. Also, the marginal effect of the grain imports competition effect is stronger due to the presence of more producers with less efficient land for grain production in non-major grain-producing regions, which are more likely to be eliminated by market shocks from imports. This study verifies the applicability of the trade promotion competition effect and induces the technological innovation effect in the field of grain trade, which extends the research boundary of virtual land trade in grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining the supply of multiple ecosystem services of cultivated land is directly concerned to the sustainable development of human society. The ecological compensation of cultivated land is an important measure which has been major strategy to promote ecological protection of cultivated land and ensure food security in China. Although the cultivated land is immovable, when the grain transfer from surplus to poor areas, the cultivated land resources are reallocated and the corresponding ecosystem services are spilt. This paper constructs a model to quantify cultivated land resources flows hidden in the grain, calculates the compensation standard, and quantifies the compensation amount by building the eco-compensation mechanism. The typical integrated region in China, the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) was selected as the study area. The results show that (1) cultivated land resources in the YRD appear the characteristics of outflow in 24 cities and inflow in 17 cities, which means the former is the recipient and the latter is the payer of eco-compensation. (2) Generally, the developed cities have much more outflow of cultivated land resources than the developing cities in the YRD. And the city of Shanghai and Hangzhou, which are the best economic developed cities in the YRD, transfers into most grain and cultivated land. (3) Paddy field and dry farmland have different eco-value, so the compensation is different, respectively. Our study can enrich the perspective of cultivated land eco-compensation and proposes policy implications for improving the eco-compensation mechanism and realizing multifunctional ecological protection of cultivated land in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Territory space is an ecological resource carrier and place for human development. Human activities and ecological systems are the basis of ecological product supply. Promoting territories' spatial protection and governance by improving the supply of ecological products is very important. In this study, we established an ecological product supply capacity evaluation index system involving three types of ecological products, i.e., ecological environmental products, ecological material products, and ecological cultural products. For the case of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, we comprehensively used principal component analysis, the equivalent factor method, and the entropy method to evaluate the supply capacity of ecological products from 2011 to 2021. Then, we analyzed the spatio-temporal pattern, combining the natural breakpoint and quantile classification methods, and analyzed the obstacle factors using the obstacle degree model of ecological supply. The results show that the supply capacity of different ecological products in each city are closely related to their ecological resource endowment. The supply capacity of ecological products exhibited an upward trend, with the highest ecological environmental product supply being relatively smaller than the ecological material product supply, while the largest growth rate was for ecological cultural product supply. The supply capacity of different ecological products varied across cities over time and displayed noticeable spatial differentiation. The main obstacle factors included eco-land, eco-tourism, eco-leisure, park green space, and fishery products, although there were variations among cities. Finally, based on the level, spatial-temporal pattern, and obstacle factors of ecological product supply, we proposed strategies for territory spatial protection and governance from the perspectives of the integrated protection of elements, structural regulation, and systematic governance. The results reflected the ecological functional heterogeneity of the territory space, which can provide spatial planning guidance for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities, in continuous growth, are at a critical moment to guarantee economic, social and environmental stability, as recognised by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study aims to demonstrate how Green Infrastructure (GI) can contribute, as spaces of opportunity in cities, to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in metropolitan areas. And by doing that, more substantial support from urban planners and decision-makers may be performed. A systematic literature review based on the PRISMA method was conducted, 694 records were identified, and 100 articles were thoroughly reviewed. The main finding suggested that 17 SDGs and 74 (44%) of its 169 targets may be achieved through a single strategy; the implementation of nature in the city and the use of the ecosystem services that the environment provides to its advantage. The analysis shows the need for a system change in urban areas worldwide, where GI can contribute to 80% of the targets in SDG11, "Sustainable Cities and Society." The metropolis remains the most efficient area to test and implement green solutions to have an immediate impact on achieving the SDGs. It is imperative to take climate action, and GI can be used as an urban catalyst for sustainability and, consequently, resilience in contemporary cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban living limits access to nature yet spending time in nature is crucial for human health and well-being. To overcome this, urban planners and policymakers are actively looking for different ways to conserve and create more urban nature through parks, street trees, and other greening strategies. However, research shows that in most cities, these greening efforts are not equitably distributed, nor are they equal in terms of their quality or benefits they provide. Creating more equitable access to urban nature is a challenge and a priority in the next decade, and so is improving the quality of urban nature and associated benefits for urbanites. To address this challenge and contribute at both practical and conceptual levels, we propose a new Local Restorative Nature (LRN) index for geospatially assessing the "restorative quality" of urban nature that can support mental well-being. To contextualize the LRN index, we map the distribution of restorative nature in relation to social vulnerability in Vancouver, Canada. The novel LRN index provides critical insights showing that many neighborhoods with vulnerable populations in Vancouver have less exposure to restorative nature to support mental health and highlights where to strategically prioritize urban greening investment in areas that need it the most. The LRN index is scalable and can be used by urban planners in other cities and contexts to improve equitable distribution of restorative nature and better support urbanites' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]