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In this paper, a proposal for a new method to design load-adaptive microlattice structures for PBF-LB/M manufacturing is presented. For this purpose, a method was developed to stiffen microlattice structures in particular by using self-similar sub-cells to ensure their manufacturability. The quality of the stiffness increase was investigated and verified by finite element simulations. Subsequently, the simulation results were critically discussed with respect to their potential for future design processes for architected materials.

This open access book identifies and discusses biodiversity’s contribution to physical, mental and spiritual health and wellbeing. Furthermore, the book identifies the implications of this relationship for nature conservation, public health, landscape architecture and urban planning – and considers the opportunities of nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation. This transdisciplinary book will attract a wide audience interested in biodiversity, ecology, resource management, public health, psychology, urban planning, and landscape architecture. The emphasis is on multiple human health benefits from biodiversity - in particular with respect to the increasing challenge of climate change. This makes the book unique to other books that focus either on biodiversity and physical health or natural environments and mental wellbeing. The book is written as a definitive ‘go-to’ book for those who are new to the field of biodiversity and health.

Increases in non-communicable diseases, biodiversity loss and climate change are among the greatest global challenges society is facing today. At the same time, biodiverse natural environments can buffer the negative effects of climate change to society and support human health. Contributions in this volume demonstrate the growing interest in the impact of biodiversity on human health and well-being in the face of climate change. The chapters in this volume present and critically review the growing body of literature on the associations of biodiversity and human health, with mounting evidence of positive effects for physical health and well-being. In this concluding chapter, we summarise the key outcomes of the chapters in this book. Synthesising the main results with a link to current policy, we develop recommendations to address the urgent health and sustainability challenges in science, policy and practice.

Climate change presents significant challenges to human health and biodiversity. Increased numbers of extreme climate events, such as heat waves, droughts or flooding, threaten human health and well-being, both directly and indirectly, through impaired ecosystem functioning and reduced ecosystem services. In addition, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases is rising, causing ill health and accelerating costs to the health sector. Nature-based solutions, such as the provision and management of biodiversity, can facilitate human health and well-being, and mitigate the negative effects of climate change. The growing recognition of the importance of biodiversity’s contribution to human health offers great potential for maximising synergies between public health, climate change adaptation and nature conservation. This book identifies the contribution of biodiversity to physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being in the face of climate change, and considers implications across multiple sectors.

Little is known about the contribution that biodiversity has on mental health and well-being. To date, only one systematic review has investigated the health and well-being benefits from contact with biodiversity (Lovell et al. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev 17(1):1–20, 2014). The number of research studies investigating the health and well-being effects of biodiversity has increased since this publication. Here, we provide an update, focusing on the impact of biodiversity on mental health and well-being. Our objectives are to: (i) identify and describe the literature published after 2012; and (ii) synthesise all results from Lovell et al. (J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev 17(1):1–20, 2014) and the more recently published literature to assess whether biodiversity influences mental health and well-being. Sixteen recently published studies met the inclusion criteria. The literature is varied with different study designs, measures of biodiversity, mental health and well-being. The synthesis of results was drawn from 24 studies: nine from Lovell et al. (J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev 17(1):1–20, 2014) and 15 identified by this chapter. There is some evidence to suggest that biodiversity promotes better mental health and well-being. However, more studies reported non-significant results. The evidence is not yet of the extent necessary to characterise the role of biodiversity in relation to mental health or well-being. Future interdisciplinary research directions are discussed.

This chapter briefly describes six frameworks that offer perspective on the relationships between biodiverse natural environments and mental well-being. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of these frameworks to enable theoretical grounding of future biodiversity and mental well-being studies. The frameworks are largely from the field of environmental psychology and represent the majority of theories used in biodiversity and health research (The Preference Matrix; fractal geometry; the Biophilia Hypothesis; Stress Reduction Theory; Attention Restoration Theory; and Ecosystem Service Cascade Model). A general overview of each framework discusses its conceptualisation of biodiversity and mental well-being outcomes, with supporting empirical research. The chapter then summarises the six frameworks with regard to their hypotheses for biodiversity and mental well-being.

This chapter highlights key policy processes at the international level dealing with the alignment of policies for the biodiversity-climate-health nexus. Recent developments by UN Conventions and major international organisations, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), are discussed. Special attention is given to newly emerging integrative global policy processes and partnerships between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the WHO, also in the framework of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and avenues to translate them into local policy through the global partnership ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. Conclusions are drawn to foster the joint implementation of policy goals.

The joint BfN/ENCA European Conference on “Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change” was held in Bonn, Germany on 27-29 June 2017 to highlight the important contribu-tion of green spaces and biodiversity to human health in a changing climate. It was the fourth event in a series of biannual “European Conferences on Biodiversity and Climate Change” (ECBCC), which started in 20111. The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) organized the conference in co-operation with the Interest group on Climate Change of the Network of Heads of European Nature Conservation Agencies (ENCA), the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversi-ty Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig. The 2017 conference was co-sponsored by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe.A wide range of European experts from science, policy and practice convened to discuss the importance of biodiversity’s contribution to human health in the face of climate change. Fur-ther emphasis was placed on the potential of nature-based solutions to meet the challenges and create multiple benefits in relation to climate change, human health and nature conser-vation. Some of the latest scientific findings on impacts of climate change on European bio-diversity and human health were presented in the plenum sessions. This was followed by interactive sessions focusing on eight specific themes ranging from the “Psychological ef-fects of nature and biodiversity on human health and well-being”, “The benefits of green space for enhancing human health – Lessons learned from urban interventions” and “Health and protected areas in a changing climate”. More specific discussions were held on “Biodi-versity or Green Space?” and “Allergenic plants and vector borne disease – Relevance to human health in a changing climate”. In addition, policy and practice orientated themes were addressed such as “Linking Initiatives in biodiversity, health

The joint BfN/ENCA European Conference on “Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change in Urban Areas and their Rural Surroundings” was held in Bonn/Germany on 17-19 November 2015. It was the third event in a series of biannual “European Conferences on Biodiversity and Climate Change, ECBCC”, which started in 20111. The German Federal Agency for Na-ture Conservation (BfN) organized the conference in co-operation with the Interest group on Climate Change of the Network of Heads of European Nature Conservation Agencies (EN-CA), the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig. A wide range of European ex-perts from science, policy and practice convened to discuss the importance of nature-based solutions (NBS) to climate change in urban areas and their rural surroundings. Further em-phasis was placed on the potential of nature-based approaches to also create multiple-benefits. Some of the latest scientific findings on effects of nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation and their multiple co-benefits were presented in the ple-num sessions. This was followed by interactive sessions focusing on eight specific themes ranging from “The role of biodiversity conservation for nature-based solutions for climate change”, to “Integrating grey, blue and green solutions” and “Rural-urban linkages” as well as “The role of social cohesion”, “Nature-based solutions from a transitions’ perspective” and “Economic aspects”. In addition, “Urban gardening and urban agriculture” were addressed. A special session was also dedicated to “Municipalities adapt to climate change”, where the focus was on good practice examples and the sharing of experience among community level actors. Finally, discussions considered current European policy in implementation of nature-based solutions, leading to recommendations for putting nature-based solutions into action.

This book brings together research findings and experiences from science, policy and practice to highlight and debate the importance of nature-based solutions to climate change adaptation in urban areas. Emphasis is given to the potential of nature-based approaches to create multiple-benefits for society.The expert contributions present recommendations for creating synergies between ongoing policy processes, scientific programmes and practical implementation of climate change and nature conservation measures in global urban areas.

Nature-based solutions have emerged to be a major approach or concept when discussing about the sustainable future four cities and are expected to represent solutions for societal problems. When looking closer at this approach, it becomes, however, obvious that the concept is loaded with too many expectations concerning the societal – and, what is more, the social – context of today’s urban reality. Furthermore, nature-based solutions are not inherently socially just; when aiming at bringing together environmental sustainability and social equity/inclusion, then a range of issues have to be critically looked at. Set against this background, the paper reflects on the contribution of nature-based solutions to a socially inclusive urban development. In the focus are trade-offs and blind spots of the hitherto discussion. The paper is thought to be first and foremost a positioning paper and is based on five theses. The paper argues, among others, that nature-based solutions offer, if discussed comprehensively and seriously, a potential for creating and shaping more sustainable cities. In order to meet this objective, they should, however, be seen as more than just tools, technologies and instruments. Nature-based solutions have to be improved as a comprehensive approach, especially with respect to their societal and social embeddings and the full picture of their impacts.

Urban gardens can contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation through a range of provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services as multifunctional nature-based solutions in a city. Besides providing food, urban gardens contribute to water regulation through unsealed soils, to improved air circulation and cooling through plant transpiration and shading, offering microclimate oases to many users, such as gardeners, visitors, and immediate neighbors. In combination with other green and blue infrastructures, urban gardens can thereby help to mitigate and adapt to the urban heat island effect. They also provide important habitat for wildlife and genetic diversity. Urban gardens create opportunities for leisure and recreation and thereby promote health and well-being, as well as a sense of place, cultural identity, and social cohesion – important factors for societies to adapt to change. Exploring case studies across Europe, we discuss differences between garden types and their contribution to achieving sustainability goals for city communities.

Urbanisation and climate change affect people’s health and well-being in various ways. Nature-based solutions implemented as natural, sustainable solutions in cities can attenuate negative health impacts of these processes. In this chapter, urban green spaces are considered as one type of nature-based solutions that use urban ecosystem services to provide mitigation and adaptation actions and solutions to climate change and urbanisation related challenges. An overview over the relationships to urban health is presented. The city of Berlin is used as a case, to show how an unequal distribution of urban green area may be linked to an insufficient provision of ecosystem services and the related positive health outcome effect. This is discussed through the presentation of the distribution of different vulnerable population groups such as children and elderly people throughout the city area. The link to environmental justice is made and discussed in this context.

Climate change and urbanisation are amongst the greatest global challenges society is facing today. The concept of nature-based solutions has recently been highlighted as key concept in policy and management in achieving alignment of environmental and societal goals (Cohen-Shacham et al. 2016; Kabisch et al. 2016a). The chapters of this volume assess the evidence, debate different concepts, identify policy avenues and display practical management applications that highlight the potential of nature-based solutions in tackling global challenges related to climate change and urbanisation. The authors critically review and present recent findings how urban ecosystem management can be employed to adapt to climate change effects, while at the same time contributing to social and health benefits. The examples discussed for ecosystem services and co-benefits in this volume comprise case studies concerning climate change adaptation by enhancing the regulation of air quality and temperature, contributing to water cycle regulation, provision of recreation potential as well as improvements for human well-being and mental health. In this conclusion chapter, we summarise the main outcomes of the chapters in this book. Considering current European policy, we develop recommendations for putting nature-based solutions into practice and policy and outline outstanding challenges for science and society.

Fostering nature-based solutions in urban areas is an issue that receives increasing attention on the political agenda. But in many cases, only insufficient financial resources are available for the implementation of such solutions. A central issue in this context is the structure of municipal revenues, which stem from either municipal tax revenue, fees for municipal services, or fiscal transfers from other governmental levels. Many of these revenues are however absorbed by specific tasks, especially social expenditure; thus there is little room left for autonomous investments, e.g. into nature-based solutions and green infrastructure. In this chapter we elaborate on the structure of the problem such as the corresponding fiscal and constitutional restrictions and analyse which solutions are possible to allow for greater investments into multifunctional urban nature-based solutions.

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Climate change presents one of the greatest challenges to society today. Effects on nature and people are first experienced in cities as cities form microcosms with extreme temperature gradients, and by now, about half of the human population globally lives in urban areas. Climate change has significant impact on ecosystem functioning and well-being of people. Climatic stress leads to a decrease in the distribution of typical native species and influences society through health-related effects and socio-economic impacts by increased numbers of heat waves, droughts and flooding events. In addition to climate change, urbanisation and the accompanying increases in the number and size of cities are impacting ecosystems with a number of interlinked pressures. These pressures include loss and degradation of natural areas, soil sealing and the densification of built-up areas, which pose additional significant challenges to ecosystem functionality, the provision of ecosystem services and human well-being in cities around the world. However, nature-based solutions have the potential to counteract these pressures. Nature-based solutions (NBS) can foster and simplify implementation actions in urban landscapes by taking into account the services provided by nature. They include provision of urban green such as parks and street trees that may ameliorate high temperature in cities or regulate air and water flows or the allocation of natural habitat space in floodplains that may buffer impacts of flood events. Architectural solutions for buildings, such as green roofs and wall installations, may reduce temperature and save energy. This book brings together experts from science, policy and practice to provide an overview of our current state of knowledge on the effectiveness and implementation of nature-based solutions and their potential to the provision of ecosystem services, for climate change adaptation and co-benefits in urban areas. Scientific evidence to climate change adapt