Project description
Nature-based solutions for just cities
Cities consume more than three quarters of the world’s energy and produce more than 60 % of greenhouse gas emissions. Reversing this situation will turn cities into models, leading the way towards a low-carbon society. One way to do this is to ensure there is enough ecological space, for example regarding clean air, thermal comfort and biodiversity. However, this is often exclusive to high-income neighbourhoods. The EU-funded JUSTNature project will turn to nature-based solutions to ensure a just transition to low carbon cities. Considering the right of all citizens to ecological space, the project will co-design new systems which conserve natural ecosystem values and functions and will ultimately provide numerous benefits to people.
Objective
Cities are major energy consumers and significantly contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They have a high density of socio-economic activities and a built environment design that enhance these issues. In this regard, especially developed cities can be exemplars in leading the way towards a low-carbon society, and turning it into an opportunity as recently iterated by the European Green Deal. Such advances can address several other challenges arising from urbanisation and structural socio-economic changes. Cities represent a complex setting, where low income populations are more exposed to environmental ills, environmental and climate impacts are not distributed evenly, environmental qualities are becoming increasingly exclusive to high-income households, and wealthier neighbourhoods are more biologically diverse than others. In this regard, the overall objective of JUSTNature is the activation of nature-based solutions (NbS) by ensuring a just transition to low-carbon cities, based on the principle of the right to ecological space. This in particular refers to the right to clean air and indoor/outdoor thermal comfort for human health and well-being, as well as thriving biodiversity and ecosystems. It also refers to the duty of not constraining the ecological space of others, in particular in relation to the mitigation of climate change and measures required for reducing GHG emissions. JUSTNature will contribute to this vision of shaping low-carbon cities by developing a set of typical Low carbon | High air quality NbS in seven European city practice labs. By activating their just implementation, it will drive the co-design, co-creation and co-decision of supporting interventions with regard to four innovation dimensions: 1) enabling effective governance, 2) enabling NbS system maintenance and operation, 3) enabling innovative business models and market design, and 4) enabling efficient technologies and applications.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
39100 Bolzano
Italy
See on map
Participants (22)
80333 Muenchen
See on map
731 00 Chania
See on map
2080 MSIDA
See on map
45128 Essen
See on map
1221 Budapest
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
9080 Lochristi
See on map
1000 BRUSSEL
See on map
Dublin 1
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
G20 0SP Glasgow
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
V93 PPA0 KERRY
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
T12DX51 CORK
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
W1W 7LT London
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
2521 CA The Hague
See on map
731 35 XANIA
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
80331 Munchen
See on map
3000 Leuven
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
3000 Leuven
See on map
39012 Merano
See on map
39100 Bolzano
See on map
GZR 1364 GZIRA
See on map
9700 Szombathely
See on map
70132 Bari
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.