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Governance Actions
Inclusive Urban Development
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G24 Linking social development strategies with green space planning

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Knowledge & Awarness Political Commitment Organisation Perceived Costs & Benefits Social & Environmental Justice
Description

Planners have to strike a balance between targeting NBS to the areas where the challenges (air pollution, urban heat island, flooding etc.) they are supposed to address are most pressing, on one hand, and ensuring that this does not worsen social disparities, on the other. A good approach is to see social issues themself as a challenge to be partly addressed through NBS and target these areas accordingly.

Potential Elements
  • Vulnerability assessments
  • "Hotspot" definition with targeted budgets
  • Implementation of qualitative and quantitative tools and standards for green space management
Example

Malmö, linking social cohesion and green space: The Comprehensive Plan (approved by the municipal executive board) sets the goal for Malmö to have a compact and green urban structure in the future. Another important objective of the plan is to explore how green spaces can be used to bridge the gaps between the wealthier and the poorer parts of the city. While Malmö has been in the forefront of ecological sustainable urban development in Sweden for more than a decade, social sustainability has only recently been lifted towards the top of the agenda (Malmö stad, 2014).

Lisbon, Portugal: BIP / ZIP

The objective of the project is to improve social cohesion and active citizenship in the city of Lisbon. The approach was to identify the areas in the city that were lacking the minimal levels of cohesion and quality of life. Through gathering statistical information relating to the social, environmental and economic factors, the city was able to identify 67 target areas for interventions. The actions developed in these areas include the placing of local offices in the zones to as a symbolic and practical initiative. The areas have also become targeted for funding of small projects (up to €50,000 per project) through networks of local actors with conditions attached related to the actors involved and longevity of the proposal. There have been a range of successful projects that have achieved sustainability objectives. Some projects have directly enhanced ecosystem services in the area, particularly those targeting urban farming projects. However, perhaps the most valuable element of the initiative is the visualisation of lower socioeconomic areas of the city which would be a useful tool when considering urban regeneration and urban greening (https://cooperativecity.org/2017/05/07/bipzip/).