Celebrating the recurrence of UN-Habitat’s Urban October and the proclamation by the European Parliament of 2022 as the European Year of Greener Cities, this Policy Lab will invite critical reflection on the fundamental role of urban green for the sustainable transformation of our societies.
It will address both the importance of increasing urban green spaces and the need to improve and maintain existing green infrastructure as strategic elements of sustainable urban development.
Enhancing green spaces and green infrastructure in cities can provide a wide range of ecological, social, and economic benefits. From the mitigation of heat island effect to ecosystem restoration, leisure and improved health, creation of (green) jobs and love of place (spatial identity), to name a few. Thus, as a nature-based solution (NBS) applied to the urban environment, enhancing green spaces can help simultaneously tackle both local and global sustainability challenges.
Nevertheless, to reap the integrated benefits of urban greening measures, strategies should involve more than simply increasing verdant spaces. Quality, access, governance, and economic viability of urban green are fundamental parts of the equation.
In Slovenia, cities have a designated and important role in the national settlement system – they are its backbone, providing fair access to jobs and services, public infrastructure, and mobility services. In this context, urban policy supports urban renovation as a pathway to sustainable, resilient, viable, and economically successful cities of the future.
The Policy Lab will touch upon critical aspects of enhancing urban green spaces and infrastructure, including
1) the integration of nature into urban planning and management;
2) establishment of local assessment/monitoring frameworks;
3) ensuring long-term economic viability of nature-based solutions.
