JUSTNature project
JUSTNature project
The overall objective of JUSTNature is to activate nature-based solutions 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 and thriving biodiversity and ecosystems.
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. The project explores the potential of nature-based solutions (NBS) in different urban environments, with an eye on socio-economical inequalities.
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:
- Enabling effective governance
- Enabling NbS system maintenance and operation
- Enabling innovative business models and market design
- Enabling efficient technologies and applications.
Partners
- ACCADEMIA EUROPEA DI BOLZANO
- TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN
- POLYTECHNEIO KRITIS
- UNIVERSITA TA MALTA
- RWI - LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUR WIRTSCHAFTSFORSCHUNG
- ABUD MERNOKIRODA KFT
- E2ARC ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH FOR CITIES
- PROSPEX INSTITUTE
- IES R&D
- INLECOM COMMERCIAL PATHWAYS COMPANYLIMITED BY GUARANTEE
- CROWDHELIX LIMITED
- STICHTING ISOCARP INSTITUTE CENTER OF URBAN EXCELLENCE
- KYDON DIMOTIKI ANONYMI ETAIREIA EKMETALLEYSI STATHMOU AYTOKINITON
- LANDESHAUPTSTADT MUNCHEN
- STAD LEUVEN
- COMUNE DI MERANO
- COMUNE DI BOLZANO
- GZIRA LOCAL COUNCIL
- SZOMBATHELY MEGYEI JOGU VAROS ONKORMANYZATA
- PLANETEK ITALIA SRL
Start date: 1 September 2021 - End date: 28 February 2026