A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Just nature-based solutions and the pursuit of climate resilient urban development
Highlights Just nature-based solutions link to visions of abolition ecology to address root causes of inequality. Epistemic violence is a cause of inequality in urban development and planning that just NbS seek to resolve. A 3P framework—Problems, Process, and Progress—offers a method to support and study just nature-based solutions.
Abstract Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer pathways towards climate resilient development. For cities, these pathways translate to a host of benefits to address the climate crisis, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity protection and enhancement, and human well-being. In urban spaces, NbS are also about the design and re-design of the urban built and natural environment. This presents a need to create the institutions and governance mechanisms that allow for the co-production and co-design of NbS alongside local communities in ways that serve to address justice and legacies of inequality. In this perspective, I examine three areas of focus to deliver just nature-based solutions: problem, process, and progress. Problem focuses on the types of relationships nature-based solutions seek to transform—the race and class-based inequalities embedded in urban form. Process addresses how nature-based solutions can deliver justice through design and co-production. Finally, progress is about developing indicators and measuring progress towards achieving just nature-based solutions and how they reflect diverse and pluralistic value systems. Collectively these should move just NbS towards the repair of social and ecological exploitation in and beyond the city.
Just nature-based solutions and the pursuit of climate resilient urban development
Highlights Just nature-based solutions link to visions of abolition ecology to address root causes of inequality. Epistemic violence is a cause of inequality in urban development and planning that just NbS seek to resolve. A 3P framework—Problems, Process, and Progress—offers a method to support and study just nature-based solutions.
Abstract Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer pathways towards climate resilient development. For cities, these pathways translate to a host of benefits to address the climate crisis, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity protection and enhancement, and human well-being. In urban spaces, NbS are also about the design and re-design of the urban built and natural environment. This presents a need to create the institutions and governance mechanisms that allow for the co-production and co-design of NbS alongside local communities in ways that serve to address justice and legacies of inequality. In this perspective, I examine three areas of focus to deliver just nature-based solutions: problem, process, and progress. Problem focuses on the types of relationships nature-based solutions seek to transform—the race and class-based inequalities embedded in urban form. Process addresses how nature-based solutions can deliver justice through design and co-production. Finally, progress is about developing indicators and measuring progress towards achieving just nature-based solutions and how they reflect diverse and pluralistic value systems. Collectively these should move just NbS towards the repair of social and ecological exploitation in and beyond the city.
Just nature-based solutions and the pursuit of climate resilient urban development
Cousins, Joshua J. (author)
2024-03-11
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English