Growing evidence has emerged of the ecological disturbances on our planet due to increasing atmospheric carbon. Surface temperatures have risen 1°C, and the Arctic has warmed a staggering 3°C; which leads to discussions on the future pathway of economic and social. Transitioning to a low-carbon society will be necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change in the next several decades. JUSTNature emphasizes the importance of bringing together everyone’s ideas and actions to create a new and sustainable future; starting by rethinking our cities.
Currently, cities are major energy consumers and significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. They have a high density of socio-economic activities and a built environment design that enhances these issues. In this regard, especially developed cities can be examples in leading the way toward a low-carbon society and turning it into an opportunity as recently iterated by the European Green Deal. That is why JUSTNature is developing nature-based solutions and climate change mitigation to protect and evolve 7 European City Practice Labs taking into account the climate and geographical position of each.
The seven European City Practice Labs are:
- Bolzano (Italy),
- Merano (Italy),
- Chania (Greece),
- Gzira (Malta),
- Leuven (Belgium),
- Munich (Germany)
- and Szombathely (Hungary).
The diversity between cities was sought in order to be able to extend the project to any other place in the future. Indeed, each city has a different strategy to reach the proposed goal: different business plans, implementation of certain tools, and target areas. All the work is done while recognizing the different climate scenarios.
But the challenge is not only ecological, cities represent a complex setting where many inequalities must be balanced: socio-economics, ecological and public health-related synergies trade-offs must be considered. 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 neighborhoods are more biologically diverse than others. In this regard, the overall objective of JUSTNature is the activation of nature-based solutions by ensuring equality with 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. For that, it aims to foster and diffuse green roofs and sustainable spaces, products, and ways of living together. It promotes a new lifestyle, thus accelerating the green transaction across our economy.
For example, the use of bicycles will be encouraged by the creation of bike paths, new school programs including ecology will be implemented, the traffic flow will be redesigned. New green areas will help sequester CO2 to increase the air quality and will be accessible to all. JUSTNature aims to connect the communities to the natural world because, according to many scientific studies, those who have access to green space and green views increase social cohesion, positive relationships with others, and feelings of belonging. That attachment to a place or a group is highly protective of positive mental health.
These Nature-based Solutions are designed and will be implemented considering four innovation dimensions:
By activating their implementation, JUSTNature applies a challenging transdisciplinary approach. Transdisciplinary experts build on a diversity of knowledge from different scientific disciplines to local expertise and citizen science; that way it will move from co-design and co-creation to co-decision. In a similar way, many collaborative workshops are set up throughout the duration of the project and involve all city partner representatives, local key stakeholders, and the various other international partners of the project.
As the project has just started in September 2021, The Kick-Off Meeting took place online over two days and brought together 19 European partners, including research institutions, public administrations, universities, and field experts. Together, the partners introduced the various components of the project and laid out the steps ahead for the coming months. The Kick-Off Meeting was facilitated by the project’s coordinator: EURAC (IT), who ensured fruitful discussions and provided interactive breaks for partners. The meeting also offered a platform for the project team to exchange and become better acquainted with one another.
The University of Malta will be working with the Research and Development Unit of the Gzira Local Council to Implement Nature-Based Solutions through the development of a City Learning Lab within Gzira. The aim of the city is to enhance citizen engagement with research while helping to mitigate traffic, air and noise pollution, and the urban heat island effect. One area is particularly targeted near the big feeder Rue d’Argens and the two major traffic roads of the city. The neighborhood is subjected to intense real-estate development that has resulted in significant traffic, parking, air pollution, and construction-related noise pollution issues. The objective is therefore to regulate this dense urban microclimate through green constructions and areas, ensuring a healthy, safe, comfortable streetscape through citizen-based monitoring.
Starting from 1st September 2021 until February 2026, the JUSTNature project is under the lead of EURAC. This project will receive funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program.
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