Implementing nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city
Guenter Langergraber,Bernhard Pucher,Lena Simperler,Johannes Kisser,Evina Katsou,Devi Buehler,Mari Carmen Garcia Mateo,Nataša Atanasova +7 more
- 01 Jan 2020
- Vol. 2, Iss: 1, pp 173-185
TL;DR: The COST Action Circular City aims to establish a network testing the hypothesis that: ‘A circular flow system that implements NBS for managing nutrients and resources within the urban biosphere will lead to a resilient, sustainable and healthy urban environment’.
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Abstract:
Resource depletion, climate change and degradation of ecosystems are challenges faced by cities worldwide and will increase if cities do not adapt. In order to tackle those challenges, it is necessary to transform our cities into sustainable systems using a holistic approach. One element in achieving this transition is the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS). NBS can provide a range of ecosystem services beneficial for the urban biosphere such as regulation of micro-climates, flood prevention, water treatment, food provision and more. However, most NBS are implemented serving only one single purpose. Adopting the concept of circular economy by combining different types of services and returning resources to the city, would increase the benefits gained for urban areas. The COST Action Circular City aims to establish a network testing the hypothesis that: ‘A circular flow system that implements NBS for managing nutrients and resources within the urban biosphere will lead to a resilient, sustainable and healthy urban environment’. In this paper we introduce the COST Action Circular City by describing its main objectives and aims. The paper also serves as introduction to the review papers of the Action's five Working Groups in this Special Issue.
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Citations
A review of nature-based solutions for urban water management in European circular cities: a critical assessment based on case studies and literature
Hasan Volkan Oral,Pedro N. Carvalho,Magdalena Gajewska,Nadia Ursino,Fabio Masi,Eric D. van Hullebusch,Jan Kazak,Alfonso Expósito,Giulia Cipolletta,Theis Raaschou Andersen,David C. Finger,Lena Simperler,Martin Regelsberger,Vit Rous,Matej Radinja,Gianluigi Buttiglieri,Pawel Krzeminski,Anacleto Rizzo,Kaveh Dehghanian,Mariyana Nikolova,Martin Zimmermann +20 more
- 01 Jan 2020
Abstract:
Nature-based solutions (NBS) can protect, manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems. They are a multidisciplinary, integrated approach to address societal challenges and some natural hazards effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. NBS applications can be easily noticed in circular cities, establishing an urban system that is regenerative and accessible. This paper aims to offer a review on NBS for urban water management from the literature and some relevant projects running within the COST Action ‘Implementing nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city’. The method used in the study is based on a detailed tracking of specific keywords in the literature using Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, ScienceDirect and Scopus. Based on this review, three main applications were identified: (i) flood and drought protection; (ii) the water-food-energy nexus; and (iii) water purification. The paper shows that NBS provide additional benefits, such as improving water quality, increasing biodiversity, obtaining social co-benefits, improving urban microclimate, and the reduction of energy consumption by improving indoor climate. The paper concludes that a systemic change to NBS should be given a higher priority and be preferred over conventional water infrastructure.
274
What are Nature-based solutions (NBS)? Setting core ideas for concept clarification
Barbara Sowińska-Świerkosz,Joan García +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors identify and clarify core ideas of nature-based solutions (NBS) concept and formulating criteria to exclude certain actions from the set of NBS, and identify actions that are inspired and powered by nature.
215
Nature-based solutions in the urban context: terminology, classification and scoring for urban challenges and ecosystem services.
Joana A. C. Castellar,Joana A. C. Castellar,Lucia Alexandra Popartan,Josep Pueyo-Ros,Nataša Atanasova,Günter Langergraber,Ina Säumel,Lluís Corominas,Joaquim Comas,Vicenç Acuña +9 more
TL;DR: The main conceptual advancement resides in providing a list of 32 NBS and putting forward two novel NBS categories: NBS units that are stand-alone green technologies or green urban spaces, which can be combined with other solutions (nature-based or not); NBS interventions that refer to the act of intervening in existing ecosystems and in NBSu, by applying techniques to support natural processes.
Enhancing the circular economy with nature-based solutions in the built urban environment: green building materials, systems and sites
David Pearlmutter,Dimitra Theochari,Thomas Nehls,Pedro Pinho,Patrizia Piro,Alisa Korolova,Spiros Papaefthimiou,Mari Carmen Garcia Mateo,Cristina S. C. Calheiros,Irene Zluwa,Ulrike Pitha,Paul Schosseler,Yaakov Florentin,Shahar Ouannou,Erez Gal,Andreas Aicher,Killian Arnold,Erika Igondová,Bernhard Pucher +18 more
- 01 Jan 2020
TL;DR: In this article, the authors survey the state of the art on nature-based solutions in the built environment, which can contribute to a circular economy (CE) and counter the negative impacts of urbanization through the provision of ecosystem services.
Urban agriculture as a keystone contribution towards securing sustainable and healthy development for cities in the future
S.L.G Skar,Rocío Pineda-Martos,Axel Timpe,Bernd Pölling,Katrin Bohn,Mart Külvik,Cecília Delgado,C. M.G. Pedras,Teresa A. Paço,M. Ćujic,Nikos Tzortzakis,Antonios Chrysargyris,A. Peticila,G. Alencikiene,H. Monsees,Ranka Junge +15 more
- 01 Jan 2020
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe some of the current aspects of the circular city debate where urban agriculture is pushing forward the development of material and resource cycling in cities, including building-integrated agriculture including concepts such as aquaponics, indoor agriculture, vertical farming, rooftop production, edible walls, urban farms, edible landscapes, school gardens and community gardens.
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