Cities negatively impact biodiversity by replacing natural ecosystems with impermeable and sterile surfaces, fragmenting habitats and creating barriers that hinder the mobility of plants and animals. Additionally, they limit citizens’ access to natural spaces, leading to dissatisfaction.

Green infrastructure and living walls are key solutions for developing sustainable and resilient cities. These strategies enhance urban quality of life, contribute to climate change mitigation, and promote biodiversity conservation. Integrating these solutions into urban design and planning creates habitable, healthy, sustainable, and equitable cities.

 Promoting Adequate Planning

Urban planning must be the core of ecological development to create sustainable, biophilic, resilient, healthy, and intelligent cities. This approach involves integrating natural elements into the urban environment, such as parks, living walls, and green roofs, which improve air quality, regulate temperature, and foster biodiversity. Additionally, these green spaces provide recreational and wellness areas, promoting a higher quality of life. Incorporating nature into urban planning significantly reduces the ecological footprint of cities and mitigates the effects of climate change.

 Integrating Nature-Based Solutions

It is essential to plan and design cities using vegetation as a central resource.

Living walls enhance urban aesthetics and promote sustainability by providing significant ecological benefits. Increasing and restoring the functionality and connectivity of urban and peri-urban natural landscapes is crucial for conserving biodiversity, and living walls contribute to this goal by offering habitats for various species.

Maximising Ecological and Social Benefits

Investing in green infrastructure enhances urban ecological processes, offering a wide range of ecosystem services and positive economic returns for the community. Living walls improve air quality, manage stormwater, and reduce ambient temperatures. Integrating nature-based solutions into urban planning and management maximises environmental and social benefits.

 Enhancing Urban Resilience

Cities are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. Adequate planning of green infrastructure, such as living walls, can enhance urban resilience and minimise associated risks, reducing vulnerability to these challenges.

Promoting Proactive Policies

Green infrastructure must be implemented at all administrative and spatial scales. From the state level to neighbourhoods, it is crucial to promote policies that facilitate the implementation of green elements. Harmonising policies, strategic planning, and legislation is essential to maximise the positive impact of these infrastructures.

Ensuring Environmental Justice and Equity

The planning and design of green infrastructure must ensure that its benefits are distributed equitably. It is fundamental to avoid spatial segregation and ecological gentrification, ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can enjoy a greener and healthier urban environment.

Partner: Scotscape

Designed by ALLFORD HALL MONAGHAN MORRIS