About this Research Topic
More than 55% of the global population currently live in urban areas as opposed to 30% in 1950. This is projected to increase to 68% by 2050. With global urbanization continuing at a high rate, cities are hotspots driving local, regional, and even global environmental change. These include material demands of production and human consumption that affect land use and cover, biodiversity, the biogeochemical cycle, hydrosystem and climate. Unless managed, rapid urbanization can threaten the sustainable development of our cities and even the sustainability of our biosphere.
By providing ecosystem services, Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) can help alleviate many of the environmental, social and economic problems that the growing urban population is facing, thus contributing towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 11 which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Yet, the full potential of UGI to meet the SDGs for urban dwellers has not been realized due to gaps in knowledge, communication and implementation. There is a lack of knowledge in regards to the supply and demand of specific ecosystem services provided by various components of UGI under differing climate and socio-economic conditions. More knowledge is needed on the ways in which we can embed the concept of ecosystem services in urban and environmental planning. There is a room for engaging stakeholders from decision makers to local implementers, and establishing effective public-private partnerships that finance UGI development. Moreover, the mechanisms for communicating the knowledge generated to decision makers and relevant stakeholders can be improved. The filling of these gaps can raise the importance of UGI in political agendas to translate science into policy, and policy into practice.
This Research Topic welcomes contributions that focus on the following:
• Quantification of the supply and demand of urban ecosystem services
• Planning of UGI to fulfill the demand for urban ecosystem services
• The role of UGI governance to attain the SDGs
• Mechanisms for stakeholder involvement for UGI planning and management
• Public-private partnership to finance UGI development
• Translating the science of UGI and ecosystems services into policy and strategy
• Translating UGI policy and strategy into practice
By providing ecosystem services, Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) can help alleviate many of the environmental, social and economic problems that the growing urban population is facing, thus contributing towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 11 which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Yet, the full potential of UGI to meet the SDGs for urban dwellers has not been realized due to gaps in knowledge, communication and implementation. There is a lack of knowledge in regards to the supply and demand of specific ecosystem services provided by various components of UGI under differing climate and socio-economic conditions. More knowledge is needed on the ways in which we can embed the concept of ecosystem services in urban and environmental planning. There is a room for engaging stakeholders from decision makers to local implementers, and establishing effective public-private partnerships that finance UGI development. Moreover, the mechanisms for communicating the knowledge generated to decision makers and relevant stakeholders can be improved. The filling of these gaps can raise the importance of UGI in political agendas to translate science into policy, and policy into practice.
This Research Topic welcomes contributions that focus on the following:
• Quantification of the supply and demand of urban ecosystem services
• Planning of UGI to fulfill the demand for urban ecosystem services
• The role of UGI governance to attain the SDGs
• Mechanisms for stakeholder involvement for UGI planning and management
• Public-private partnership to finance UGI development
• Translating the science of UGI and ecosystems services into policy and strategy
• Translating UGI policy and strategy into practice
Keywords: Urban Green Infrastructure, Ecosystem Services, Public-Private Partnerships, Urban Green Infrastructure Governance, Urban Planning and Management, Urban Green Infrastructure Policy, Urban Green Infrastructure Strategy
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
