Nature-Based Solutions and Circularity in Cities

AbstractCities worldwide are facing a number of serious challenges including population growth, resource depletion, climate change, and degradation of ecosystems. To cope with these challenges, the transformation of our cities into sustainable systems using a holistic approach is required. The pathway to this urban transition is adopting the concept of circular economy for resource management. In this way, resources are kept and reused within the city. Nature-based solutions can be implemented for these tasks, and besides the circularity, they can provide additional benefits for the urbanites and the urban environment in general. This paper describes which urban challenges related to circularity can be addressed through nature-based solutions. This systematic review was developed within the COST Action CA17133 Circular City that investigates how nature-based solutions can be used to progress the circular economy in the urban built environment.

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Implementing nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city

Blue-Green Systems ◽

10.2166/bgs.2020.933 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 173-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Guenter Langergraber ◽

Bernhard Pucher ◽

Lena Simperler ◽

Johannes Kisser ◽

Evina Katsou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Resource Depletion ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Flood Prevention ◽

Cost Action ◽

Network Testing ◽

Sustainable Systems ◽

Working Groups ◽

The Cost ◽

The City

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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The COST action CA17133 "Circular city"

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-21733 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Natasa Atanasova ◽

Guenter Langergraber

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Resource Depletion ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Cost Action ◽

Network Testing ◽

Sustainable Systems ◽

First Results ◽

Working Groups ◽

The Cost

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). They 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 CA17133 "Implementing nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful 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.To tackle this challenge the Action comprises five working groups (WGs):<ul><li>WG1: Built environment</li> <li>WG2: Sustainable urban water utilisation</li> <li>WG3: Resource recovery</li> <li>WG4: Urban Farming</li> <li>WG5: Transformation tools</li> </ul>The network of researches, companies and stakeholders from more than 40 countries spread over whole Europe brings together a large diversity of disciplines and is therefore well equipped taking holistic approach on embedding NBS within circular economy. In the presentation we will present the first results already achieved and the future plans of the Action.

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Embedding resilience of urban areas to climate change: a case study of Rotterdam

Urban Development Issues ◽

10.2478/udi-2018-0007 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 56 (4) ◽

pp. 59-68

Author(s):

Anna Bilska

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Interpersonal Relations ◽

Urban Climate ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Broad Perspective ◽

Climate Resilience ◽

Network Building ◽

The City

Abstract Climate change may have severe consequences for urban areas and many cities, such as those situated on deltas, are already threatened. The paper claims that the solution for endangered areas is the embedding of urban climate resilience. The concept of resilience is put forward to bring a broad perspective to a city with an indication that the city is a complex system with developed relations, both inward and outward. Social and institutional aspects of these relations are highlighted as they have the highest potential to make the city resilient. The paper indicates three fundamental features of embedding the resilience of urban areas to climate change: network building, a strategic approach and implementing urban projects. A practical application of these fundamental features is evaluated using the case study of Rotterdam. The research shows the reliability of these bases and indicates key characteristics of each fundamental feature: the network should be multidimensional with solid institutional and interpersonal relations, the strategy should have a holistic approach and project implementation needs the engagement of all the city actors.

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Cities under Pressure: Strategies and Tools to Face Climate Change and Pandemic

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12187743 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (18) ◽

pp. 7743 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Francesca Moraci ◽

Maurizio Francesco Errigo ◽

Celestina Fazia ◽

Tiziana Campisi ◽

Francesco Castelli

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Urban Environment ◽

Urban Design ◽

Urban System ◽

Focal Points ◽

Historical Trends ◽

Health Factors ◽

Definition Of ◽

Main Effects ◽

The City

This paper investigates the problems and stresses of the contemporary city, mainly due to natural and health factors, related to climate change and the pandemic COVID19. Besides highlighting the characteristics of climate change and the ongoing pandemic, this study focuses on the analysis of the main effects and consequences that these phenomena have produced on the city and the vulnerabilities of the urban system. To understand how these events have impacted the urban environment, directly and indirectly, this research undertakes to define some specific indicators capable of comparing the phenomena and assessing their repercussions. The Methodology is based on the following focal points: on the analysis of the urban shocks that have affected the cities in the last decade, on the comparison between contemporary survey data and those relating to historical trends, on the definition of the main urban sectors particularly affected by the onset of urban shocks, and on the definition of strategies, actions, and tools deemed to be effective in the implementation of a post-pandemic and climate-proof city. These results were achieved through complementary urban design and tools capable of creating a post-pandemic and climate-proof adaptive city, within a cross-disciplinary approach.

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A Road to Circular Economy: Mindful Consumption

Psychology and Education Journal ◽

10.17762/pae.v58i1.927 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 1447-1452

Author(s):

Chainarong Khaw-ngern Et al.

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Resource Depletion ◽

Ecological Crisis ◽

Raw Material ◽

Business Sector ◽

Resources Conservation ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change ◽

Material Extraction

With higher level of the ecological crisis and the impacts of climate change becoming more and more visible every year, there is an urgent need to search for ways to render our society more sustainable. The purpose of this article is to study the influence of mindful consumption on the transition towards circular economy. Documentary study and literature review were used for data collection. The problems of irrational consumption were examined, circular economy principles were investigated, and explore how right mindfulness effects consumer’s behaviors in the consumption process and how it influences the business sector towards circular economy. Results showed that right mindfulness, when applied to an individual’s consumption behaviors, it can promote individuals’ awareness of waste problems, resource depletion, pollution, environmental degradation and climate change when they make their decision on purchasing. Thus, their consumption process develops in more sustainable way which contributes to resources conservation and environmental sustainability. As a result, it will influence business sector to make a transition towards circular economy; reducing raw material extraction, designing and manufacturing more sustainable/eco-friendly products, and using more recycle materials. Circular economy concept is a great move towards environmental sustainability. Consumers play an important role in the economic system of a nation. If there is no consumers’ effective demand, the producers would have no motivation to produce and sell to consumers. To move forwards on the path towards circular economy, consumers are required to make their choice with mindfulness.

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ALGORITHM OF COMPLEX URBAN METEOROLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

Bulletin of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Geography ◽

10.17721/1728-2721.2020.76-77.4 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 31-36

Author(s):

О. Shevchenko

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Urban Environment ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Atmospheric Environment ◽

Practical Significance ◽

Speed Reduction ◽

Pollution Levels ◽

Urban Energy Balance ◽

The City

Determining the main patterns influencing the formation of urban meteorological transformations in cities, establishing mechanisms of interaction between components of the urban environment, development of methods, approaches, and preparation of algorithms for obtaining objective information about the urban environment are very important and urgent tasks which determine the development of urban meteorology as a science and have important practical significance. The aim of this work is the development of the algorithm of complex urban meteorological assessment for objective identification of transformations in the atmospheric environment of big cities. The methodological basis of the research is the concept of interaction of urban meteorological components of the city. The results of the latest meteorological studies of urban areas are systematized in this work. It is shown the close relationships between the urban meteorological components (microclimate, bioclimate, air pollution, and climate change and vulnerability to it) and their significant influence on the formation of each other. The necessity of the development of a complex urban meteorological assessment algorithm is substantiated and such an algorithm is offered. The algorithm consists of four basic stages and one which can be realized optionally. The assessment of microclimatic features of separate sites of the territory should be carried out at the first stage. The second stage of the assessment should be the study of the specific urban bioclimate, as the UHI existence, wind speed reduction and associated changes in urban energy balance within the city lead to the formation of specific bioclimatic conditions in urban areas. The third stage of the assessment should be devoted to the evaluation of air pollution levels in the urban environment. The city’s climate change vulnerability assessment should be done at the fourth stage. Features of realization of each stage are described in detail.

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Waste-to-Energy: A Circular Economy Tool towards Climate Change Mitigation in Imo State, South-Eastern, Nigeria

Asian Journal of Advanced Research and Reports ◽

10.9734/ajarr/2019/v7i130164 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-17

Author(s):

J. K. Okere ◽

C. M. Ofodum ◽

J. N. Azorji ◽

O. J. Nwosu

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Developing Countries ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Product Life Cycle ◽

Climate Change Policy ◽

Bottom Ash ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Waste To Energy ◽

Climate Mitigation

Waste is an indispensable by-product of most human daily activity. Prevailing waste management strategy, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria, is far below standard, resulting in environmental contamination and pollution which hampers sustainability. This forms the crux of the research paper which entails ascertaining how Waste-to-Energy can serve as a circular economy tool towards climate mitigation that will ensure environmental sustainability. Key challenges relate to moving beyond the perception of ‘waste as a problem’ to ‘waste as a resource’. Ultimately, both waste prevention, as well as a widespread growth in circular economy activities, will require a coherent and holistic approach that takes recovery options into account at every stage of the product life cycle. To achieve this, the study explored the potentials inherent in Waste-to-Energy (WtE) as a tool. The work is qualitative and involves a synchronic evaluation of previous research works relevant to the study to ascertain the viability of WtE as a circular economic tool for scaling back adverse environmental impact. Integration of results with detailed clarifications of circular economy and climate mitigation indicates WtE as an index of sustainable development. The bottom ash from combustion operations serves as feedstock to the construction industry, hence closing a potential pollution loop. Therefore, Waste-to-Energy is ascertained a viable tool that supports the circular economy while coupling with progressive externalities of climate mitigation. Thus, the study recommends that WtE as a tool should be duly considered as a key feature of climate change policy in developing countries, especially in Nigeria.

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Concerning the Concept of Light-Colour Arrangement of the Urban Environment in the Central Part of Tyumen

Light & Engineering ◽

10.33383/2019-033 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 34-42

Author(s):

Nikolay I. Shchepetkov ◽

Svetlana B. Kapeleva ◽

Denis V. Bugaev ◽

Gregory S. Matovnikov ◽

Anna S. Kostareva

Keyword(s):

Urban Environment ◽

Comprehensive Analysis ◽

Assessment Criteria ◽

Field Observations ◽

General Plan ◽

Design Solutions ◽

Methodological Principles ◽

The City

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of outdoor lighting in the central part of Tyumen (with consideration of conducted field observations) and prospects of its development on the basis of the general plan of illumination of the central part of the city being under design. Main provisions of this general plan as well as methodological principles and assessment criteria of design solutions illustrat-ed by photographs, schemes and visualisations of the illuminated objects are described.

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