Environmental Justice and Nature-Based Solutions
What role does environmental justice play in your daily work? AND What key aspects do you think need to be considered for the planning of low carbon and just cities?
As part of the EU HORIZON project, JUSTNature, we are conducting a survey to understand how urban planners and practitioners address these questions. We specifically want to understand the importance you attribute to environmental justice when implementing low carbon and high air quality nature-based solutions (NbS)*. As part of the survey, we will test some of our concepts and assumptions about different justice components (e.g., air quality injustice, thermal injustices, carbon injustices, spatial injustices, flora, fauna, and habitat inclusive, temporal injustices) in NbS. There are no right or wrong answers. All input is important.
The survey should take approximately 20 minutes. Your responses are completely anonymous and the data we collect will be used only for this research. By completing this survey you consent to the use of your data for these purposes.
If you want to learn more about the JUSTNature project, including our objective and recent work, please visit our project website https://justnatureproject.eu/. If you want to be informed about the results of this survey and receive other news from the project send an email to Tannya Pico at pico@isocarp-institute.org.
*Nature based solutions (NbS): Actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”. They are just one of a range of concepts used to frame nature’s contributions to people (NCP). Others refer to ecosystem-based adaptation, green infrastructure or ecosystem services.
Sources: Cohen-Shacham, E., Walters, G., Janzen, C., & Maginnis, S. (2016). Nature-based Solutions to address global societal challenges. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Díaz, S., Pascual, U., Stenseke, M., Martín-López, B., Watson, R. T., Molnár, Z., ... & Shirayama, Y. (2018). Assessing nature's contributions to people. Science, 359(6373), 270-272. Pauleit, S., Zölch, T., Hansen, R., Randrup, T. B., & Konijnendijk van den Bosch, C. (2017). Nature-based solutions and climate change–four shades of green. In Nature-Based solutions to climate change adaptation in urban areas (pp. 29-49). Springer, Cham.
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Personal Information
Please provide the following personal information. All questions may be skipped if desired.
1. To which gender indentity do you most identify?
Female
Male
Non-binary
Trans
Intersex
Non-conforming
I prefer not to answer
2. What is your age?
Under 20
20-30
30-40
40-50
50-60
Over 60
3. Which of the following categories best fits your occupation?
Civil society initiatives
Government organization
NGO
Private industry
University
Other
4. What is your field of speciality
Urban planning and governance
Green infrastructure
Environmental management
Architecture
Other
5. For how many years have you worked in your field?
< 3 years
3-5 years
5-10 years
> 10 years
Other
6. What country do you mostly work in?
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Importance of environmental justice in nature-based solutions
7. In your opinion, what are the 3 most important focus areas in urban planning to achieve the universal right to ecological space in the city? [Select 3 options]
Traffic noise reduction
Clean air
Urban climate improvement
Species and habitat protection
Biodiversity conservation
Building stock renovation for energy efficiency
Sustainable mobility
Sustainable water management
Public green and playground development for recreation and exercise
Urban agricultural land and forest restoration/conservation for carbon capture and storage
8. Which of the following aspects do you think are the most important to address in the planning of a city? Order the following by importance [Most important (1) to least important (5)]
9. In your opinion, which of the following helps best to address environmental (in)justice in the planning of a city? [Select 1 option]
Bottom-up management: Self-reliant management of the urban environment by its inhabitants, whose primary objective is to establish fair living conditions.
Emphasis on inequalities: Environmental justice governance focused on low-income, disadvantaged and excluded population groups.
Co-governance by stakeholders: Planning processes that involve the active participation of different actors (e.g., citizens, civil society organizations, business representatives.
Market factors: Governance determined by supply and demand, negotiations, and market pricing (e.g., housing market) that ensures an optimal outcome with regards to environmental justice.
Other [please specify]
10. Which aspects of environmental justice are key for the development of nature-based solutions? Order the following statements by importance [Most important (1) to least important (5)]
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Ecological justice considerations in nature-based solutions
11. For the following statements on ecological justice in urban nature-based solutions, indicate the extent to which you agree, based on your experiences [Rate the following statements from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree)]
Generally, any threats by infrastructure to ecological integrity and biodiversity are addressed during planning, (e.g., impervious surfaces, habitat fragmentation, and other land, water, soil or air quality indicators)
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
Hybridized (mixed green-blue) infrastructure to improve ecological resilience and integrity is often proposed in urban planning projects
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
Urban spaces are typically designed in a transdisciplinary manner with natural science experts such as ecologists or biologists
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
The decision-making processes in urban planning often includes biophysical processes and elements i.e., nature is often ‘given a voice'
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
Target species or habitats are usually selected at the earliest stages in urban planning projects
Strongly disagree
1
2
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4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
The conservation of biodiversity or legally protected species often competes with city planning priorities
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
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Thermal justice in the city
12. For the following statements on thermal justice in cities, indicate the extent to which you agree, based on your knowledge and experiences [Rate the following statements from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree)]
Excessive built environments are one of the major causes of higher air temperature in cities compared to rural areas (i.e., urban heat island effect)
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
Air temperature and outdoor thermal comfort conditions are consistently affected by the distribution of greenery
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
All areas of a city are equally affected by the urban heat island effect
Strongly disagree
1
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4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
Heat-related burdens affect women and men equally
Strongly disagree
1
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4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
Heat-related burdens disproportionately affect more children and elderly population
Strongly disagree
1
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4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
People living in areas with less access to urban green infrastructure, and reduced ability to maintain and develop private green space are more exposed to heat-related burdens
Strongly disagree
1
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3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
People living in inner cities and those living in suburbs are equally at risk from heat-related burdens
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
Inequitable burdens from Urban Heat Island effect can be offset by increasing green space in low-income neighborhoods
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
4
Strongly agree
5
1 is Strongly disagree, 5 is Strongly agree
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Carbon justice in cities
13. In your opinion, what interventions are the most important in planning a carbon just city? Order the following statements by importance [Most important (1) to least important (5)]
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Gentrification and nature-based solutions
Gentrification is a process of displacement caused by wealthier developments of neighborhoods and highlights some issues in the inclusion of nature-based solutions within a neighborhood. Problems and issues that may be encountered are for example the increase of real estate costs, or the reallocation of the less well-off.
14. To what extent do you think that nature-based solutions can contribute to societal inequalities in cities? Indicate the likelihood of nature-based solutions increasing the inequalities in the statements below [From 1 (Highly likely) to 4 (Highly unlikely)]
Increase of unequal access to green amenities by gender (e.g., women have decreased access to certain public spaces)
Highly likely
1
2
3
4
Highly unlikely
5
1 is Highly likely, 5 is Highly unlikely
Increase of unequal access to green amenities by age (e.g., elderly due to mobility problems, youth lacking playgrounds)
Highly likely
1
2
3
4
Highly unlikely
5
1 is Highly likely, 5 is Highly unlikely
Increase of unequal access to green amenities by disability (e.g. new green spaces are inaccessible to wheelchair users)
Highly likely
1
2
3
4
Highly unlikely
5
1 is Highly likely, 5 is Highly unlikely
Increase of unequal access to green amenities by culture (e.g. new green spaces address the needs of one culture and neglect others)
Highly likely
1
2
3
4
Highly unlikely
5
1 is Highly likely, 5 is Highly unlikely
Increase of unequal access to green amenities by income (e.g. people with lower income are forced to change neighborhood)
Highly likely
1
2
3
4
Highly unlikely
5
1 is Highly likely, 5 is Highly unlikely
Increase of unequal access to green amenities by race
Highly likely
1
2
3
4
Highly unlikely
5
1 is Highly likely, 5 is Highly unlikely
15. In your opinion, during which stages of the design and implementation process is it most relevant to consider the socio-economic, cultural and socio-demographic characteristics of the neighborhood, to decrease the negative side-effects of nature-based solutions associated with gentrification?
Initiation phase: Project study
Definition phase: Establishing the project requirements
Design phase: Creating the project plan
Development phase: How to implement the plan
Implementation phase: Executing project work
Monitoring phase: Controlling and reporting
Other
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Justice in the city
16. In your opinion, how important are the following actions to address the different aspects of justice (i.e. spatial, temporal, ecological, etc.) in relation to nature-based solutions? Order the following statements by importance [Most important (1) to least important (7)]
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Last thoughts
17. Which of the following themes related to environmental justice and nature-based solutions would you be the most interested to know more about [select 1 option]
Air quality justice: Reduction of inequitable exposure to air pollution
Thermal justice: Reduction of inequitable distribution of extreme heat conditions
Carbon justice: Accountability for the distribution and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Spatial justice: Balanced socio-economic development with environmental stewardship, while addressing issues related to gentrification
Habitat, Flora and Fauna inclusive: Application of justice considerations for nature and nonhumans' sake
Temporal justice: Consideration of interrelations between past, present and future conditions of injustices and inequalities
18. Based on your answer to the previous question, which nature-based solutions do you think have the most positive impact on your chosen theme (i.e., air, thermal, carbon, spatial, habitat, and temporal justice)? [Select 3 options]
Greening buildings (e.g., roofs, walls)
Private, commercial, industrial, and institutional urban green space
Parks and recreation areas
Allotments and community gardens
Agricultural land
Natural, semi-natural, and derelict or vacant land
Riverbank green
Blue infrastructure
Other
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