Biophilic Cities: Planning for Sustainable and Smart Urban Environments

Russo, Alessio ORCID: 0000-0002-0073-7243 and Cirella, Giuseppe T. (2017) Biophilic Cities: Planning for Sustainable and Smart Urban Environments. In: Smart cities movement in BRICS. Global Policy and Observer Research Foundation, London, pp. 153-159. ISBN 9788186818299

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Abstract

More than half the world’s population now lives in cities. According to a United Nations report, urbanisation combined with overall growth of population could add another 2.5 billion people to urban areas by 2050. As a result of urbanisation, many cities are facing social and environmental problems that have seriously compromised citizens’ health and wellbeing: the urban heat island effect, CO2 emissions, soil sealing, biodiversity loss, air, water and soil pollution and climate change. Holistic planning is needed to tackle these problems, integrating nature-based thinking into urban environmental development. Research indicates that sustainable and smart biophilic cities achieve and maintain a higher standard of living than others and project higher living standards the longer they operate. The idea of biophilic cities is inspired by conservationist E. O. Wilson’s concept of ‘biophilia’ that invokes our innate affinity with nature and maintains that increased integration with nature within an urban landscape has human benefits. A biophilic approach that enhances green infrastructure can provide significant gains for cities, including a wide range of ecosystem services and an improvement in the social and psychological condition of residents. This paper discusses exploratory ideas relating to the advantages of biophilic cities.

Item Type:	Book Section
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences S Agriculture > SB Plant culture > SB469 Landscape gardening. Landscape architecture
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Creative Arts
Research Priority Areas:	Creative Practice and Theory
Depositing User:	Alessio Russo
Date Deposited:	11 Mar 2019 11:26
Last Modified:	31 Aug 2023 09:22
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/6589

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