The Implementation of Green Infrastructure: Relating a General Concept to Context and Site

Abstract

Abstract:In the quest for more sustainable urban landscape development, the concept of 'green infrastructure' (GI) has become central in policy documents and as a multifunctional general planning tool. GI is not however a simple and unambiguous solution. While there in policy documents are claims for more and connected GI, actual urban development takes another direction.The densifying imperative is hard to combine with an increased and more connected GI. This paper argues for a critical and diversified approach to the concept of GI, to facilitate its implementation in urban planning and management. While GI most often is seen as a common asset and a public good, the actual land use negotiations and management responsibilities cannot be limited to a public service discourse, but should address more clearly a variety of actors. Linguistic as well as spatial definitions of the two relevant dichotomies of 'green-grey' and 'public-private' are crucial in GI location, design, construction and management, it is argued. Overarching representations of GI will be needed, but also -and linked to it -a spatial storm water plan and an overall plan for public space. The development over time will need an intersectorial implementation and management program. Thus some of the GI intentions may be implemented in planning processes, some through reorganisation and redesign of public space, and some by agreements with landowners.

“It’s on the ‘nice to have’ pile”: Potential principles to improve the implementation of socially inclusive Green Infrastructure

“…In other words, instead of attempting to pin down another definition of GI, researchers and policymakers should agree on processes through which GI is best achieved. In setting out social good practice approaches, practitioners would therefore be in a better position to resist both the depoliticisation of GI (Finewood et al 2019 ), ensure GI is socially inclusive (Haase et al 2017 ) as well as maintain the malleability of the GI concept to fit local requirements and geographies (Lindholm 2017 ). Our findings also raise questions concerning the spatial scale at which such good practice approaches should be applied (e.g.…”

“…To avoid being watered down and employed solely as a technical solution, however, GI, and NBS more widely, need to be politicised in the planning and procurement processes. As Lindholm ( 2017 ) has argued, this politicisation means to discuss and flesh out the ‘why’ and the ‘where’ questions concerning GI, before more technical questions should be considered. The social principles suggested here provide a starting point for this politicisation such that GI might be better governed and more-inclusively designed in the future.…”

De bijdrage van de vastgoedsector aan een natuurinclusieve leefomgeving : Achtergrondrapport

“…Over de verschillen in onderhoudskosten die met deze keuze samenhangt, is nog weinig geschreven. Op diverse wijzen wordt door vele onderzoekers gesteld dat de huidige vastgoedindustrie en de manier waarop we nu wonen niet duurzaam zijn op het gebied van natuur en milieu (Sealey et al, 2018;Lindholm, 2017;Grafakos et al, 2016 (Lindholm, 2017;Price et al, 2015). bevolking is hier een belangrijk punt van aandacht (Battisti et al, 2017).…”

“…De boodschap is niet zelden gericht op de instrumenten die zij kunnen inzetten voor een meer duurzame praktijk in de vastgoedsector. In diverse papers wordt dan ook gekeken hoe overheden/beleidsmakers bepaalde ontwikkelingen kunnen stimuleren via planning en beleid (Mittal en Byahut, 2017;Xu et al, 2018;Votsis, 2017;Moseley et al, 2013;Ma et al, 2013;Lindholm, 2017). Het gaat daarbij om instrumenten zoals nieuwe regelgeving, incentives voor burgers/bedrijven om de leefomgeving te vergroenen, of manieren om investeerders in beweging te krijgen.…”

“…Dit hangt samen met zowel de groene als sociale vraagstukken die hierboven zijn benoemd en met aanbevelingen over de rol en functie van groen in deze vraagstukken. Zo pleiten Lindholm et al (2017) voor meer betrokkenheid van de vastgoedsector bij het groene milieu.…”