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Contemporary ecological models of health prominently feature the natural environment as fundamental to the ecosystem services that support human life, health, and well-being. The natural environment encompasses and permeates all other spheres of influence on health. Reviews of the natural environment and health literature have tended, at times inte...
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... ecological models of health have evolved to prominently feature the natural environment as fundamental to the ecosystem services that support human life and health [1]. In these models, the biosphere, landscape, and natural environment are the foundation of health and well-being (e.g., Figure 1) [2,3]. Despite this, the natural environment receives relatively little attention in health research and promotion [4]. ...
Context 2
... purpose of this paper is to present a more complete survey (limited by what can be included in one paper) of the array of empirically-supported human health co-benefits of GI. The conceptual framework guiding this review is rooted in the succession of Figures 1-3: The natural environment is fundamental to health ( Figure 1); green infrastructure is a landscape conservation strategy that produces the structure of the natural environment necessary for ecosystem functioning ( Figure 2); the ecosystem services supported by GI mediate the relationship between GI and health ( Figure 3). ...
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This paper considers the rationality and motivation behind our conceptions of the built environment. It argues that our current logical, analytical rational conceptualisations of the built environment are inadequate and hence propositions based on this understanding have a limited utility in practice. The logical analytical rationality (LAR) is par...
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... Kentsel sistem ve süreçler bağlamında ele alınan yeşil altyapı, suç oranları ve şiddet, fiziksel aktivite ve halk sağlığı gibi sosyal savunmasızlık yönlerini etkilemekte, aynı zamanda sosyal sermaye oluşturma ve uyum sağlama önündeki engelleri de teteikleyebilmektedir. (Dannenberg et al. 2003;Coutts et al. 2015;Zuniga-Teran et al. 2020a). Kentsel toplumların dirençliliği, kentsel mekânsal planlama ve tüm hazırlık, planlama, tasarım ve yönetim süreçlerinde sosyal çeşitlilik, uyum sağlama ve bütünleşme gibi konuları ele alarak bu kırılganlıkların üstesinden gelmeye bağlı bir yapıyı da ortaya koymaktadır. ...
... These include green infrastructure (GI), ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), low-impact development (LID), water-sensitive urban design (WSUD), and best management practices [17]. These solutions have significant potential in urban se ings as they can offer a wide range of ecosystem services [18][19][20]. NBSs can be employed independently or in conjunction with conventional infrastructure, facilitating urban resilience to climate change and enhancing resource management. Designing an NBS in the present context involves allocating space for natural elements and devising technical measures that are harmonized with the established surroundings, thereby establishing a new man-made green system capable of being integrated with our urban environment [21]. ...
Currently, urban areas are confronting considerable challenges stemming from climate change. These challenges possess the potential to have profound implications for the well-being of residents, their means of making a living, and their own assets. Consequently, it is imperative to identify effective solutions that mitigate these effects on the urban environment. Nature-based solutions (NBSs), involving the utilization of natural resources and ecosystem services to alleviate the effects of climate change, have the potential of enhancing our capacity to develop cities that are more resistant to these challenges. To this end, this paper aims to extract some bibliographic data from available research articles on NBSs and climate resilience sought from the common search engines of Scopus, Web of Science, and Lens Base, and then the RStudio version 2022.12.00+353, VoSviewer version 1.6.20, and Biblioshiny-Bibliometrics version 2017 software tools were adopted to collate and analyze the literature data through science mapping analysis. In doing so, it was advocated that these two topics have not been extensively studied in their relationship to each other and that there is a large extent of existing knowledge gaps, the filling of which can foster the development of these ideas and thus help develop our cities in combating against climate change. Exploring the effectiveness of NBSs in boosting climate resilience is a critical research gap. More empirical studies are envisaged to assess the scalability and transferability of those effective NBSs in various regions or countries. Another research gap exists in comprehending the long-term effects on ecosystem services and community welfare. Research on socioeconomic advantages, trade-offs, and unintended outcomes is essential for making well-informed decisions when applying various NBSs worldwide.
... Outra característica observada foi o tempo de realização de atividade física inferior ao tempo médio encontrado na literatura (LIU et al., 2017). É importante ressaltar que nem todos os usuários praticam alguma atividade física nos parques, pois uma grande parte busca acesso ao lazer, sendo esse objetivo uma das principais potencialidades dos parques no fortalecimento de vínculos e de sociabilidade (GÓMEZ et al, 2015;COUTTS;HAHN, 2015;JENNINGS;BAMKOLE, 2019). ...
... Outra característica observada foi o tempo de realização de atividade física inferior ao tempo médio encontrado na literatura (LIU et al., 2017). É importante ressaltar que nem todos os usuários praticam alguma atividade física nos parques, pois uma grande parte busca acesso ao lazer, sendo esse objetivo uma das principais potencialidades dos parques no fortalecimento de vínculos e de sociabilidade (GÓMEZ et al, 2015;COUTTS;HAHN, 2015;JENNINGS;BAMKOLE, 2019). ...
... Os resultados referentes à autopercepção de saúde física demonstram que estes estão associados também a prática de atividade física nos parques. Corroborando a literatura que reforça os benefícios da prática de atividades físicas para à saúde nestes espaços (COUTTS; HAHN, 2015;LIU et al., 2017 A relação da renda dos usuários e a percepção sobre saúde física também ratifica que pessoas com maior poder aquisitivo tendem a ter mais acesso a atividades de promoção à saúde, a diagnóstico e ao tratamento de eventuais problemas de saúde (WOOLF et al., 2015). Em outro sentido, quanto maior a idade, menor a percepção de boa saúde física, haja vista o acúmulo de problemas de saúde inerentes à fisiologia humana (SILVA et al., 2012;ZANESCO et al., 2018). ...
Os parques urbanos desempenham um papel crucial no equilíbrio ambiental e na promoção da saúde. Este estudo, realizado na cidade do Recife entre 2019 e 2020, investigou a associação entre variáveis relacionadas ao uso de parques urbanos e a autopercepção da saúde física e mental dos usuários. Com 1082 questionários aplicados em oito parques, a análise dos dados, realizada por meio de modelos de regressão logística ordinal no Stata e Intelecttus, revelou que o perfil dos usuários e os padrões de uso dos parques estão positivamente correlacionados com o bem-estar. Os resultados indicam que os visitantes dos parques têm renda mensal e nível de escolaridade superiores à média da cidade. A percepção positiva da saúde física e mental foi evidenciada, com 50,82% considerando sua saúde mental como boa e 43,56% avaliando positivamente a saúde física. Além disso, 33,79% relataram um nível de estresse considerado bom nas últimas duas semanas.A prática de atividades físicas mostrou-se associada a uma percepção mais positiva da saúde física, aumentando as chances em 44,24% em comparação com aqueles que não se exercitam. A percepção favorável do nível de estresse também contribuiu para uma melhor avaliação da saúde mental entre os usuários. Esses resultados destacam a importância dos parques urbanos na promoção da saúde e oferecem um diagnóstico sobre o perfil dos usuários, informando a gestão dessas áreas e o desenvolvimento de políticas públicas intertesetoriais.
... Well-designed urban green spaces (UGSs) enhance a city's ecological vitality and provide many ecosystem services that contribute to public health, thereby fortifying urban resilience against public health emergencies. The undeniable symbiotic relationship between humans and the natural environment [5] is fortified by green spaces, ensuring ecological preservation while championing health benefits [6]. The importance of green spaces extends to human well-being [7], particularly concerning psychological dimensions [8,9]. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic represents a quintessential public health crisis, profoundly impacting the utilization patterns of urban green spaces through stringent quarantine and lockdown measures. However, existing research inadequately addresses specific concerns regarding future urban green spaces and tends to oversimplify population divisions. This study delves into the needs and preferences of Shanghai residents affected by the pandemic and quarantine measures, focusing on various aspects such as specific types of green spaces, facilities, landscape elements, and landscape and spatial types. Multifactorial population clustering was also performed. This study delineates the following conclusions: (1) It is imperative to afford residents access to green spaces at least once a week, even during quarantine periods. (2) Residents exhibited a preference for accessible green spaces equipped with essential amenities, favoring unobstructed vistas and plant-centric ecological landscapes during the pandemic. Additionally, there is a notable preference for private green spaces among residents. (3) Post-pandemic, the “affluent” group displays a heightened overall demand for green spaces, the “middle-class” group shows a conspicuous inclination towards specific green space landscape elements, while the “low-income” group consistently exhibits a low preference for green spaces during and after the pandemic. This study underscores the necessity of developing human-centric green spaces to promote equity and resilience in the face of future emergencies, rooted in residents’ preferences amidst public health crises.
... Access to the amount of water, and overloaded city drainage during flooding season is a major problem, green infrastructure design could be a viable solution to the problem. Incorporating green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, bioswales, or permeable pavement, can help reduce stormwater runoff and alleviate flood risks in urban areas (Coutts & Hahn 2015). However, implementing these strategies is not without challenges. ...
... Our results indicate that the quality of green spaces is an important factor in the provision of ecosystem services. For example, larger and more diverse green spaces tend to provide greater benefits in terms of air and water quality, as well as habitat for wildlife (Coutts and Hahn, 2015;Salmond et al., 2016;Tzoulas et al., 2007). Similarly, green spaces that are easily accessible to the public tend to have greater human wellbeing benefits, as they can be used for recreation and relaxation (Pröbstl-Haider, 2015;Venter et al., 2020). ...
Green areas provide numerous ecosystem services (ES) that are essential for human well-being, such as climate regulation, air quality regulation, disease regulation, and recreational opportunities. In this study, we assessed the ecosystem services provided by green areas and their implications for human health in Brazil. Considering emerging problems in Brazil, such as population growth, the health crisis, and the increase in deforestation, ES mapping is essential to understand barriers and diagnose strategies for promoting the health and well-being of the Brazilian population. Using remote sensing data and geographic information systems, we evaluated the Green Areas Ecosystem Services (GAES), composed of i) the provision of green areas; ii) regulation of air quality; iii) climate regulation; iv) diseases regulation (cardiorespiratory); and v) cultural services, including recreation, sports, and ecotourism. Our findings suggest that green areas in Brazil provide a considerable amount of ecosystem services that are relevant to human health. Over 70 % of Brazil exhibited GAES values exceeding 0.5 (relative scale ranging from 0 to 1). This indicates that a significant portion of the Brazilian population has access to green spaces that provide important services, such as air and water purification, climate regulation, and disease regulation. The mean GAES value for the entire country was 0.78, with notable regional variations. The highest GAES was found in regions dominated by the Amazon Forest (GAES = 0.81), while the smallest offers of GAES are in the northeast (GAES = 0.40) and south (GAES = 0.41) regions of the country The type of vegetation was an important factor in the regulation of climate and air quality. However, factors such as population density and urbanization interfere with the regulation of diseases. Considering the 10 states with the highest and lowest per capita income and population density, the state of Rio Grande do Sul, located in the South region, had the highest mean GAES value; while the state of Acre, in the North region, had the lowest. Our findings suggest that interventions to improve green area provision and quality may be most effective in the northeast and South regions of Brazil. This is indicative of the observed lower GAES provision in these regions, primarily attributed to elevated urbanization levels leading to the conversion of green areas into urban zones. Overall, our study highlights the importance of green areas for human well-being and provides valuable information for policy-makers to prioritize interventions to improve GAES provision across Brazil.
... The concept of ecosystem services (ES) has gained increasing recognition as a framework for assessing the quality of natural areas, including urban green spaces, and their contribution to human wellbeing across different domains (Coutts & Hahn, 2015;Zabelskyte & Matijosaitiene, 2020). The ES framework enables the modelling, representation, and mapping of "the benefits people obtain from ecosystems" (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). ...
... Urban Heat Islands werden in dicht bebauten Bezirken von durch den Klimawandel verursachten längeren Hitzewellen verstärkt, zudem ist von häufigeren Extremwetterereignissen wie Starkregen auszugehen. Belastende Auswirkungen auf die Gesundheit, das Wohlbefinden und die Arbeitsleistung der dort ansässigen Bewohner:innen sind absehbar (vgl.Hunter et al. 2019; Baumüller 2018;Jennings, Larson, Yun 2016; WHO 2016;Coutts, Hahn 2015;Tzoulas et al. 2007). Unter Europas Hauptstädten wird Wien in Zukunft besonders stark mit Hitzewellen zu kämpfen haben(Smid et al. 2019; Copernicus Climate Change Service 2023). ...
... Urban heat mitigation strategies aim to cool the built environment and reduce heat-related morbidity and mortality, which are increasing globally 1 , especially in developing countries 2 . Green infrastructure (GI) is the most commonly used strategy to cool cities with demonstrated co-benefits related to air quality, water, food, physical activity, mental health, and social capital [3][4][5][6] . However, current urban expansion tends to deplete green spaces rather than sustain them, and GI loss may be exacerbated in rapidly urbanizing developing countries 5 . ...
Researchers and city practitioners are paramount stakeholders in creating urban resilience but have diverse and potentially competing views. To understand varying stakeholder perspectives, we conducted a systematic literature content analysis on green infrastructure (GI) and reflective pavement (RP). The analysis shows a United States (US)-based science-practice disconnect in written communication, potentially hindering holistic decision-making. We identified 191 GI and 93 RP impacts, categorized into co-benefits, trade-offs, disservices, or neutral. Impacts were further classified as environmental, social, or economic. The analysis demonstrates that US city practitioners emphasize social and economic co-benefits that may not be fully represented in the scientific discourse. Scientists communicate a broader range of impacts, including trade-offs and disservices, highlighting a nuanced understanding of the potential consequences. Identifying contrasting perspectives and integrating knowledge from various agents is critical in urban climate governance. Our findings facilitate bridging the science-policy disconnect in the US heat mitigation literature.
... -Impact on water -The historical branches reconnection ensures hydraulic continuity between the main watercourse and its floodplain, i.e. the water renewal (Coutts and Hahn, 2015). This favours improvement of physical-chemical and biological water indices, having a positive impact on both long and short term. ...
For surface water bodies, the main environmental objectives set out in the Water Framework Directive are aimed at achieving the good ecological status, respectively the good potential for heavily modified and artificial water bodies. The Banat River Basin Management Plan 2016-2021 identified several significant pressures at watercourses level, such as Bega Veche, which lead to the failure to achieve these objectives. This paper presents the proposed green measures which have a beneficial role from a biological and ecological point of view, which involve natural water retention measures and renaturation of water streams banks, including measures to improve the retention capacity at catchment level.
