EFI Biocities Facility

Do you know that most trees in cities around the world have a much shorter life expectancy than the one they are supposed to? This because often they are not managed in a proper way, with cement suffocating them, and hostile living conditions. Luckily in Sweden they have invented a way to keep them alive and healthy longer, the "Stockholm Tree Pit", which is a great innovative practice that many cities around the world are starting to adopt. Read more in the article below, and thanks to Rik De Vreese and @Peter Yeung for this article, let's share the good practices! #biocities #trees #urbanplanning #greenareas #urbanforests #climatechange #treepit #svenskainstitutet

Do you know the 3-30-300 rule? 🌳 It is a simple yet powerful concept by Cecil Konijnendijk: 𝟯 – 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 Everyone should be able to see at least three large trees from where they live, work, learn, or receive care. This promotes psychological well-being and connection to nature, and also enhances mental recovery, concentration, learning, and creativity. 𝟯𝟬 – 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 Neighbourhoods – defined based on local definitions and needs – should have at least 30% tree canopy cover. This provides environmental benefits, such as cooling and improved air quality, while also enhancing our wellbeing and physical health, and fostering more social interactions. 𝟯𝟬𝟬 – 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 We should all have a high-quality, publicly accessible green space of at least 0.5–1.0 hectares no more than 300 metres walk or bike ride away, ensuring accessibility for recreation and fostering healthier lifestyles. Interested in the topic? There's a new handbook created by the Yggdrasil - The Living Nordic City project, supported by the Nature-based solutions in the Nordic region. It's a great step by step guide to implement the idea! Link in the comments.

🌿 New series alert! 🌿 Our new “What is” series offers concise insights into key forest-related topics. Each one-pager provides a clear and accessible overview of the topic at hand rather than a strict definition, helping the reader to grasp the essence of complex subjects at a glance. We are launching the series with insights into "What is Closer-to-Nature Forestry?" and "What is Urban Forestry?" Read more 👇https://lnkd.in/dK4eB5bg Helga Puelzl Rik De Vreese Ian Whitehead

Long commutes impact not just health but also social life and the environment. 🕒 In traffic-congested cities worldwide, people spend an average of two hours daily just getting to work. That’s time lost for exercise, family, and well-being—while increasing exposure to air pollution. 💡 What if commuting were seen as a key quality-of-life factor, just like air quality or housing? Smarter urban planning and big data insights can reduce travel times, lower emissions, and create healthier cities. 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🏙️ 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 Hear from Tianren Yang, Assistant Professor at the the University of Hong Kong, in Episode 1 #GlobalUrbanLectures – Season 7. 📺 https://loom.ly/sa9dQ0c

One of the most exciting times in the climate world is when countries update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - and that’s happening right now! As more and more people living in cities, how are cities integrated in climate plans? An analysis of 194 NDCs showed: 💡 66% include content relating to cities and urban sectors, leaving many opportunities to highlight urban priorities more. 💰 160 emphasize finance for national-level climate action, while only 26 focus on financing urban solutions. 🌪️ While 89% mention climate hazards, only 40% do so in context of cities. It’s encouraging to see cities getting more attention in these updated climate plans. Brazil’s NDC introduces “climate federalism” to coordinate action across all levels of government, and the UK’s NDC includes the leadership of local governments through #CHAMP and Urban Transitions Mission Centre . Plus, big news: the UK is aiming for an 81% emissions reduction! 🎉 Each updated NDC shows how far we’ve come - and how much further we need to go. With cities being hubs of innovation, including urban content can help get us to a better urban future sooner, see the full report for an analysis for each country’s NDC. Read our full report, search "Urban Content of NDCs"

Civilizations aren’t as strong as we think. History shows us that many great civilizations collapsed because they destroyed their environment and couldn’t adapt. Our question is — are we going to make the same mistake? Right now, we’re heading down a similar path. Extreme weather events, deforestation, water shortages... We’re repeating history. Even with all our technology, we keep ignoring nature’s basic rules. But what if we did things differently? There’s a growing movement that’s changing the way we design and build—by learning from nature instead of fighting against it. It’s called Nature Based Architecture. The idea is simple: our buildings and cities shouldn’t just sit in nature. They should work with it—protecting and restoring the environment rather than destroying it. We can do this by designing smarter: ✅ Using sunlight to heat buildings naturally ✅ Collecting rainwater instead of wasting it ✅ Treating waste with biological systems ✅ Creating buildings that clean the air, enrich the soil, and boost biodiversity This isn’t just about being "eco-friendly." It’s about designing a world where nature and architecture function as one. The benefits? Lower energy costs, stronger buildings, cleaner water, and cities that actually help the planet instead of harming it. This is the future. This is BIOTONOMY — building a civilization that’s in sync with nature, not against it. Are you ready to make the shift and become part of the solution? #Biotonomy #NatureBasedArchitecture #SustainableLiving

Heatwaves are becoming a more and more pressing topic in urban areas - a great contribution to the space by Marquez-Torres et. al titled 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐔𝐒 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. They analyzed thousands of urban green spaces and their interplay of local urban features. More: https://zurl.co/GWK7c #365Papers #Day47

From dead industrial canal to the world's first floating eco-park 🌿 (and they just raised $1.4M to scale it)... Once used to transport lumber, coal, and grain... Chicago's old shipping channels sat filled with waste and pollution. No wildlife. No plants. No purpose. Just polluted waters from another era. That's when a small group decided to experiment. Instead of accepting dead waterways... Urban Rivers built the 'Wild Mile' Here's their innovative approach: a) Modular floating platforms attach directly to old steel walls b) Native plants grow without soil, their roots hanging directly in the water c) These plants filter pollutants and create habitats for fish and birds d) Interconnected walkways let people explore without disturbing wildlife The ecosystem exploded: ↳ 105 species of birds appeared. Beavers and turtles moving in. ↳ Thousands of mussels cleaning water. ↳ Local waterways pollution significantly reduced There has also been huge community buy-in: ↳ 32,000 visitors a year ↳ Hundreds of volunteers engaged ↳ Project being scaled across other sections of US rivers From a volunteer experiment... ...To the world's first floating wildlife park. Sometimes the best solutions come from a group brave enough to question 'What If ?' 📥 Follow for daily updates on NatureTech and Finance