VALUE – Valuation and strengthening of urban green spaces in landscape planning in cities

Accelerating urbanization and denser urban structures make cities increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Climate change increases extreme weather phenomena such as stormwater floods and long periods of heat, which cause financial losses and threaten the health, well-being and even life of people and other species. A diverse green structure is the key to climate change adaptation in urban areas. When the urban green structure is nurtured now, it has time to grow into the protection that our cities need. Abundant and sufficient greenery also ensures biodiversity.

Well-functioning ecosystems provide the basis for all wellbeing. Urban greenery provides ecosystem services, such as storm water absorption, heat island mitigation and carbon sequestration. Investing in green structures and developing it further bring long-term cost benefits, as we lower the risks caused by changing climate. Diverse green structure in urban green guarantees a better adaption to climate change.

However, in growing urban areas, the preservation and strengthening of the green structure requires new types of co-created principles for urban development and tools for planning. In the VALUE project, we are developing a tool, the green area factor for districts, for evaluating the quantity and quality of ecosystem services and biodiversity. The tool supports the preservation and development of the green structure and prioritizing them in land use planning.

Take part in the project’s events and trainings, read more about the current state of the green structure, the piloting and implementation of the tool on our website – join us in giving the green structure its due value.