6 ECTS credits
160 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4023631ENR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.
Against the backdrop of accelerating global urbanization with the percentage of world population living in cities rising up to 70% by 2050, the role of urban nature to ecological, climatic or social sustainability challenges becomes ever more relevant. New urban planning principles evolving around the concepts of ecosystem services, green infrastructure and, more recently, nature-based solutions have emphasized the crucial role of urban green and blue spaces for the city’s environmental quality, its adaptation to climate change, the creation of social cohesion and as enablers of public health and human wellbeing. Despite these benefits and the increasing self-portrayal of municipalities as “green cities”, urban green space provision at high quality becomes also an issue of socio-spatial and environmental justice in cities thriving towards sustainability and resilience. The question about who has right to the green city encompasses the accessibility to green and blue spaces by different societal groups (distributional justice), the integration of all affected groups into greening decision-making processes (procedural justice) and the recognition of the needs, values, and preferences of all urban residents in relation to urban nature (recognition justice). In this context, negative outcomes of re-naturing strategies (often linked to urban development projects) such as “green gentrification” are also a growing concern to be addressed by urban decision-makers.
This course draws on state-of-the-art urban ecology principles, ecosystem service science, and environmental justice scholarship to analyze the concepts, approaches and impacts behind contemporary urban greening strategies, focusing most prominently in cities of the global North. It thereby provides insights on the theoretical foundations, methodological tools, governance models and case study examples that highly influence the provision of “universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible green and public space” as outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: “Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.
The course introduces students to the key concepts and tools increasingly used by urban environmental scientists, urban ecologists, urban planners, or landscape architects in greening strategies and policies, and encourages them to develop critical ways of looking, assessing and understanding the multifaceted impacts (positive and potentially negative) of such policies. By the end of the course, students are expected to:
Master state-of-the-art theories, concepts and ideas behind urban ecology, with a focus on (urban) ecosystem services, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions.
Be familiar with methodological approaches and tools for assessing urban nature (green and blue spaces) and its benefits (and potential disservices) to urban dwellers.
Develop a critical view on urban greening strategies through the lenses of environmental justice scholarship.
Be comfortable presenting and discussing academic work in public, using visual software.
Write in a concise and engaging style for academic and non-academic audiences.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
The course is based on lectures by the main instructor, discussion of key readings in class and invited potential colloquiums by researchers/experts working on the course topics. Over the course, all students (depending on enrollment size) are expected to deliver one in-class presentation based on one of the key/mandatory readings and submit two pieces of work: i) a short blog/media piece for non-expert audiences in relation to one of the topics of the course; and ii) an individual written assignment (essay) on a predefined topic. Details on the different assignments will be provided before the course.
Evaluation - grading (overview):
Class attendance and participation (10%)
In-class presentation (20%)
Blog/media piece (30%)
Individual essay (40%)
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Geography: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Geography: Standard track
Master of Urban Studies: Standard track
Master of Urban Design and Spatial Planning: Track 1 (Bachelor via SCH of VRB) (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Urban Design and Spatial Planning: Track 2 (Master indirect) (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Urban Design and Spatial Planning: Track 3 (Bachelor of Master direct) (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: geografie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)