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Sweco study : Regenerative design can increase urban green-blue areas in European cities by 42 percent
A new Sweco study highlights the potential of 22 European cities to enhance liveability , sustainability and resilience through regenerative design in the built environment . By adopting the principles of regenerative design , these cities can increase the size of their green-blue areas by 42 percent – and align with the new EU nature restoration law related to urban ecosystems .
C urrently , 75 % of EU citizens reside in urban areas . As cities expand , green-blue spaces tend to be sacrificed for grey infrastructure , thereby negatively impacting biodiversity . By paving over natural surfaces , removing trees and channelling waterways , urban development has led to ecological ‘ dead zones ’ and increased vulnerability to floods and heatwaves .
“ The decline of biodiversity is progressing at an alarming rate and scale , triggering a chain reaction . This also threatens the essential ecosystem services that citizens rely on , such as clean water and air and pollinating crops ,” said Tobias Nauwelaers , a Sweco expert in nature restoration and urban ecology , and one of the authors of the report .
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