By adopting the principles of regenerative design, 22 cities can increase the size of their green-blue areas by 42 per cent, that is areas of comprised of water and/or vegetation, according to a new study by engineering consultancy company Sweco.

Currently, 75 per cent 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,” says Tobias Nauwelaers, a Sweco expert in nature restoration and urban ecology, and one of the authors of the report.

Sweco has studied 22 cities: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Bergen, Berlin, Brno, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Krakow, London, Munich, Oslo, Prague, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Tallinn, Tampere, Vilnius and Warsaw.

Sweco’s report highlights several recommendations for regenerative cities including the use nature-based solutions; green corridors to connect natural areas, 15-minute access to key services and use of permeable surfaces to prevent flooding and support water quality and wildlife.

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