On 6 March 2023, The Japan Times published an article on the potential of green spaces to address the social and environmental challenges brought on by urbanisation. The article argues that urban farms in particular provide multiple benefits to city dwellers, such as community building and improved air quality, while promoting sustainable food production and consumption. UNU-IAS Research Associate Juan Pastor-Ivars provided comments on sustainable urban greening practices.
Urban green spaces will increasingly become the only easily accessible nature for future generations in cities", says Juan Pastor-Ivars (...). If designed properly, such spaces can boost local wellbeing, increase biodiversity and reduce the ecological footprint of cities by providing vital services such as heat-island control, carbon sequestration and water management.
The full article is available on the Japan Times website.