Urban Nature: Connecting Cities, Sustainability and Innovation
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Urban Nature: Connecting Cities, Sustainability and Innovation
This course is part of Sustainable Cities and Communities Specialization
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482 reviews
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What you'll learn
Increased knowledge on urban nature and nature-based solutions.
Improved critical thinking on the opportunities and challenges for nature-based solutions to contribute to transforming cities.
Deeper understanding of the relationship between cities, nature and innovation.
Expanded ability to use systems thinking to assess nature-based solutions.
Details to know
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There are 5 modules in this course
How can we work with nature to design and build our cities?
This course explores urban nature and nature-based solutions in cities in Europe and around the world. We connect together the key themes of cities, nature, sustainability and innovation. We discuss how to assess what nature-based solutions can achieve in cities. We examine how innovation is taking place in cities in relation to nature. And we analyse the potential of nature-based solutions to help respond to climate change and sustainability challenges. This course was launched in January 2020, and it was updated in September 2021 with new podcasts, films and publications. The course is produced by Lund University in cooperation with partners from Naturvation – a collaborative project on finding synergies between cities, nature, sustainability and innovation. The course features researchers, practitioners and entrepreneurs from a range organisations.
By studying this module you can gain an increased knowledge and a deeper understanding of nature-based solutions in an international and European context. The concept of nature-based solutions is presented and discussed with examples that explore the opportunities, benefits and challenges associated with mainstreaming nature-based solutions.
What's included
8 videos4 readings1 assignment1 plugin
8 videos•Total 44 minutes
- Introduction to the Urban Nature course•2 minutes
- International overview for nature-based solutions (Harriet Bulkeley)•7 minutes
- International lessons on nature-based solutions from Australia (City of Melbourne)•4 minutes
- European lessons on nature-based solutions from Sweden (City of Malmö)•4 minutes
- Climate change and nature-based solutions•3 minutes
- Mainstreaming nature-based solutions – part 1 (Christine Wamsler)•8 minutes
- Mainstreaming nature-based solutions – part 2 (Christine Wamsler)•5 minutes
- Coffee break with Harriet Bulkeley•11 minutes
4 readings•Total 40 minutes
- Welcome to the course – start here!•10 minutes
- Course reading•10 minutes
- Course grading•10 minutes
- Readings for this week•10 minutes
1 assignment
- Week 1 Quiz•0 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
- Bringing Nature Back into Cities (Episode 1 in Podcast Series)•15 minutes
By studying this module you can gain an increased knowledge and a deeper understanding of possibilities and challenges for valuing and assessing the impacts of nature-based solutions. Assessment and valuation methods are presented and discussed in the context of different perspectives on cities, nature and innovation.
What's included
7 videos3 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 plugin
7 videos•Total 35 minutes
- Issues: What issues are addressed by nature-based solutions?•3 minutes
- Assessment methods for nature-based solutions (Helena Hanson)•6 minutes
- Perspectives on nature – Allowing nature to find its way•3 minutes
- Experiences with nature-based solutions from Sweden (City of Höganäs)•3 minutes
- Insights from IUCN and the URBES project•3 minutes
- Coffee break with Dora Almassy•10 minutes
- Coffee break with Peter Olsson•6 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
- Readings for this week•10 minutes
- Description of assignment on Urban Nature in My City•10 minutes
- Example of assignment on Urban Nature in My City•10 minutes
1 assignment
- Week 2 Quiz•0 minutes
1 peer review•Total 480 minutes
- Urban Nature in My City•480 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
- Urban trees and gardens: How good are they really for you? (Episode 2 in Podcast Series)•15 minutes
By studying this module you can gain an increased knowledge and a deeper understanding of governing the implementation of nature-based solutions. The concept of governance is presented through examples and the role of collaboration and engaging citizens and communities is highlighted.
What's included
6 videos1 reading1 assignment1 plugin
6 videos•Total 32 minutes
- Collaborations: Who are needed to make nature-based solutions a success?•3 minutes
- Governance strategies for nature-based solutions (Yuliya Voytenko)•7 minutes
- Perspectives on nature – Strengthening cultural identity•3 minutes
- Experiences with nature-based solutions from Sweden (City of Kristianstad)•3 minutes
- Insights from IUCN and the URBES project – Berlin•9 minutes
- Coffee break with Filka Sekulova•7 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Readings for this week•10 minutes
1 assignment
- Week 3 Quiz•0 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
- All hands on deck: Governing urban green (Episode 3 in Podcast Series)•15 minutes
By studying this module you can gain an increased knowledge and a deeper understanding of enabling finance and developing business models for nature-based solutions. The importance of business models and role of financing is investigated and illustrated through examples and experiences with nature-based solutions.
What's included
6 videos1 reading1 assignment1 plugin
6 videos•Total 31 minutes
- Needs: What is needed to make nature-based solutions a reality?•4 minutes
- Business models and nature-based solutions (Helen Toxopeus)•7 minutes
- Perspectives on nature – Going with the economic flow•3 minutes
- Experiences with nature-based solutions from Sweden (City of Lomma)•4 minutes
- Insights from IUCN and the URBES project – Barcelona•7 minutes
- Coffee break with Helen Toxopeus•6 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Readings for this week•10 minutes
1 assignment
- Week 4 Quiz•0 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
- Valuing nature: Can money really grow on trees? (Episode 4 in Podcast Series)•15 minutes
By studying this module you can gain an increased knowledge and a deeper understanding of innovation pathways for nature-based solutions. The role of visions and pathways is discussed with examples of nature-based solutions and different ways of working with nature, cities and innovation.
What's included
7 videos1 reading1 assignment1 plugin
7 videos•Total 33 minutes
- Visions: What is the role of visions for nature-based solutions?•3 minutes
- Innovation pathways – part 1 (Bernadett Kiss)•6 minutes
- Innovation pathways – part 2 (Bernadett Kiss)•6 minutes
- Perspectives on nature – Working with nature•2 minutes
- Experiences with nature-based solutions from Sweden (City of Eslöv)•3 minutes
- Insights from IUCN and the URBES project – Rotterdam•7 minutes
- Coffee break with Matthew Bach•6 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Readings for this week•10 minutes
1 assignment
- Week 5 Quiz•0 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
- Innovating with nature, people and places (Episode 5 in Podcast Series)•15 minutes
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Reviewed on Aug 19, 2020
Great Course. Lot of examples to refer, which are otherwise difficult find it on one platform anytime elsewhere. Detailed structuring for the week wise learning.
Reviewed on Sep 24, 2023
I recently had the opportunity to take the course "Urban Nature: Connecting Cities, Sustainability, and Innovation," and I must say that it was a highly enlightening and thought-provoking experience.
Reviewed on Feb 17, 2020
Excellent preparation and presentation of course materials, enthusiastic lecturers, good selection of case study and broad perspective on the subject-keep up the good work!
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