Trees, rain-gardens, green roofs and walls, and other vegetation help to cool cities on hot summer days, capture heavy rainfall and improve air quality. Research shows that green infrastructure provides a range of other benefits such as increased biodiversity and improved human health. However, cities often find green infrastructure expensive or difficult to implement.
During the Nature Smart Cities project, the partners developed an easy-to-use Business Model. The model is designed to quantify the benefits of green infrastructure across a wide range of ecosystem services. Carbon sequestration for example, but also rain water infiltration, air quality, biodiversity, social cohesion or the effect on the temperature. This provides local authorities with the arguments to invest in urban greening.
