Syke Policy Brief | Sustainable solutions for environmental policy | Finnish Environment Institute | 24.3.2025
Cities can be densified nature-smartly City planning is about balancing between different objectives of urban development. Urban densification has been considered a solution that both benefits the economy and curbs climate emissions from transport. However, densification should not lead to a decline in biodiversity nor in the well-being of residents. Studies show that diverse nature close to home has significant positive impacts on people’s well-being. Steps to nature-smart densification
• In a sustainable city, biodiversity loss has been turned into recovery of natural environments, climate emissions into carbon sinks and the use of natural resources into circular economy, while urban nature supports the well-being of residents.
• Construction, the locations of shops and services, as well as increasing traffic can be steered through land policy and master planning so that natural environments and local green areas for urban residents are not reduced.
• The preservation of nature values and local green areas should be ensured in local detailed planning and in the implementation of construction projects. It is also important to utilise residents’ views of the recreational routes and green areas that are important to them.
• The aim of planning should be to avoid harmful effects on nature and to restore nature in
construction instead of compensating for them elsewhere. Several benefits provided by urban nature, such as the absorption of meltwater and rainwater or the health benefits of local nature, cannot be compensated by nature areas elsewhere.
Sustainable infill development preserves nature areas
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