Aarhus
URBAN DEVELOPMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES
The urban population density of Aarhus is around 3,000 people per km2 compared to an average of 272 people per km2 for the whole of the municipality. Agricultural land and forested land account for under 60% and 11% of the land area respectively, protected areas including water surfaces 6% and settlements about 25%.
Over 90% of the inhabitants have access to green space within 500 meters with an objective to sustain or increase green area per inhabitant through green blue structure planning in spite of densification. The city anticipates a densification with an additional 75,000 inhabitants by 2030. Aarhus Municipality has decided to double the total nature area in the municipality by 2030 and increase the area with forested land by 60% by 2030 to ensure drinking water provision and improve recreation, biodiversity, social habitation and health and it focuses on improving accessibility to green areas to all citizens.
The water supply company of Aarhus Municipality plans to invest annually 19 MEUR over the next 65 years to reach full separation of rainwater from wastewater using NBS and NBS hybrids to create a flood resilient city with rainwater on the surface instead of in pipes.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES
Sea level rise, very high groundwater levels, and cloudbursts leading to pluvial flooding events cause disruption as well as economic and social costs. Pressures from intensive land use practices and urban land cover pose a substantial challenge to meet biodiversity SDG goals. Population growth in a densifying city increases soil sealing, puts additional pressures on existing urban and peri-urban green spaces, raises demand for recreational green space and intensifies the challenge of finding space for NBS to manage pluvial flooding.
NBS IN FOCUS
Addressing the pluvial flooding problem through strategic planning for depaving of sealed surfaces, regreening wide roads and separating rainwater from wastewater at neighbourhood scale using NBS surface solutions across the whole of the municipality
Enhance urban biodiversity through comprehensive analyses of impacts of existing and potential green roofs, vertical greens, street trees, and improved management of urban green areas and green infrastructures for biodiversity
Addressing urban liveability through developing and enhancing cultural ecosystem services from NBS flood interventions in co-creation with local inhabitants
ULL ACTIONS
- Preparing for innovation and business incubation of startups and SMEs in Aarhus’s new business incubatorEstablishment of a climate school involving tests of NBS solutions provided by local businesses
- Establisment of citizen’s projects to involve, educate and raise awareness on biodiversity and ecosystem services of natural surroundings and NBS interventions
- Establishment of an ULL advisory board for local politicians from across the political spectrum, civil servants from different administrative sectors and researchers
ULL OUTPUTS
- Guidelines and methodologies on engaging local inhabitants and stakeholders in regreening and depaving neighbourhoods
- Improved evidence from inhabitant groups’ experience and interaction with natural environment using social media and big data
- Technical catalogue of locally adapted NBS solutions and cost-effectiveness. In-depth evidence of citizen preferences and values towards NBS benefits New methods in governance to incorporate the intentions of evolving a green, liveable city and solutions to enhance the quality of and awareness of the benefits of biodiversity
REGREEN AARHUS ULL PARTNER
- Aarhus KommuneStay in touch
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