Why do we Need More Green Spaces
Introduction
According to Fangzheng Li, Wei Zheng, (Eds) (2019), urbanization has had a lot of positive and negative outcomes to urban green spaces. They argue, while urbanization has positive implications such as creations of employment opportunities, infrastructural and technological advancements in addition to improved communication and transport among others, it has adverse outcomes as well, which, temper with the environment. For instance, urban green spaces have decreased remarkably due to urbanization. Land surface temperature and the thermal environment has deteriorated from urbanization processes. Planners should, therefore, consider human health and well-being during urban schemes designing (Aronson (Eds), 2017). It is essential to have a conceptualized informed framework that focuses on green space planning and design, particularly for human health and well-being. Maximizing function inclusivity in the green spaces is essential for human health and well-being. The goal of this paper is to focus on different researches conducted by different scholars on the impact of urbanization on green space, health, natural assets, among others.
Biodiversity in the city: key challenges for urban green space management
Aronson (Eds), 2017) argues that cities play critical roles in global biodiversity conservation via the planning and management of Urban Green Spaces (UGS). Urban Green Spaces are subject to interaction with economic, cultural, and social complex assortments. The government, field of social networks, individual preferences, multiple stakeholders, and members in the economic world has a role in the conversation of global diversity. However, significant obstacles in biodiversity management in Urban Green Spaces have prevented successful environmental conversation.
In their ability to conduct perfect research, they noted that biodiversity with Urban Green Spaces should be managed at various scales while taking note of the cultural and socio-economic influences. They argued that even though environmental outcomes to maintain urban biodiversity has been addressed, it is essential to consider biodiversity challenges in the cities for sufficient balance in the human needs and perception management in the process of ecological maintenance. Moreover, as Urban Green Spaces vary based on the configuration, it is a challenge as configuration such as connectivity, patch size, and shape should always be considered.
Besides that, an additional challenge is a prevalence of how best to harness strategies cumulative management of activities by multiple land managers differs can. The reason behind that is private, and public green spaces are managed individually. Therefore, the spatial scare of the initiated activities fails to match that of ecological processes. Considering its outcome, as species depend on several habitats found in the landscape, a matrix of people from public lands among other institutions makes it hard to achieve the goals affirmed in green space management (Aronson (Eds), 2017). Due to that, it is vital to come up with one yard that fit principles of conservation and that urban landscape scales rules provide management choices that maximize habitat heterogeneity.
Green space benefits for health and well-being: A life-course approach for urban planning, design, and management
In the view of Douglas et al. (2017), it remains difficult to live in a world with fast-growing technological conveniences. That is because it has an impact on the psychological and physical health of humans. From physically and obesogenic demanding surroundings, lifestyle illnesses have become paramount. Diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, mental diseases, certain cancers, and osteoporosis come from the diver stating kind of environment we inhabit. To them, green spaces and well-being are connected. Environmental determinants, according to Douglas & Scott (2017), are linked to well-being and that it composes of inherited variables such as those related to lifestyle, economic, and social variables.
From their researches, which brings in the concept of affordances, affordable dimensions of Green Spaces, and framework for green spaces planning and design, it is crucial to understand the concept of human health and well-being. Furthermore, Green spaces for urban planning and design should engage the environment via actions of climbing, walking, and playing games. Besides, actualizing affordances within the environment for compelling learning experiences by human beings is vital. Generally, it is significant to encourage actualization of environment affordance and enhance confidentiality among different potential users in green spaces to assist in societal well-being and health.
On the other hand, Lai et al. (2019) further researched the impact of green space and biodiversity on health. They noted that urban green spaces are connected to different health outcomes; however, it remains unclear on the mechanism underlying their links. According to them, human health is affected by the biodiverse device in green spaces. Green spaces facilitate the modification of immune functions. The four authors, while initiating the systematic review, which involved studies having a relationship on health, biodiversity, and health, concluded that green spaces have a positive impact on health, with only 22% having diverse outcomes (Lai et al., 2019). Also, microscopic green- space studies are associated with the examination of biodiversity in as much as green spaces are associated with biodiversity.
Moreover, as they relied on cross-sectional studies, noted that it was hard to come up with a perfect conclusion on the impact of green spaces and biodiversity to health. That is because there are incidences of inefficient research in tropical, especially in developing nations which, limits the outcomes (Lai et al., 2019). It is, therefore, essential to generate strategies for a better understanding of the biological aspects of coming into contact with the nature in a short span to, before planners from optimizing green spaces for the essence of health gains.
Urban Green Space Fragmentation and Urbanization: A Spatiotemporal Perspective
Authors such as Fangzheng et al. (Eds) (2019), believe that urbanization leads to green areas occupations and that causes fragmentation resulting from numerous environmental and socio-economic obstacles. Via the use of qualitative studies, they noted how essential it is to understand the relationship between urbanization processes and urban green spaces. While focusing on the connection between Urban Green Space Fragmentation and Urbanization, they stated that fragmentation impact on green spaces. Via the application of spatiotemporal perspective and introduction of planning context, they managed to analyze the extent to which fragmentation impact on green spaces and that the variations have on environmental health problems.
While using the Largest Patch Index (LPI) and Landscape Shape Index (LSI) from landscape matrixes denoted the spatial patterns of urban green areas, to assess spatiotemporal variation effect to urbanization, on the fragmentation of urban green spaces. Generally, they used Beijing Central Data between 1992-2016 Nighttime Light Data (NTL) and spatial metrics which, indicated that after 2008, urbanization occurred in China’s Southern Urban Fringe, unlike in Beijing Northern part, which started at an early age (Fangzheng et al. (Eds), 2019). Increased fragmentation, intricate spatial patterns, and green spaces reduction are among the significant deductive, which relates to Beijing’s planning policies and rapid urbanization. Indeed, the research remains essential as it shades light how urbanization affects the fragmentation of urban green spaces in addition to offering insights on the end of promoting sustainability, such as planning urban green areas.
The Relationship between social cohesion and Urban Green Space: An Avenue for Health Promotion
Jennings & Omoshalewa (2019) argue that green spaces benefit public health. They stated that services in the ecosystems initiated by green spaces have an impact on the various aspects of human survival, health, and well-being. Therefore, it is essential to offer a strategic way of how green spaces can positively impact human health and well-being. Jennings & Omoshalewa (2019) have stated that it is crucial to involve green spaces in all spheres, be it a city or any other area. That is essential in ensuring human fraternity remains sustainable to favor human health and well-being.
The research conducted from various social dimensions of health and urban green spaces by the two indicates that gardens and greenways should be conserved as they are common areas where people get together for leisure, recreational, or social purposes. Factors relating to urban green spaces should be considered for the essence of human health and well-being. To facilitate that, initiating broader frameworks will further impact the social benefits of urban green space (Jennings & Omoshalewa, 2019). And as social factors have an impact on human health and well-being, through the use of social cohesion framework, green spaces management can understand risk factors, behaviors, or conditions that influence individual health. Social cohesion and health can be liked through sub-domains in social capital. Psychological well-being and self-rated health outcomes can be understood by learning social surrounding of urban green spaces
Advancing sustainability through urban green space
According to Jennings & Yun (2019), sustainability advancement via urban ecosystem services, social determinants of health and equity are the key determinants of health. They argue that urban green spaces generate a variety of benefits such as ecosystem services, which have an impact on the social, physical, and psychological health. Due to problems such as the inequitable distribution of urban population diversity, it, however, becomes tough to come with sustainability criteria that fit perfect well-being. Furthermore, from the research conducted, which explored the connection between social determinants of health and cultural ecosystem services facilitated by the urban green spaces, it turns out that exploring services in the culture of an ecosystem-based on nature in health amenities promotes social equality in health access. By further examining recommendations from future reports, they denoted the link between public health in the area of environmental justice and urban green spaced.
The result of the study noted that for health equality achievement and psychological and physical well-being promotion, it is essential for communities to access cultural ecosystem services. Specifically, which influence the determinants of social health. The research further brings into broad daylight what healthcare pertains to social determinants and that access to primary health and health literacy is essential. Via secondary data analysis gathered from the U.S.A, it remains necessary to understand the link between physical local level activities and green spaces. According to Jennings et al. (2016), integrating cultural ecosystems, service concepts, and urban green areas for the essence of social determinants of health and equity is significant.
Environmental degradation in urban areas
He, Gao, et al. (2017) argue that evaluating the rapid change in the urban environment is essential in understanding and analyzing China’s Urban Sustainability. They believe that its comprehensive knowledge depends on the multi-source remote data, which unfortunately remains inadequate as current researches only examines a single urban environment aspect. The researchers developed the CEI, Comprehensive Evaluation Index, which combined The Fine Particulate Matter from remote sensing data. That also followed the involvement of Vegetation Cover (VC) Land Surface Temperature (LST) for urban environmental transformation assessment. In the end, from conducted researches across rapidly growing regions from China and urban agglomerations, the result noted a quick trend in China’s environmental degradation between 2002 and 2012.
Moderately degraded urban centers and environmentally degraded was 48.13%, and that consisted the China’s total urban. On the other hand, as from 1992 TO 2012, extensive environmental degradation total to 52.33%. Among the significant manifestation was a result of an increase in the exceptional particulate matter concentration (He, Gao et al., 2017). The result further pointed out that environmental degradation has an outcome of social, economic, and psychological well-being. It is, therefore, crucial to governments to pay attention to the urban ecological concerns which might temper with health. It is also essential for future China’s urban development.
Testing the role of urban development in the conventional environmental Kuznets curve
Testing the role of urban development in the conventional environmental curve of Kuznets is crucial via the use of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), specifically of Turkey’s developing economy and rapid urbanization. That also adds to the incorporation of the provincial information from Canada from 1990-2014 to confirm EKC hypothesis presence in the county with a fixed methodology to understand the role of urban development. Scholars’ processes, such as Ibrahim and the law’s empirical model and logarithms form (Salih & Setareh, 2017). It explains that increased emission of carbon dioxide resulted from the usage of fuel oil in addition to traditionally consumed energy patterns connected to urban development pollutes the air even as conversational EKC of the globe and the rural population was considered for the control process.
From the findings gather Salih & Setareh (2017), it was denoted that Turkey’s EKC is not U-shaped. Its inverted U-shape always turns out to be downward sloping, particularly when urban development is incorporated, which has a diverse effect on the environment. It even becomes worse when the rural population and overall population volumes are added. Thus, it is essential to come up with an alternative adaptation that has clean energy systems for effective human health and well-being. Therefore, there is a need for Turkish authorities and the Turkey government to have a look at renewable or rather options for energy usage for sustaining EKC to stop air pollution and better human health and well-being.
Urban parks as spaces to pursue virtuous character, friendship, and contemplation
Jaehyun et al. (2020), analyzing urban parks in conjunction with safe spaces and how to pursue friendship, contemplation, and character, is essential. As they give the contemplative meaning of urban parks and their impacts on our lives. From incorporated questionnaires to philosophers, who provided the information, they concluded that understanding the meaning of good urban parks and the essential roles they play in the lives of human beings is important.
While exploring Aristotle’s Writings, “The Nicomachean Ethics in understanding the meanings of today’s lives to urban parks,” they were able to examine the connection between contemplation, friendship, and character with Aristotle’s opinions. The results generated indicated that the three have an impact on the state of urban parks; in other words, urban parks to have a role in creating safe spaces. The research even gives a hint on the best ways to do accurately. For example, it is crucial to generate social frameworks that encourage virtuous acts and moral guidelines (Jaehyun et al., 2020). It is also vital to establish safe and stable communities via different people or group connections. Lastly, it is essential to remember the essence of enhancing people’s possibilities of developing contemplation leisure in experiences associated with life.
Urban Planning Decisions and their Impact on Environmental Health
According to Wells et al. (2016), planning choices affect public health outcomes and that it is devastating seeing planning-health linkages being given little attention moreover, in this decade. From global research, health outcomes had been narrowed while excluding well-documented linkages between human health and the physical environment. Moreover, from the studies gathered from the authoritative text for students of public health preventive medicine and environmental studies, decisions in planning directly influence neighborhoods, housing quality, and character. The size of parks, external density of air and water quality, height and size of residential structures, community noise levels, and retail store location among others from contemporary, environmental, and community health studies affects the physical environment and human health.
Features of the environment from home and neighborhood affect psychological well-being and physical health either directly or indirectly. Due to that, it is essential to plan decisions covering a wide range of health issues. Additionally, with empirical study reports collected from social sciences and medical reports, there is a connection between planning decisions and health outcomes from residents as a result of urban planning (Wells et al., 2016). It is, therefore, essential to establish useful physical environment green spaces that favor the lives of human health.
In conclusion, the conservation of urban green spaces is essential. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every city should have six square meters minimal of urban green spaces. Urban green spaces facilitate not only physical activities and relaxation but also a form of refuge from noise. Trees, for instance, produce oxygen, which has an impact on human health and well-being. Besides that, they help in filtering out adverse air pollution, including airborne particulate matter, in addition to serving as a shelter for the wild animals. Furthermore, as the urban population facilitates environmental interactions, urban planners are encouraged to restore urban green spaces in their process of development as polluted urban affects health and the quality of life of urban people.
References
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