System innovation

In 2009, the city of Montpellier launched a large census project to valorize its abandoned areas. The study gives guidance on the management of abandoned areas in Montpellier, particularly in connection with environmental education and awareness objectives (Ref. 2). The strategy aims to preserve and promote the natural heritage of Montpellier; promote wastelands as reservoirs of biodiversity, tools for connecting natural spaces; protect and enhance the great green flows accompanying watercourses (biological links and privileged sites for fauna and flora); and develop a network of soft transport throughout the city based on the green network (rivers, agricultural, natural and park areas) (Ref. 4). "The spaces have been classified according to their context, their origin, their potential. This sometimes subjective typology presents a classification of the wasteland and makes it possible to take a particular look on each land. Surfaces of all shapes and sizes fall within this operational classification." Four Experimental projects include: Zenith Friche, Promenade of the Lironde, Pastourelle, Combemale" (Source: uploaded document).

The agriparc of the Mas Nouguier is an agricultural reserve entirely maintained by the city of Montpellier. Conducted in organic agriculture, the estate contributes to the preservation of the identity of the territory and to the valorization of the living environment. Accessible to all, it offers a beautiful walk in the middle of the vineyards. Apiaries are used to develop educational workshops and to collect honey with school children. Olive trees, centennial pines and a large meadow come to embellish this little bit of countryside in town (Ref. 1).

The city of Malmö works for a sustainable urban environment, e.g. through planning the city's new construction, working on existing buildings and at the same time striving to reduce the environmental impact. Västra Hamnen (Western harbour) is a new and ultra-modern district in Malmö. It is located on a former shipyard area right beside the sea, only less than a kilometer north-west of the medieval old town of Malmö (ref. 10). In the Western Harbour where land was available after the shipyard’s closure, high sustainability has been sought from the beginning. In dialogue with builders and other actors, Malmö City has developed guidelines for energy use, green structure, waste solutions and a healthy indoor environment. (Ref. 1)

The Green and Blue Network in France is a national policy which "aims to restore ecological continuity in order to promote the migration of species and the resilience of ecosystems to face habitat threats and climate change. It also aims to strengthen the place of nature in the city and public awareness." In Montpellier, implementation of "this project has improved knowledge of the city's natural heritage and enhanced ecological continuity, as well as protecting, and sustainably managing high-potential sites and integrating the social dimension, raising public awareness, the observation of nature"(Ref. 2).

The initiative is comprised of a project to recover the coastal line of Alicante, from El Campello to Elx (approx. 21 km long). The Municipality called an ideas' competition with the aim of developing a sustainable coastal corridor project that includes an intervention on the entire Alicante coastline and generates a continuous itinerary integrated into the landscape with new places of opportunity for the residents of the city (Ref. 7). The two-stage competition sought proposals for a new ‘coastal passage’ featuring the creation of new multi-purpose public spaces promoting biodiversity and accessibility (Ref 13). The winner was announced on the beginning of 2019 and the Municipality planned to start the development of the first 2 parts of the project. The winning project of the competition bears the slogan "My connected archipelago" and is the work of the Grupo Aranea and Subarquitectura studios from Alicante (Ref 14), a project that considers ecological and sustainable principles (Ref. 9).

Ekostaden Augustenborg is the collective name for a program to aims to transform Augustenborg into a more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable neighborhood. Ekostaden Augustenborg is one of Sweden´s largest urban sustainability projects. Aims and implemented measures were based on the wishes of local stakeholders and residents: No more flooding, green roofs, a musical theme playground, an open stormwater system (ref. 1).

The Alicante City Council will receive 11 million euros from the European FEDER sustainable growth program 2014-2020 to carry out this project, the Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategy of Alicante DUSI Las Cigarreras. This funding will allow the integral transformation of an area that extends between The Castles of Santa Bárbara and San Fernando.” (Ref. 1). The specific transformation includes the recovery and dynamization of an important urban area that includes four historical neighbourhoods and two of the most emblematic mountains of the city, surrounded by two castles and with extensive green areas and rehabilitation of the existing city from the social and environmental sustainability, facing new urban development (Ref. 2)

"Kvillebäcken is the first urban district in Gothenburg built according to the new environmental demands. Traffic and buildings will be adapted to a more environmentally sustainable community, where no inhabitants will be dependent on transport by car. Housing and commercial buildings will meet strict demands on energy balance, indoor environment, healthy materials, protection from noise and moisture, greenery in the courtyards and surface water management. New environmental technology solutions will be used in the district, such as the efficient collection of household waste and covered bicycle parking. New solutions will also meet strict demands on economic and social sustainability." (Ref. 1)

The ReLambro project is based on a metropolitan view where nature becomes an occasion for regeneration of the city: the river is no longer an empty and abandoned space but draws a great ecological and environmental system. The interventions, during the design phase, provide for the restoration of the naturalness of large sprawling areas, the reinforcement of the hedges and rows and channels system, the reorganisation of public and fruiting functions in areas at risk of flooding. The project strengthens ecological function by integrating it with urban functions (2).

This intervention is part of an action plan by the Junta de Andalucia to develop an intervention model for disadvantaged zones to facilitate the social inclusion of persons at risk or socially excluded, and the socioeconomic growth of the area. (Ref 1) The project is a pilot to transform one of Sevilla's poorest neighborhoods, Los Pajaritos, into an eco-neighborhood. (Ref 14)