Mainstreaming green infrastructure: how to better use the green belt to address the climate and biodiversity emergencies in North East England
Lead Research Organisation:
Northumbria University
Department Name: Fac of Engineering and Environment
Abstract
There is considerable public & policy attention around the optimal use for green belts (GB). This is polarised between those who see GB's purpose simply as preventing urban sprawl and those who see GB as potential sites to meet housing need through careful and selective GB releases. A further dimension relates to GB as green infrastructure, stressing its potential for nature-based solutions. It is this hidden and neglected dimension that this PhD proposal is built upon. Specifically, how GB can be made more "environmentally productive" as a core component of a green infrastructure network. Here potential
policy "hooks" arise from the convergence of the UK climate emergency, severe and ongoing natural capital/biodiversity declines and health and well-being concerns. This work builds on existing NERC research undertaken by Scott on mainstreaming green infrastructure1 and work by Walsh on valuing green
infrastructure and alternative business models for delivering green infrastructure in cities2 and NEENP's work on rethinking our peri- urban spaces. This PhD will involve working primarily in North East England GB but with application across UK and globally to:-
1. Undertake a literature and policy review of green belt policy and impacts globally with particular
relevance to the role of environmental innovation.
2. Undertake a policy assessment of extant and proposed green belt policies across the North East
area and the impact of national/international policies and guidance.
3. Identify and prepare a natural capital assessment of the north east England green belt, drawing upon
the latest approaches and providing a critique of these (currently no systematic assessment of green belt
value has been undertaken in the UK)
4. Identify suitable land uses and delivery mechanisms that can help address the climate and
biodiversity and health emergencies as well as deliver other ecosystem service benefits
5. Identify, secure and test 2-3 pilot areas (including benchmark data and indicators) to measure
progress and, if appropriate, model a range of scenarios e.g. flood risk; woodland cover
6. Propose new green belt policies and principles to show how environmental value can be better
identified, captured and delivered to help respond to climate, health and biodiversity emergencies
policy "hooks" arise from the convergence of the UK climate emergency, severe and ongoing natural capital/biodiversity declines and health and well-being concerns. This work builds on existing NERC research undertaken by Scott on mainstreaming green infrastructure1 and work by Walsh on valuing green
infrastructure and alternative business models for delivering green infrastructure in cities2 and NEENP's work on rethinking our peri- urban spaces. This PhD will involve working primarily in North East England GB but with application across UK and globally to:-
1. Undertake a literature and policy review of green belt policy and impacts globally with particular
relevance to the role of environmental innovation.
2. Undertake a policy assessment of extant and proposed green belt policies across the North East
area and the impact of national/international policies and guidance.
3. Identify and prepare a natural capital assessment of the north east England green belt, drawing upon
the latest approaches and providing a critique of these (currently no systematic assessment of green belt
value has been undertaken in the UK)
4. Identify suitable land uses and delivery mechanisms that can help address the climate and
biodiversity and health emergencies as well as deliver other ecosystem service benefits
5. Identify, secure and test 2-3 pilot areas (including benchmark data and indicators) to measure
progress and, if appropriate, model a range of scenarios e.g. flood risk; woodland cover
6. Propose new green belt policies and principles to show how environmental value can be better
identified, captured and delivered to help respond to climate, health and biodiversity emergencies
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Alister Scott (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Matthew Kirby (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NE/S007512/1 | 01/10/2019 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 2434501 | Studentship | NE/S007512/1 | 01/10/2020 | 31/03/2024 | Matthew Kirby |