Prescription of Nature-Based Solutions to Cities (UGPN-NBS)
Start date
August 2024End date
July 2025Overview
Led by Professor Prashant Kumar, the Director of the Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) and Co-Director, Institute for Sustainability at the University of Surrey, researchers from three partner universities – University of Surrey, University of São Paulo, and North Carolina State University – are collaborating with experts from additional Universities in Brazil, UK, China and Australia. Together, they are advancing world-leading research on nature-based air quality solutions to help mitigate the impacts of environmental challenges on society.
Vision
Cities currently house ~55% of the global population, a figure expected to increase to 68% by 2050. Due to their dense construction and high population density, cities face severe environmental challenges such as high air pollution, urban overheating, flooding, droughts, and loss of biodiversity. These challenges are often addressed in isolation and only when they become prominent. To build resilient cities, implementing sustainable nature-based solutions (NBS) is crucial. This effort necessitates multidisciplinary partnerships to integrate innovative monitoring, modelling, AI, and citizen science methods, driving a significant paradigm shift.
UGPN-NBS aims to tackle the multidisciplinary challenge of urban sustainability and climate resilience in the UK, US and Brazilian cities using the NBS, and directly address the UN SDGs: (3) Good Health & Well-being; (10) Reduced Inequalities; (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities; (13) Climate Action; and (15) Life on Land.
Objectives
The overall objective of UGPN-NBS is to create a methodological framework for prescribing NBS through a diverse range of 51 green-blue infrastructure types. This framework aims to balance functionality, performance, and co-benefits in the future planning of megacities like Sao Paulo, growing cities like Raleigh, and typical towns like Guildford. Specific objectives (SO) include:
- [SO1] Build a global UGPN network for NBS applications in cities, including UGPN partners and external collaborators and policy makers across the globe
- [SO2] Develop case studies on the multifunctionality of NBS benefits for preparing bespoke prescriptions to NBS deprived areas
- [SO3] Foster staff-student exchange to share knowledge, best practices and the experiences for developing a vibrant NBS community
- [SO4] Exploit the project findings and network to write joint publications, develop new ideas for project proposals for applying to bi/trilateral international grants.
Funding amount
$30,000
Funder
Related sustainable development goals
Team
Lead principal investigator
Professor Prashant Kumar
Director of the Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) & Co-Director, Institute for Sustainability, School of Sustainability, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of Surrey
See profileCo-principal investigators
Professor Maria de Fatima Andrade
Professor at the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil
See profile Dr Rajan Parajuli
Associate professor of forest economics and policy in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University
See profileCo-investigators
Professor Regina Maura de Miranda
School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Professor Marco Aurélio de Menezes Franco
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Professor Thiago Nogueira
School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Professor Giuliano Locosselli
Institute of Environmental Research from the State of São Paulo, Cluster of Ecology, Brazil
Professor Lidia Morawska
Vice-Chancellor Fellow at the University of Surrey; & International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
Dr Devendra Saroj
Reader and Head of Centre for Environmental Health and Engineering (CEHE), Fellow of Institute for Sustainability, FEPS, University of Surrey Adjunct Faculty, CRDT, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi
Dr Erick Giovani Sperandio Nascimento
Associate Professor (Reader) in AI for Clean Air and Programme Lead of AI and Sustainability, University of Surrey, UK
Professor John Watts
Professor of Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University of Surrey, UK
Dr Giovanni Lo Iacono
Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, UK
Professor Pérola de Castro Vasconcellos
Institute of Chemistry, Department of Fundamental Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Professor Edmilson Dias de Freitas
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Dr Madhushudhan Katti
Associate Professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University
Dr Angela Allen
Assistant Teaching Professor, Director of Environmental & Technology Program, and co-Director of Environmental Sciences, North Carolina State University
Dr Megan Lupak
Assistant Teaching Professor, Co-Director of Environmental Sciences in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University
Dr Meredith Martin
Assistant Professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University
Collaborators external to UGPN universities
Professor Taciana Toledo de Almeida Albuquerque
Department of Sanitation and Environmental Engineering at School of Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Professor Pedro Jose Perez-Martinez
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Urban Planning (FECFAU), State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
Professor Leila Droprinchinski Martins
Federal Technology University - Paraná, Londrina Campus, Brazil
Professor Neyval Costa Reis Jr
Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil
Professor Jane Meri Santos
Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo , Brazil
Professor Rizzieri Pedruzzi
Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Professor Jorge A Martins Jorge
Federal Technological University of Paraná, Londrina Campus, Brazil
Professor Elisa Valentim
Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil
Dr Tom Wild
Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, Principal Investigator H2020 CONEXUS project
Dr Yuhan Huang
DECRA Fellow & Senior Lecturer, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney
Professor Shi-Jie Cao
Southeast University China
Professor Chris Pain
Imperial College London
Professor Veronica Soebarto
School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Australia
Early career researchers
Dr Anubhav Dwivedi
University of Surrey/GCARE Experimental Officer
Dr Sarkawt Hama
University of Surrey/GCARE Post-doctoral Researcher
Dr Jeetendra Sahani
University of Surrey/GCARE Post-doctoral Researcher
Lucy Green
University of Surrey/GCARE PhD Student
Soheila Khalili
University of Surrey/GCARE PhD Student
Huaiwen Wu
University of Surrey PhD Student
Leiticia Figueiredo Candido
USP-IAG PhD student
Iara da Silva
USP PhD Student
Vicky Wei
University of Surrey/GCARE PhD Student
Maria Carla Queiroz Diniz de Oliveira
USP-IAG PhD Student
Dr Mario Eduardo Gavidia Calderón
USP-IAG, PDRA
Dr Guilherme Martins Pereira
USP-IAG, PDRA
Shila Pokhrel
NCSU PhD Student