UNderstanding and enabling the transition towards reverting soil SEALing for improving urban biodiversity and nature-based solutions (UNSEAL)

Urban green is commonly accepted as a nature-based solution to increase biodiversity and human wellbeing in urban areas, by offering a multitude of benefits. Existing research as well as current urban land use policies and planning approaches focus on preserving or extending the functions of green areas to reduce the negative impacts of urban development. Meanwhile, circular models for repurposing urban space for biodiversity are hardly considered, although they offer great opportunities for nature-positive urban development. Such circular models thus represent a paradigm shift in urban planning. 

The aim of UNSEAL is to advance our understanding of processes of soil unsealing in urban areas and to identify opportunities towards further unsealing and creation of new urban space for biodiversity. Unsealing here refers to the removal of buildings and other impervious surfaces, and its repurposing for green infrastructure. As such, it represents a circular model for regenerating, repurposing, protecting and conserving urban space for biodiversity. 

UNSEAL builds on an international and interdisciplinary consortium of universities, research institutes, municipalities, SMEs, and NGOs with strong links to the five case studies (in Switzerland, The Netherlands, Greece, Hungary and Romania), and includes co-creation activities with citizens and planners throughout the project. This setup ensures a constant triangulation between scientific findings, policy relevance, and societal benefits. 

The activities within the UNSEAL project will deliver new insights into 

1. levers for a paradigm shift in land use planning and policy towards soil unsealing for nature-positive urban development,
2. successful approaches for justice and equity consideration in unsealing activities through co-creation, and
3. potential of out-scaling methodological lessons towards other cities in Europe, facilitated by generic and scalable tools.