ICLEI –
The H2020 GoGreenRoutes project, in which the Regional Ministry for Development and infrastructure is participating, will research the benefits of urban nature on health after Covid-19

Freiburg, Germany, 23 November 2020

A new 11-million-euro project funded by the European Commission will apply new solutions, such as nature-based urban solutions, big data analysis and citizen science to investigate the links between green spaces and human health and wellbeing, a topic that has garnered worldwide attention in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With a network of over 40 partners in Europe, Latin America and China, GoGreenRoutes plans to implement transformative "nature-based solutions" in six pioneering cities. An ecosystem of innovative knowledge will be established with the participation of another nine urban areas, 14 universities and research institutions, 12 small and medium-sized enterprises and five NGOs, sowing the seeds for a greater connection with nature in urban environments.

The four-year project will change the traditional focus of nature-based solutions - actions inspired and supported by nature which simultaneously address social challenges - towards the collateral benefits of multidimensional health, known as "Health 360". The objective is to identify and monitor the positive effects of green spaces on stress reduction, attention, mental resilience and prosocial behaviour, whilst using digital innovation to research how the green routes impact physical activity and active journeys.

As a result, a new set of environmental indicators will be developed to inform the process of designing green routes, ensuring that they meet the needs of their users and address the unique challenges in different cities.

GoGreenRoutes will take the Covid-19 pandemic into consideration and assess the impact of the reduction in air pollution during and after the lockdown, as well as the effects of the quarantine on mental health.

Piret Noukas, project advisor for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises at the European Research Executive Agency, stated:GoGreenRoutes will show the benefits of urban nature-based solutions on health and wellbeing. It will dedicate special attention to cutting-edge digital innovations, in particular the soundscape, the creation of digital places, emotional mapping and virtual reality. The project will also put an emphasis on cocreation, diversity, equity and inclusion".

Dr Tadhg MacIntyre, project coordinator at the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, explained: "Covid-19 has reminded us how the thread of our existence is interlinked with biodiversity and the natural world. Access to green space, which was very limited during the lockdown situations, is essential for health and mental wellbeing. Target 11.7 of the UN SDGs is to provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, particularly for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities by 2030. What we have learned from the pandemic is that citizens need more green spaces than ever, especially in urban areas. Spending time outdoors whilst maintaining physical distance reduces the risk of transmission and promotes a positive psychological and physical response which is key to giving a resilient response to global challenges".

Maria Vasile, policy officer at the Healthy Lives Unit of the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, said, "GoGreenRoutes will fulfil one of the objectives of the EU research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 to decode the role of environmental determinants in health, and develop mitigation measures. With its strong social inclusion component, it also strives to invest in better health for all.”

GoGreenRoutes is funded by the EU programme Horizon 2020 and will be grouped with other funded projects under the theme "Visionary and integrated solutions to improve wellbeing and health in cities".

In February 2021 additional information will be available on the project's official website at www.gogreenroutes.eu and on the project's Twitter account, https://twitter.com/gogreenroutes.

More information available at cordis.europa.eu/project/id/869764.

Link: to the article in ICLEI.