Urban Green Infrastructure for Nature, Society and Culture across diverse landscapes and contexts

Associate Professor Marine Elbakidze (Ivan Franko National University of Lviv; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; visiting researcher at the Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo) delivered a seminar on 12 February 2026 on the evolving role of green infrastructure (GI) in supporting human wellbeing, social integration, and post-conflict recovery. Her visit is part of an ongoing collaboration between her and Sustainable Society Design Center members Project Lecturer Dr. Sioen and Associate Professor Dr. Jarzebski funded by Japan, Sweden and Poland under the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership of Horizon Europe.

The lecture began with her personal academic journey and early critical perspective on the European Commission’s concept of green infrastructure, which she initially viewed as overly anthropocentric. This critique led her to focus on the human dimensions of GI and the ecosystem services it provides, particularly in urban settings. She introduced the Urban Nature Futures Framework, which conceptualizes GI as supporting nature, society, and culture, enabling planners to consider different functions of urban nature, from conservation to everyday human needs.

Drawing on extensive fieldwork across Sweden, Latvia, Ethiopia, South Africa, and beyond, Associate Prof. Elbakidze shared insights from nearly 2,000 interviews examining how nature contributes to wellbeing. Her research shows that even when people recognize nature’s importance, economic pressures can drive environmentally damaging practices. She emphasized that GI only supports wellbeing when ecological functions are translated into social practices, cultural meanings, and institutional support. Without social recognition and care, green infrastructure remains merely physical space.

She further discussed inequalities in access to and use of urban nature, noting that those who could benefit most from green spaces often use them least. Research on immigrant integration in Sweden demonstrated how intentionally designed green spaces such as playgrounds, allotment gardens, and communal tables can foster interaction and belonging.

The lecture concluded with research from war-affected regions in Ukraine, where ecosystem services and social cohesion have been severely disrupted. Recovery, she argued, requires rebuilding relationships between people and place alongside ecological restoration. She closed by calling for collective research efforts to synthesize evidence and inform policy, highlighting green infrastructure as a shared responsibility for sustainable and inclusive recovery.