Understanding the links between biodiversity and human aesthetic perception is vital for designing favourable urban environments and aligning conservation goals with well-being agendas. Despite evidence supporting the preference for beautiful and biodiverse landscapes, inconsistencies exist. This study aims to review the empirical literature on aesthetic perception and biodiversity research in urban settings and identify key methodological challenges in that area of study. The method used is a systematic mapping. The results revealed a lack of a unified methodology for operationalizing the concepts of biodiversity and aesthetic perception, as well as a shortage of standardized, evidence-based statistical procedures. These gaps hinder the systematic analysis of the relationship between biodiversity and perception and contribute to the incompatibility of biodiversity and perception levels. We propose strategies to address these challenges. This review aims to advance the integration of aesthetics and biodiversity science at the methodological level.

This study investigates decision support within the European geographical area. A total of 21 tools have been analysed leading to the identification of a few emerging trends. Predominantly concentrated in the northern part of Europe, these tools aim to assist urban planners in different ways. Findings reveal issues with tools accessibility and a rather weak focus on hard-to-reach groups, including youth. This study underscores the importance of addressing these gaps to ensure inclusivity and effective engagement. Additionally, the study finds a prevailing emphasis on advanced Information and Communication Technology techniques over qualitative data representation, which poses certain limitations to informed decision-making.

This Perspective suggests six conceptual propositions to advance care-centric planning and governance in support of SDG 11. By prioritizing relationships, responsiveness, and collective well-being, while also integrating empowerment, environmental stewardship, and cultural diversity, a care-centric approach fosters more inclusive and sustainable cities. Drawing on selected practice-based examples, we illustrate care's potential to inspire novel governance approaches, and to stimulate discussion about urban planning for more just and resilient urban environments.

Wetlands are crucial for sustainable cities, providing key ecosystem services, including aesthetic quality. Effective management requires understanding residents’ preferences and socio-demographic differences in aesthetic perception. Furthermore, it is essential to understand how the composition and arrangement of landscapes influence their aesthetic perception. In this study, we report on research examining how different age and gender groups of residents perceive the aesthetics of selected urban wetlands and identify visual landscape indicators of aesthetic preferences using ecological metrics of composition and spatial configuration. The study applies analysis of photographs of representative wetlands in the Stockholm region, using an online survey and analysis in GIS. The results demonstrate that there are differences in aesthetic perception across age and gender groups, but the judgement of the most aesthetically preferable and unpreferable landscapes is similar among all age and gender groups. Moreover, the results show that urban wetlands with higher levels of spatial complexity, fragmentation and openness for views are perceived as the most beautiful. The results of the study contribute valuable insights into interdisciplinary research by bridging the gaps between biological and social sciences. They can be used in practice for the analysis and prediction of public opinion in urban planning and management.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are championed for providing co-benefits to cities and residents, yet their environmental justice impacts are increasingly debated. In this paper, we explore whether and how hybrid governance approaches, such as Mosaic Governance, may contribute to just transformations and sustainable cities through fostering long-term collaborations between local governments, local communities, and grassroots initiatives. Based on case studies in three major European cities, we propose and then exemplify six possible pathways to increase environmental justice: greening the neighborhood, diversifying values and practices, empowering people, bridging across communities, linking to institutions, and scaling of inclusive discourses and practices. Despite the diversity of environmental justice outcomes across cases, our results consistently show that Mosaic Governance particularly contributes to recognition justice through diversifying NBS practices in alignment with community values and aspirations. The results demonstrate the importance of a wider framing of justice in the development of NBS, sensitive to social, cultural, economic and political inequities as well understanding potential pathways to enhance not only environmental justice, but also social justice at large. Especially in marginalised communities, Mosaic Governance holds much potential to advance social justice by enabling empowering, bridging, and linking pathways across diverse communities and NBS practices.

Public spaces, such as squares, urban parks, and communal areas are arenas that reflect societal values and power structures, influencing who has access and how they engage with these spaces. This viewpoint explores the application of intersectionality—considering factors like gender, race, and socioeconomic status—in understanding how diverse identities shape the lived experience of young people in public spaces. More specifically, it focuses on girls, and it reflects on the intersectional challenges girls face in four different contexts to include Belgium, South Africa, Iran, and Sweden. The analysis reveals the complexities of safety, accessibility, and inclusion girls face across all cases. This viewpoint underscores the value in using an intersectional lens in designing inclusive public spaces and highlights the pivotal role of young people as advocates for change.

This article reports on a study where we used a novel method to work with university students at a media technology and design programme to innovate on questions related to futuring in an educational context. Participating students used creative methods, paper crafting and design methods to “hack” the university campus in a post-COVID-19 scenario. This study situates hackathon as a design method that can be used to foster problem-solving and critical thinking skills in the context of current challenges. The students were asked to identify possible challenges in a post-COVID-19 return on campus and consider solutions to these challenges. They were tasked to shape their solutions in the form of a “sustainable artefact” meant to facilitate a smoother, safer, and welcoming return to campus life. In this study we reflect on how they engaged critically with the campus green and built infrastructure and how have they considered changes that would make their return to campus life a positive experience. Through the analysis of students’ assignments, we demonstrate how this method allowed for space in finding one’s own voice, how the design material supported students’ work on future design, and how aspects of future design are helping students finding a way of acting upon current calls to re-work our cities.

Södertörns högskola har under hösten 2023 genomfört en undersökning av det arbete som stadsdelsförvaltningen i Skärholmen har gjort för att skapa aktivitet och öka den upplevda tryggheten och säkerheten i Sätra centrum 2022. För att öka stadsdelsförvaltningens kunskap om framgångsfaktorer och utmaningar i arbetet med platssamverkan och platsaktivering har Södertörns högskola på uppdrag av stadsdelsförvaltningen genomfört en omvärldsbevakning.Denna rapport syftar till att ge en övergripande bild av förekomsten av platsskapande och platsaktivering i svenska städer och kommuner, med vissa internationella utblickar. Översikten gör inte anspråk på att vara komplett på något sätt, då antalet kommuner i Sverige är många. Det har under arbetets gång framgått av vår datasökning, att det sker en rad insatser för att skapa aktivitet och social interaktion i det offentliga rummet,men det definieras inte alltid som platsaktivering eller platsskapande. När man söker på platsskapande och platsaktivering så kommer även exempel upp som definieras som platsutveckling eller platssamverkan. Det finns dock ett antal kommuner som tillhandhåller information om platsskapande och platsaktivering på sina webbplatser. Däremot framgår det sällan av den tillhandahållna information, vilka erfarenheter eller utmaningar kommunerna haft med platsskapande och platsaktivering som metod. För att få en djupare insikt i ämnet, krävs det andra undersökningsmetoder, som till exempel intervjuer, enkäter och utvidgade sökord, för att få en mer täckande bild av platsskapande och platsaktivering i svensk samhällsplanering.

In recent years, new social movements advocating climate action have emerged, varying in demographics and tactics. A notable parent-led movement, driven by the moral imperative to care for future generations, offers a unique perspective on climate action. Despite its growing presence in local and regional debates, it remains under-explored. This Brief Communication highlights the movement’s potential to reshape climate action narratives and introduces an open-access database mapping its global reach, suggesting avenues for future research.

Rapid urbanization of Swedish cities leads to many challenges e.g. decreasing access to nature, safety and security issues, poverty, and increasing disparities. Addressing these and preparing for what is ahead in the decades to come is a critical aspect of urban governance. In the Nordic region, there is a growing interest in engaging with urban futures through foresight, visioning, and speculative thinking. In this study, we focus on Sweden and explore the use of such methods also with the ambition to understand how inclusive or not such activities are, and how are questions of sustainability included. 

The study compiles a dataset of 62 projects across Northern, Mid, and Southern Sweden, highlighting regional priorities and challenges. The projects aim to enhance urban infrastructure, promote social inclusion, address climate change, and engage youth in civic processes. Notably, 39% of the projects are located in vulnerable areas, reflecting ongoing concerns with socio-economic disparities. The geographical distribution of projects shows a concentration in Southern and Mid Sweden, with a notable increase in Northern Sweden in recent years. 

This study contributes to the understanding of how academia can partner with societal actors to promote sustainable urban futures and highlights the potential of future literacy in urban governance.