On Tuesday, 3 September, the European Commission published two guidance documents as part of the Nature Action Plan. The first concerns the integration of ecosystem services into the political decision-making process and the second concerns the deployment of green infrastructure (see EUROPE 12249/11).
By preserving as well as possible the services that nature can provide (oxygen, drinking water, food, medicines), humans improve their quality of life and are better able to respond to the societal challenges they face. The Commission cites, as an example, the green spaces in cities that provide habitat for animals, reduce pollution and temperature and stimulate physical activity.
Green infrastructure is a strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services. These include, for example, green (land) or blue (water) areas located in the city or in the countryside.
More information: http://bit.ly/2lXRNRJ (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)