“It won’t work here”: Lessons for just nature-based stream restoration in the context of urban informality
Open accessAbstract
Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) have been advocated for their potential to contribute to the making of sustainable and just cities. However, a growing body of research shows that NBS cannot inherently provide just outcomes and might instead (re)produce environmental injustices. This research explores NBS for stream/river restoration in ‘informal’ areas, showing how riparian margins have become spaces of conflict. It draws lessons from two linear parks integrated into neighbourhood regeneration strategies in São Paulo. Data were collected from household surveys and focus group discussions to examine local populations’ values towards stream restoration. They provide understandings of residents’ perceptions towards multiple health and safety risks and concerns over contested responsibilities, notably revealing that local preferences for stream burial have been shaped by persisting waste dumping issues. An environmental justice lens helps highlight the limited integration of plural social and cultural values into project plans. This further helps draw lessons on ways to address local conflicts and integrate multiple socio-environmental values into NBS planning, with support from policy tools that allow stronger community engagement. Findings also support the identification of justice pathways for NBS in informal settings. The analysis of material and interpretative human-environment relationships provides evidence of opportunities for NBS to be integrated into everyday uses of local space and pre-existing environmental caring practices. For this, communities need to have stronger influence over decisions affecting them. The research thereby demonstrates that NBS will only become a mechanism for ecological recovery with city-wide benefits if marginalised groups are better included in their planning.
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In the context of informal settlements, there is evidence of NbS providing important socioeconomic benefits to residents but also of having reproduced patterns of environmental injustices where participatory processes have been weak.
“In the context of informal settlements, there is evidence of NbS providing important socioeconomic benefits to residents but also of having reproduced patterns of environmental injustices where participatory processes have been weak (112).”
From Global synthesis and regional insights for mainstreaming urban nature-based solutions (2025) · cites this paper as [112]
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Global synthesis and regional insights for mainstreaming urban nature-based solutions
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“In the context of informal settlements, there is evidence of NbS providing important socioeconomic benefits to residents but also of having repro - duced patterns of environmental injustices where participa - tory processes have been weak ( 112 ).”
Self-citation
- Authors
- Diep, L., Parikh, P., Duarte, B. P. D. S., Bourget, A. F., Dodman, D., & Martins, J. R. S.
- Affiliations
- The New School (US)
- University College London (GB)
- Université Lumière Lyon 2 (FR)
- International Institute for Environment and Development (GB)
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Diep, Loan
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Policy
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2022-10
- Volume
- 136
- Pages
- 542-554
- ISSN
- 1462-9011 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4285982366
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 8
- FWCI
- 16.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Policy (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Royal Academy of Engineering
- University College London
- Universidade de São Paulo
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Urban Planning and Landscape Design
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Urban Green Space and Health
- Keywords
- nature-based solutions, stream restoration, river restoration, environmental justice, urban informality, informal settlements, linear park, neighborhood revitalization, community participation, waste dumping, socio-environmental values, São Paulo
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