The Health and Social Benefits of Nature and Biodiversity Protection
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The Health and Social Benefits of Nature and Biodiversity Protection Patrick ten Brink Konar Mutafoglu Jean-Pierre Schweitzer Marianne Kettunen Clare Twigger-Ross Jonathan Baker Yoline Kuipers Manon Emonts Liisa Tyrväinen Teppo Hujala Ann Ojala Final Report 28 April 2016 Funded by the European Commission, DG Environment (ENV.B.3/ETU/2014/0039) in collaboration with Legal notice The contents and views contained in this report are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent those of the European Commission. Cite this report: ten Brink P., Mutafoglu K., Schweitzer J-P., Kettunen M., Twigger-Ross C., Baker J., Kuipers Y., Emonts M., Tyrväinen L., Hujala T., and Ojala A. (2016) The Health and Social Benefits of Nature and Biodiversity Protection. A report for the European Commission (ENV.B.3/ETU/2014/0039), Institute for European Environmental Policy, London/Brussels. Corresponding author: Patrick ten Brink – [email protected] Acknowledgements: This report by the core author team builds on and benefits from the inputs by the wider study team – including Owen White (Collingwood Environmental Planning), Irene Lucius and Magdalena Peneva (WWF Danube- Carpathian Programme), Holger Robrecht, Pamela Mühlmann and Elisa Kerschbaumer (ICLEI Europe), Rudolf de Groot (Wageningen University), the extensive literature cited, and the case studies, presentations and discussions at a stakeholder workshop held on the 27th and 28th of January 2016 in Brussels. A summary of the workshop and the presentations are available here. For the workshop, we would like to thank Roby Biwer, Carsten Brauns, and Martine Lartigue at the Committee of the Regions and the contributing participants. The study benefited from the inputs and comments by Patrick Murphy, Isabel Lourenco de Faria and colleagues at DG Environment of the European Commission, review comments by Hans Keune at the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), as well as inputs by IEEP colleagues and associates – Sandra Mootoosamy, Kamila Paquel, Andrea Illes, Jamie Woollard, Katie Taylor, Monika Kotulak, Maeve Howe, Lucile Rogissart, and Sabrina Dekker. Institute for European Environmental Policy London Office Brussels Office 11 Belgrave Road Quai au Foin, 55 IEEP Offices, Floor 3 Hooikaai 55 London, SW1V 1RB B- 1000 Brussels Tel: +44 (0) 20 7799 2244 Tel: +32 (0) 2738 7482 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7799 2600 Fax: +32 (0) 2732 4004 The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) is an independent not-for-profit institute. IEEP undertakes work for external sponsors in a range of policy areas as well as engaging in our own research programmes. For further information about IEEP, see our website at www.ieep.eu or contact any staff member. Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. 3 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Exploring the contribution that nature can make to health and social challenges........... 1 1.2 Methodology and approach .............................................................................................. 2 1.3 Structure of the report....................................................................................................... 3 2 Improved Air Quality ................................................................................................. 4 2.1 The European air quality challenge ................................................................................... 4 2.2 Benefits of nature protection and biodiversity to air quality and public health ............... 7 2.3 The role of supporting instruments and governance ...................................................... 17 2.4 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... 29 3 Improved Microclimatic Conditions – Mitigating Heat Stress ................................... 31 3.1 Heat stress as a public health challenge .......................................................................... 31 3.2 Benefits of nature to climatic conditions and public health ........................................... 34 3.3 The role of supporting instruments and governance ...................................................... 47 3.4 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... 54 4 Noise Mitigation ..................................................................................................... 55 4.1 Noise as the second-worst environmental challenge in Europe ..................................... 55 4.2 Benefits of nature protection and biodiversity to noise reduction and public health .... 59 4.3 The role of supporting instruments and governance ...................................................... 70 4.4 Conclusions and recommendations ................................................................................. 72 5 Direct Health Benefits ............................................................................................. 73 5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 73 5.2 Direct health and well-being benefits in people’s living and working environments ..... 73 5.3 The role of supporting instruments and governance ...................................................... 85 5.4 Conclusions and recommendations ................................................................................. 85 6 Healthier Lifestyles, Nature Experience ................................................................... 87 6.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 87 6.2 Benefits of nature on human health and wellbeing in terms of lifestyles ...................... 87 6.3 The role of supporting instruments and governance .................................................... 100 6.4 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................... 102 7 Outdoor Recreation and Physical Activity .............................................................. 103 7.1 Health risks related to low physical activity .................................................................. 103 7.2 Health benefits based on physical activity in green areas ............................................ 105 7.3 The role of supporting instruments and governance .................................................... 120 7.4 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................... 122 8 Wellbeing – living in an attractive location ............................................................ 123 8.1 Attractive location, wellbeing and public health ........................................................... 123 8.2 Health benefits of nature areas and living in an attractive location ............................. 123 8.3 The role of supporting instruments and governance .................................................... 133 8.4 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................... 134 9 Social Benefits: Quality of Public Spaces, Reduced Tension .................................... 136 9.1 The role of nature for strengthening social cohesion ................................................... 136 9.2 What evidence is there for social benefits of engagement with nature? ..................... 137 9.3 The role of supporting instruments and governance .................................................... 153 9.4 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................... 155 10 Social Benefits: Volunteering, employment, management ..................................... 156 10.1 Engagement in the natural environment ...................................................................... 156 10.2 Opportunities for engagement in the natural environment ......................................... 156 10.3 Facilitating engagement for all sectors of society ......................................................... 167 10.4 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................... 172 11 Role of Policy Instruments for Natura 2000 and Wider Green Infrastructure .......... 174 11.1 Supporting Health and Social Objectives through Policy Frameworks ......................... 174 11.2 Health and social benefits associated with Natura 2000 and wider GI ......................... 175 11.3 Enhancing benefits through investment, management and stakeholder involvement 177 11.4 Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 181 12 Role of Governance and Stakeholder Engagement ................................................. 184 12.1 Who are the nature stakeholders and what types of initiatives are they running? ..... 184 12.2 Governance levels working on health-social-nature synergies ..................................... 190 12.3 Catalysts for change and triggers for collaboration ...................................................... 202 12.4 Success factors contributing to effective stakeholder engagement ............................. 210 12.5 The role of funding ........................................................................................................