Green Infrastructure: A Bridging Concept Between Biodiversity Conservation and the Green Economy

In the book chapter "Green infrastructure: a bridging concept between biodiversity conservation and the Green Economy", Timo Kaphengst, McKenna Davis and Sandra Naumann of Ecologic Institute examine how the concept of green infrastructure (GI) matches with the most fundamental elements of the green economy, paying particular attention to the enhancement of "natural capital" and fostering of green and social innovation outside of protected areas. The ecosystem services approach is utilized as a bridging concept between the human and natural spheres, highlighting the extent to which GI is suitable for supporting the functionality of ecosystems and their provisioning of services for humans. The theoretical analysis is underpinned with empirical evidence from research in the field of GI within Europe and previous projects completed by Ecologic Institute.

The chapter is a contribution to the book "Biodiversity in the Green Economy" (Routledge), which aims to identify, understand and offer pragmatic recommendations of how biodiversity conservation can become an agent of green economic development. The book establishes ways to assess biodiversity's contributions to the economy and to meaningfully integrate biodiversity concerns in green-economy policies.

The book can be purchased from the publisher's website  at a price of 150 US$.