The new Carbon-Smart Urban Green Handbook brings together research-based, easy-to-apply methods for strengthening the role of urban green spaces for the benefit of the climate and nature. It is aimed at both urban decision-makers and planners as well as home gardeners.
Parks, yards, street plantings and urban forests play a significant but still largely untapped role in mitigating climate change. In addition to sequestering carbon, they cool cities, control stormwater, increase biodiversity and support human well-being.
In the multi-year CO-CARBON project, researchers have investigated the climate benefits of urban green space and developed solutions for its more efficient utilization.
The Handbook, published on Wednesday, May 20, brings together for the first time key research results and recommendations on how to strengthen the carbon sequestration of urban green spaces and how green structures can be designed, built and managed in a low-emission manner
“The aim is to bring urban green spaces more strongly into climate and nature goals and their practical implementation,” says Ranja Hautamäki, Professor of Landscape Architecture at Aalto University.
Carbon smartness requires both big policies and small everyday actions
The key message of the Handbook is that carbon wisdom is not just a strategic issue. It is implemented in zoning and urban planning as well as in individual yards.
In addition to reducing emissions, cities’ carbon neutrality goals require strengthening carbon sinks. Investing in urban greening is a key means of achieving this – and at the same time an investment in a more pleasant, sustainable and healthier urban environment.
The Carbon-Smart Urban Green Handbook responds to this need and presents ways to utilize the potential of urban green as a cost-effective and multi-beneficial climate solution more effectively than at present. In addition to the solutions, the handbook provides information on carbon-smart assessment methods and how to put the knowledge into practice.
The Handbook of Carbon-Smart Urban Green
The Handbook is available also in Finnish.
The Lungs of the City exhibition, illustrating the carbon cycle of urban green areas, will be on display at the Science Corner until October 16, 2026.
Other tools and publications produced by the CO-CARBON project to promote carbon smartness:
- Policy recommendations for city decision makers
- Carbon factor for urban planners
- Carbon guidelines for home yard gardeners
- Urban tree manifesto and Canopy cover atlas for urban activist
Photo: Urban green at its best is multifunctional. Photograher Mari Ariluoma.