Just and Equitable Nature-Based Solutions - ESA00002I

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Module summary

This module investigates the development of nature-based solutions for the built environment as an ecosystem-based approach to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis whilst also improving biodiversity, livelihoods, resource use, and health and well-being. It will go on to explore the intersection between nature and justice to ensure that the power of nature and people can be used to generate transformational changes in the pursuit of progressive regenerative sustainable and just nature-grounded communities.

Professional requirements

N/A

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 2 2026-27

Module aims

This module provides an exciting and multi-disciplinary engagement of just and nature-based solutions. Drawing on the city of York, the module will explore the development of the nature-based solutions approach to climate crisis mitigation and adaptation strategies, which at the same time also secures improvements to biodiversity, resource use, livelihoods, health and well-being amongst other things. It will go on to chart the recent conceptual advancements that now recognise the need for communities to not only foreground nature in urban planning and design, but also ensure the creation of just and equitable outcomes that reduce socio-spatial inequality, heightened vulnerability and injustice. The module will show how a process of just and equitable nature-based solutions” can be used to generate transformational changes in the pursuit of progressive regeneratively sustainable and just nature-grounded communities across multiple interlinked scales and spaces (from an individual building through to a major urban redevelopment or wider national level). Students will work in multidisciplinary teams with one or more partners drawn from the city of York, whose project(s) briefs provide an opportunity for students to gain first-hand experience of just nature-based solutions across and in appreciation of different interlinked scales and spaces. Students will be required to produce an output proposing one or more ways to tackle the client brief in the form of a group report. A non-assessed client output will also be produced based on this group report.

Module learning outcomes

On the completion of this module, the student will be able to:

LO1. work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams on pressing local and global challenges

LO2. understand and critically discuss the interrelationships of justice and nature in the context of urban planning and design

LO3. gather, analyse, summarise and present to a non-expert audience an evidence base relevant to the issue

LO4. formulate, identify and design strategies that address pressing issues concerning urban planning and design across and in appreciation of different interlinked scales and spaces

Module content

• nature-based solutions; 

• biodiversity and net gain; 

• social value and justice;

• urban inequality; 

• health and wellbeing; 

• alternative futures and reimagining just nature-grounded communities.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	20.0
Groupwork	80.0

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100.0

Module feedback

Generally: Constant feedback is built into the module design. By placing the students both in groups and in a clinic style environment, we hope to create a constant feedback loop to assist student development, which involves both the course tutors, the clients and the students' peers.

Assessment 1: Students will receive individual feedback on their contribution to the group work [assessment of individual work]. Peer feedback will also be provided through a three-minute thesis format.  

Assessment 2: Students will receive individual written feedback on their contributions to the group output and various staffed meetings.

Indicative reading

Much of the reading on this course will be dependent on the brief given to the students. It would be expected that the students focus reading, at least in the evidence gathering phase, on the context they are working in.