Right to the Green City: Inclusive Urban Nature in South-Rotterdam

Urban nature and urban greening are gaining attention amidst a growing awareness of the positive effects of urban green spaces (UGS) in relation to climate adaptation, biodiversity, (mental) health, wellbeing and social cohesion. Studies show that UGS can contribute to better air quality and rainwater drainage, lower temperatures and increased biodiversity in cities. Furthermore, urban nature can stimulate physical movement, reduce stress and contribute to feelings of safety and public familiarity (De Haas, Hassink, and Stuiver 2021; Elands et al. 2020; de Vries, Buijs, and Snep 2020). However, despite its many benefits, concerns are rising about urban green(ing) in relation to inequality, injustice and exclusion in European cities (Anguelovski et al. 2020; Haycox et al. 2024). Distribution of and access to UGS is “highly stratified based on income, etho-racial characteristics, age, gender, (dis)ability and other axes of difference” ((Wolch et al. 2014:3). In the Netherlands, neighbourhoods with a lower socio-economic status have less greenspace, and UGS are often of a lower quality than in neighbourhoods with a higher socio-economic status (de Vries et al. 2020) Rotterdam is among many European cities with policies and projects focused on making the city greener and more climate resilient. Some neighbourhoods are prioritized because of their amount of ‘grey space’, distance to public green space and issues with heat stress and flooding. In addition to aiming for a just distribution of UGS, the municipality also intends to develop more inclusive and participatory approaches to urban greening (GroenAgenda 2023-2026). Besides concerns about distributional justice of UGS, researchers also address concerns regarding procedural and recognitive justice (e.g. Tozer et al. 2023). How are local communities involved and whose needs and wishes are acknowledged? Participating in or initiating a (green) citizens’ initiative is often argued to be possible for those with the time, money and network. In addition, educational background, perceived stigmatization and trust in political institutions also play a role (Visser, de Koster, and van der Waal 2023). Who does and who does not participate influences whose needs and wishes are central in a project or place (Rosol 2012) and whose perspective is represented in policy (Buijs et al. 2016). This is especially urgent in Rotterdam, which has historically seen low levels of participation in elections and citizen initiatives, high levels of poverty, and relatively high support for anti-establishment parties at the local as well as national level (e.g. Noordzij 2023; de Visser 2023; Kemmers 2022). In sum, local governments’ efforts to negotiate climate change challenges by initiating UGS are not easily achieved in a context with widespread non-participation in neighbourhoods where the need for such initiatives is deemed especially high. This problematic calls for empirical insights on how citizens in these neighbourhoods make sense of (inclusive) UGS and green initiatives. This qualitative research aims to increase our understanding of participatory urban greening in relation to environmental justice. It focusses on the shared meanings various inhabitants of South-Rotterdam attribute to urban green(ing) and their (non) participation in urban greening initiatives, through ethnography and in-depth interviews.