The Double-Edged Sword of Urban Greening: Navigating Green Gentrification
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James Connolly, Community and Regional Planning; Lorien Nesbitt, Forest Resources Management; and Alessandro Rigolon, City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah
Coach House, Green College, UBC and livestreamed
Wednesday, April 3, 5-6:30pm, with reception to followin the series
Unearthing Environmental Injustices -
This session convenes leading academics to examine the complexities and unintended consequences of urban greening initiatives. Featuring a panel discussion with short presentations from each speaker, it will delve into recent research on the green gentrification cycle, strategies for socially equitable climate adaptation, and co-creative, nature-based solutions. The presenters will explore the paradox wherein efforts to enhance urban green spaces may inadvertently lead to gentrification, thereby displacing longstanding, often marginalized, communities. This dialogue aims to address the challenges of green gentrification and underscore the importance of justice, equity and community collaboration in the stewardship of urban nature. This session is moderated by Keunhyun Park, Assistant Professor in the Department of Forest Resources.
James J.T. Connolly is Associate Professor of Community and Regional Planning and Co-Chair of the Urban Studies Major at the University of British Columbia. He is also an affiliate and former founding Co-Director of the Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. His research focuses on planning at the intersection of urban greening and social justice, with specific interests in processes of green gentrification, management of climate risk in cities, and the politics of urban transformation.
Lorien Nesbitt is an Assistant Professor and past Green College Leading Scholar (2019-2021) who seeks to create more liveable and equitable urban environments through her work. Her research focuses on environmental justice in urban greening and planning, with specific interests in green gentrification, recognition justice in urban greening stewardship, and supporting planetary health during the climate crisis.
Alessandro Rigolon is an Associate Professor in the Department of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah. His research explores the intersections of urban planning, green space, environmental justice, and health equity. His current work includes three main areas: policy determinants of (in)equitable green space provision, drivers and resistance to gentrification fostered by new green spaces (i.e., “green gentrification”), and the public health impacts of urban green space on low-income communities of colour.
Social and environmental sciences converge in this interdisciplinary series as they explore how environmental inequality issues in society intersect with health, history, art, education, science, law, Indigeneity and more. Series conveners aim to delve into the complex nature of environmental injustice, exploring the factors contributing to these disparities and the communities disproportionately affected by them. Join them through this seminar series as they dig and unearth perspectives to promote awareness around environmental injustices.
Series Conveners: Hassan Ahmad, Law; Nadine Borduas-Dedekind, Chemistry; William Brown, Theatre and Film; Tim Frandy, Central European and Northern European Studies; Keunhyun Park, Forest Resources Management; Ethan Raker, Sociology; and Tina Wilson, Social Work
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Unless otherwise noted, all of our lectures are free to attend and do not require registration.
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