This talk is jointly hosted by the Glasgow Centre for International Development (GCID) and the Centre for Sustainable, Healthy and Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods and presented by Dr. Wan-Yu Shih, introduces strategic green infrastructure research and associated planning implications for cities.

Findings from empirical research, particularly work undertaken in the context of Taipei City, are drawn on to illustrate the potential value and limitations of green infrastructure approaches in responding to social and environmental issues in cities. Green Infrastructure is a synthetic and evolving planning concept, which is rooted in theory and principles from nature conservation and green space planning.

It is increasingly recognised and valued in international environmental agendas, such as the European Union’s environmental policy and CitiesIPCC’s research and action agenda. Green infrastructure is viewed as a nature-based solution for city-regions to conserve biodiversity, adapt to climate change and improve human wellbeing and social equity.

This talk introduces wider issues about the interrelationship of green infrastructure with built environments (grey infrastructure), social vulnerability, and spatial inequality as well as the challenges to integrate this strategy into current planning systems in Taiwan to the audience.

Image sourse: Jean Francoeur, FLICKR

Presenter:

• Dr Wan-Yu Shih – Assistant Professor, Ming-Chuan University, Taiwan

Dr Wan-Yu Shih is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Disaster Management at Ming-Chuan University, Taiwan. She holds a PhD in Planning and Landscape from the University of Manchester, UK.

Her research interests lie in the interdisciplinary nature of ecological/environmental planning and governance in cities. Recently she has focused on nature-based adaptation strategies for climate change, looking at multi-functionality of urban green infrastructure and its interrelation with land use change and socio-ecological characteristics.

Dr. Shih is motivated to inform decision makers for urban planning with scientific evidence through her work in Taiwan. At the same time, she constantly strives to develop international collaborative research and has established research activities in Taiwan, UK, Japan and Vietnam which are supported by prestigious institutes such as Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Japan), Ministry of Science and Technology (Taiwan), Royal Society of Edinburgh (UK), Wellcome Trust (UK), and Urban Europe and Belmont Forum: SUGI-FEW Nexus (International).