As urbanization accelerates, with projections indicating that 70% of the global population will live in cities by 2050, urban soils have become crucial for delivering essential ecosystem services (ESs) that sustain healthy urban environments. These soils play a vital role in regulating the carbon and water cycles, significantly aiding both climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. Additionally, urban soils provide valuable provisioning services, such as supporting biodiversity and urban food production through initiatives like community gardens, vertical farming, and green roofs. They also enhance urban green spaces that promote mental and physical well-being, while contributing to the overall aesthetic value of urban landscapes. However, despite their importance, urban soils are often degraded by human activities, such as sealing, contamination by heavy metals, and compaction, which compromise their ability to perform these essential services.
Despite their importance, urban soils are often degraded by anthropogenic activities, including sealing, contamination with heavy metals, and compaction, which hinders their ability to provide ESs.
URSOILL aims to address these challenges by establishing a network of five Living Labs across EU cities to co-develop and test solutions for urban soil restoration, involving stakeholders like city planners, policymakers, and academics. The project will focus on sustainable land management, nature-based solutions, and new technologies, ensuring that the solutions are scientifically validated and socially and economically feasible. Its goal is to make cities more climate-resilient, sustainable, and livable.
Rise Research Institutes Of Sweden Ab (SE) Coordinator, Stichting Isocarp Institute Center Of Urban Excellence (Nl), Asociacion Empresarial Centro Tecnologico De La Energia Y Del Medio Ambiente De La Region De Murcia (Es), Zabala Innovation Consulting Sa (Es), Technische Universitaet Muenchen (DE), Leibniz-Institut Fur Agrartechnik Und Biookonomie Ev (DE), Greenovate ! Europe (BE), European Science Communication Institute (DE), Eskilara S Koop Txikia (ES), Cluster Viooikonomias Kai Perivallontos Dytikis Makedonias (EL), Chliapas Sa (EL), Innovhub – Stazioni Sperimentali per L’industria Srl (IT), Luxembourg Institute Of Science And Technology (LU), Politecnico di Milano (IT), Poliedra-Centro Di Servizio E Consulenza Del Politecnico Di Milano Su Pianificazione Ambientale E Territoriale Consorzio (IT), Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (SE), Ayuntamiento De Forua (ES), Universidad Del Pais Vasco/ Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (ES), Centro De Estudios Ambientales (ES), Anonymi Etaireia Diacheirisis Aporrimmaton Per Dytikis Makedonias (EL), Eneegyl Kozanis (EL), Dimos Kozanis (EL), Dimos Eordaias (EL), Perifereia Dytikhs Makedonias (EL), Panepistimio Dytikis Makedonias (EL), Comune di Torino (IT), Università Degli Studi Di Torino (IT), Comune di Milano (IT), Università degli Studi di Milano (IT), Centre For Ecological Learning Luxembourg (LU), Geoconseils S.A. (LU), Interalia Sa (LU), Gewatec S.A. (LU), Société De Développement Agora S.Àr.L. Et Cie (LU), Administration De L’environnement (LU).
Torino has a long history of urban horticulture, but the presence of soil contamination in urban gardens presents a major obstacle. The three LL chosen for the City aim to address these challenges through innovative soil health solutions, fostering urban agriculture, improving soil quality, and promoting sustainable urban green spaces.
The City of Torino, within the three specified sites, proposes to test and adopt soil contamination remediation techniques to secure the safety and sustainability of urban gardening practices, restore the gardens’ productivity and ensure the viability of urban gardening in peri-urban areas, thereby contributing to the overall green infrastructure of the city.
Through the support of academic and research partners, such as UNITO, Torino aims to identify and engage long-term soil quality sites, facilitate stakeholder dialogue and support community engagement.
This includes identifying and managing long-term soil quality monitoring sites, with a focus on sustainability and urban soil regeneration, facilitating collaboration among various stakeholders (institutions, universities, businesses, citizens) through communication and knowledge sharing, and supporting civic engagement to raise awareness, educate, and involve citizens in soil-related projects and activities, with particular attention to social inclusion. The goal is a holistic approach to soil management that considers environmental, social, and economic aspects.
This project was funded by the Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement No. 101219012.
EU contribution to the city of Torino
Partners
Project duration in months
