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15.3.5 Germany
15.3.5.1 Introduction
The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) provides the German
Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
(BMU) with professional and scientific assistance in all nature conservation and
landscape management issues on the national, European and international levels. In
these contexts, the BfN plays a central role as ‘science-policy interface’. In this
light, the BfN has been active in the field of biodiversity and health for almost
15 years, in an effort to cover the physical, mental and social dimensions of health
(see Job-Hoben et al. 2010).
15.3.5.2 Main Activities
BfN Research and Development Project: ‘Green-Natural-Healthy’
To support the inclusion of health promotion aspects in planning practice, the BfNfunded study ‘Green, natural, healthy’ (Rittel et al. 2014) included information on
different user groups and their needs, criteria to determine health-promoting
potentials of urban green spaces and a list of good arguments for planners concerning
the positive effects of green spaces on human health. These scientific findings
support municipalities with helpful arguments to safeguard and enhance the positive
benefits of ‘green spaces’ on human health against the background of climate
change, demographic change and environmental justice.
Transfer of Results
One prominent example of the transfer of scientific results to decision makers is the
national follow-up of the international study ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and
Biodiversity’ (TEEB). The ‘Natural Capital Germany – TEEB DE’ report on
‘Ecosystem Services in the City – Protecting Health and Enhancing Quality of Life’
contains comprehensive sections of the current knowledge of the nexus between
urban green, human health, climate aspects and social cohesion (Naturkapital
Deutschland – TEEB DE 2016).
Communication Related to the Topics of ‘Biodiversity, Health and Climate
Change’
One example of BfN’s communication activities is the web portal ‘NatGesIS’ –
short for ‘nature conservation and health information system’, a tool for
communicating the interlinkages between nature conservation and health. The
15 European Nature and Health Network Initiatives
15.3.5 Germany
15.3.5.1 Introduction
The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) provides the German
Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
(BMU) with professional and scientific assistance in all nature conservation and
landscape management issues on the national, European and international levels. In
these contexts, the BfN plays a central role as ‘science-policy interface’. In this
light, the BfN has been active in the field of biodiversity and health for almost
15 years, in an effort to cover the physical, mental and social dimensions of health
(see Job-Hoben et al. 2010).
15.3.5.2 Main Activities
BfN Research and Development Project: ‘Green-Natural-Healthy’
To support the inclusion of health promotion aspects in planning practice, the BfNfunded study ‘Green, natural, healthy’ (Rittel et al. 2014) included information on
different user groups and their needs, criteria to determine health-promoting
potentials of urban green spaces and a list of good arguments for planners concerning
the positive effects of green spaces on human health. These scientific findings
support municipalities with helpful arguments to safeguard and enhance the positive
benefits of ‘green spaces’ on human health against the background of climate
change, demographic change and environmental justice.
Transfer of Results
One prominent example of the transfer of scientific results to decision makers is the
national follow-up of the international study ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and
Biodiversity’ (TEEB). The ‘Natural Capital Germany – TEEB DE’ report on
‘Ecosystem Services in the City – Protecting Health and Enhancing Quality of Life’
contains comprehensive sections of the current knowledge of the nexus between
urban green, human health, climate aspects and social cohesion (Naturkapital
Deutschland – TEEB DE 2016).
Communication Related to the Topics of ‘Biodiversity, Health and Climate
Change’
One example of BfN’s communication activities is the web portal ‘NatGesIS’ –
short for ‘nature conservation and health information system’, a tool for
communicating the interlinkages between nature conservation and health. The
15 European Nature and Health Network Initiatives