BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURELe soluzioni basate sulla natura, conosciute anche come *Nature-Based Solutions* (NBS), sono approcci che sfruttano i processi naturali e gli ecosistemi per affrontare sfide ambientali, sociali ed economiche. Ecco alcune tipologie di soluzioni basate sulla natura:
Rimboschimento e riforestazione
La piantumazione di alberi nelle aree degradate o deforestate può migliorare la biodiversità, sequestrare il carbonio, prevenire l'erosione del suolo e ripristinare gli habitat naturali.
Benefici: Riduzione delle emissioni di CO2, miglioramento della qualità dell'aria, protezione della biodiversità.
Infrastrutture verdi urbane
La creazione di parchi, tetti verdi, giardini verticali e altre infrastrutture verdi nelle città può ridurre l'effetto isola di calore, migliorare la qualità dell'aria e fornire spazi ricreativi.
Benefici: Raffrescamento urbano, miglioramento della salute pubblica, aumento della resilienza climatica.
Restauro delle zone umide
Il ripristino delle zone umide e delle torbiere può migliorare la qualità dell'acqua, prevenire le inondazioni e fornire habitat per la fauna selvatica.
Benefici: Gestione sostenibile delle risorse idriche, riduzione del rischio di inondazioni, conservazione della biodiversità.
Agricoltura rigenerativa
Tecniche agricole che ripristinano la salute del suolo, migliorano la biodiversità e aumentano la capacità del suolo di immagazzinare carbonio, come la rotazione delle colture, il compostaggio e l'agroforestazione.
Benefici: Aumento della fertilità del suolo, maggiore sicurezza alimentare, riduzione delle emissioni di gas serra.
Barriere costiere naturali
Utilizzo di mangrovie, dune di sabbia e barriere coralline per proteggere le coste dall'erosione e dalle mareggiate, riducendo al contempo i rischi di inondazione.
Benefici: Protezione costiera, aumento della biodiversità marina, mitigazione degli impatti climatici.
Giardini pluviali e sistemi di drenaggio sostenibile
Integrazione di giardini pluviali e sistemi di drenaggio che imitano i processi naturali per gestire le acque piovane nelle aree urbane, riducendo il rischio di allagamenti.
Benefici: Riduzione dell'inquinamento delle acque, prevenzione degli allagamenti urbani, miglioramento della qualità dell'acqua.
Conservazione e ripristino delle praterie
La protezione e il ripristino delle praterie naturali possono aiutare a sequestrare carbonio, prevenire l'erosione e fornire habitat per numerose specie.
Benefici: Sequestro del carbonio, conservazione della biodiversità, prevenzione della desertificazione.
Gestione sostenibile delle foreste
Pratiche di gestione forestale che mantengono l'integrità degli ecosistemi forestali, come la selezione di taglio e il controllo delle specie invasive.
Benefici: Conservazione della biodiversità, riduzione delle emissioni di carbonio, uso sostenibile delle risorse.
Queste soluzioni rappresentano un modo efficace per affrontare i cambiamenti climatici, preservare la biodiversità e promuovere lo sviluppo sostenibile. Implementare NBS può anche migliorare la qualità della vita delle persone, offrendo allo stesso tempo benefici economici e ambientali a lungo termine.
Sì, esistono diverse organizzazioni e siti ufficiali dedicati alle soluzioni basate sulla natura (*Nature-Based Solutions*). Questi enti lavorano a livello globale per promuovere, implementare e monitorare l'uso di NBS per affrontare le sfide ambientali, sociali ed economiche. Ecco alcune delle principali:
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
[IUCN - Nature-Based Solutions](https://www.iucn.org/theme/nature-based-solutions)
L'IUCN è una delle principali organizzazioni mondiali dedicate alla conservazione della natura. Promuove e sviluppa NBS per affrontare sfide globali come i cambiamenti climatici, la sicurezza alimentare e la gestione dell'acqua.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
[UNEP - Nature-Based Solutions](https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/ecosystems-and-biodiversity/what-we-do/nature-based-solutions)
L'UNEP sostiene l'uso di NBS come parte della sua missione di proteggere l'ambiente e promuovere lo sviluppo sostenibile. L'organizzazione lavora su progetti globali per l'adozione di NBS in varie regioni.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
[The Nature Conservancy - Nature-Based Solutions](https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/nature-based-solutions-our-best-bet-for-a-sustainable-future/)
TNC è un'organizzazione internazionale di conservazione che utilizza le NBS per proteggere l'ambiente e promuovere soluzioni sostenibili per le comunità umane.
World Resources Institute (WRI)
[WRI - Nature-Based Solutions](https://www.wri.org/initiatives/nature-based-solutions)
WRI è un'organizzazione di ricerca che sviluppa strategie per l'adozione di NBS a livello globale, con un focus su soluzioni che promuovono lo sviluppo sostenibile e il benessere umano.
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
[GEF - Nature-Based Solutions](https://www.thegef.org/topics/nature-based-solutions)
GEF finanzia progetti internazionali volti a proteggere l'ambiente, inclusi quelli che utilizzano NBS per affrontare il cambiamento climatico e la perdita di biodiversità.
WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)
[WWF - Nature-Based Solutions](https://www.worldwildlife.org/initiatives/nature-based-solutions)
Il WWF è una delle più grandi organizzazioni di conservazione del mondo e promuove NBS per la protezione degli ecosistemi e la lotta contro il cambiamento climatico.
European Commission - Nature-Based Solutions
[European Commission - Nature-Based Solutions](https://ec.europa.eu/research/environment/index.cfm?pg=nbs)
La Commissione Europea supporta la ricerca e l'implementazione delle NBS come parte delle sue strategie di sostenibilità ambientale e sviluppo urbano.
Questi enti forniscono risorse, linee guida e finanziamenti per progetti che utilizzano NBS in tutto il mondo. Collaborano con governi, comunità locali e altre organizzazioni per promuovere soluzioni naturali che possono aiutare a risolvere le crisi ambientali e migliorare la qualità della vita.Nature-Based Solutions* (NBS)
The Vital Connection Between Landscape and Environmental Well-beingThe connection between landscape and environmental sustainability must be profound and involve everyone. The concept of landscape extends beyond the visual aspect of a place; it also incorporates the natural and human elements that compose it. Environmental sustainability, on the other hand, concerns the ability of a system to maintain balance among natural resources, the environment, and long-term human needs.
Landscape and environmental sustainability are interconnected:
1. **Biodiversity Conservation:** A sustainable landscape engages in the conservation and promotion of biodiversity. Preserving and protecting natural habitats within the landscape contributes to ecological sustainability by preserving species diversity and maintaining natural balances.
2. **Resource Management:** Landscape design can influence the management of natural resources such as water, soil, air, and forests. A sustainable approach involves the responsible use of these resources, for example, through sustainable agricultural practices, forest management, or thoughtful urban land use planning.
3. **Sustainable Cities:** Cities are an integral part of the landscape and can be designed sustainably to reduce environmental impact. This includes promoting public transportation, efficient energy use, waste management, and creating urban green spaces that enhance the quality of life and mitigate the effects of human activities on the environment.
4. **Climate Change:** The landscape can be designed and managed to address climate change. For instance, coastal zone planning may consider rising sea levels, and plant selection in urban parks can be oriented towards resistance to climate variations.
5. **Community Participation:** Environmental sustainability requires active participation from local communities in landscape management and conservation. Involving people in the decision-making process can lead to more sustainable choices and help maintain a balance between human needs and the environment.
In summary, sustainable landscape is characterized by holistic and conscious management of natural resources, promoting biodiversity, reducing the environmental impact of human activities, and creating places that foster community well-being in the long term.Building a Sustainable Future
MONTEBELLO MONASTERY IN ISOLA DEL PIANOIn 1996, Girolomoni founded "Mediterraneo," a magazine covering organic and biodynamic agriculture, environment, biodiversity, alternative energy, as well as philosophy, theology, poetry, and culture. Contributors to the magazine included Guido Ceronetti, Gianni Tamino, Emmanuel Anati, Giorgio Fornoni, and Piero Stefani. A knowledgeable person of the Bible and a devout believer, a friend of Sergio Quinzio, Gino Girolomoni dedicated his life to organic farming and opposed any form of patentability of living forms, considering it as one of the delusions of omnipotence that characterizes humanity. In 2003 and 2004, he had a regular column in the newspaper "Avvenire" called "Hortus," in which he wrote reflections on ecology. He passed away in 2012 at the age of 65, succumbing to a heart attack while in the premises of the "Alce Nero" cooperative. Now, the cooperative has changed its name to "Gino Girolomoni Cooperativa Agricola," dedicating both its name and the brand of its products to the founder.GINO GIROLOMONI
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTUREThe relationship between democracy and the natural environment can be explored through the concept of "environmental democracy" or "ecological democracy." This concept emphasizes the importance of involving citizens in the decision-making process regarding environmental issues and the sustainable management of natural resources. Here are some key elements that can contribute to formulating a concept of democracy and the natural environment:
Public Participation: Environmental democracy should promote active participation of citizens in decisions related to the environment. This includes involvement in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of environmental policies.
Access to Information: To enable informed citizen participation, it is essential to ensure transparent and comprehensive access to environmental information. This may include data on air and water quality, resource management practices, and more.
Environmental Education: Sustainable democracy requires educated citizens on environmental issues. Environmental education can help people understand environmental challenges, their causes, and possible solutions, enabling them to actively participate in public discourse.
Institutional Accountability: Representatives and government institutions must be accountable for environmental decisions made. This can involve fair accountability mechanisms, with clear electoral and reporting mechanisms.
Precautionary Principle: Environmental democracy can embrace the precautionary principle, suggesting that, in the absence of scientific certainty, protective environmental measures should be taken to prevent significant harm.
Equity and Environmental Justice: A concept of environmental democracy should consider equity and environmental justice, ensuring that decisions do not lead to socioeconomic disparities or negative impacts on vulnerable groups.
Sustainable Development: Environmental democracy should promote the concept of sustainable development, balancing environmental needs with economic and social ones to ensure long-term prosperity without compromising the environment.
International Collaboration: As many environmental issues have global dimensions, international cooperation is essential. Environmental democracy should encourage international collaboration and negotiation to address common environmental challenges.
These elements can contribute to creating a concept of environmental democracy that integrates citizen participation, institutional accountability, and attention to environmental issues to promote a sustainable approach to natural resource management.Environmental Democracy
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE"People no longer set foot on bare earth. Their hands have distanced themselves from grass and flowers; they no longer turn their gaze to the sky. Their ears are deaf to the song of birds, and their noses have become insensitive due to the fumes of exhaust pipes. Their tongues and palates have forgotten the simple tastes of nature. The five senses have grown isolated from the natural order. People have moved two or three steps away from true humanity...
The true joy and happiness of people were a natural ecstasy. This exists only in nature and fades away from the Earth. An environment cannot exist outside of nature, and agriculture must be the foundation for living. The return of all people to the countryside to cultivate the land and create villages of true people is the path to the creation of ideal cities and ideal nations."Masanobu Fukuoka
AT THE AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE OF FLORENCESynergic agriculture, developed by Hazelip, is a cultivation method that originates from adapting Natural Farming principles to the Mediterranean climate. The principles of synergic agriculture draw inspiration from the adaptation to the Mediterranean climate of Natural Farming principles (formulated by the Japanese microbiologist and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka and Mark Bonfils), permaculture by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, and the American agronomist Edward Hubert Faulkner (1886-1964) in his book "Plowman's Folly."
In her writings, Emilia Hazelip highlights how she incorporated the studies of North American horticulturist Ruth Stout, a pioneer and advocate of ecological agriculture without soil tillage, the article on the oxygen-ethylene cycle "The Living Soil" by Australian scientist Alan Smith, the article "Protecting Your Soil Microorganisms" by American scientist William R. Jackson, and the studies of American soil biologist Elaine Ingham, a researcher of the Soil Food Web. Additionally, Hazelip points out that she identified precedents in the cultivation methods of protohistoric Indo-European populations described in "The Civilization of the Goddess" by archaeologist and linguist Marija Gimbutas. The four principles of synergic agriculture are: 1) no soil tillage; 2) no addition of fertilizers; 3) no synthetic treatments; 4) no soil compaction.
The initial approach to the land aims to delineate areas designated for cultivation, clearly distinguished from pathways dedicated to walking. The cultivated soil portions are commonly referred to as 'beds' or 'terraces,' created in dimensions that allow easy access to their central parts. Beds can be constructed at ground level or at a raised (convex) or lowered (concave) level, depending on the climate and soil composition. In heavy soils (clayey and/or loamy), it is advisable to create ground-level beds to limit spontaneous cohesion (compaction); in arid climates, concave beds are recommended to promote moisture accumulation within the bed; in very rainy climates, convex beds are advisable to encourage runoff and prevent waterlogging beneath the cultivated area. The beds are then covered with biodegradable mulch, and there are various material options to choose from. Once the raised beds are prepared, the garden is filled with plants and seeds, following the season. The results of a 4-year experimental comparison between lands cultivated using organic farming and synergic agriculture techniques showed an increase in the amount of organic matter in the soil, promoting better resistance to erosive processes and reducing soil instability.THE SYNERGIC VEGETABLE GARDEN
