Environmental, ecological or green gentrification is a process in which cleaning up pollution or providing green amenities increases local property values and attracts wealthier residents to a previously polluted or disenfranchised neighbourhood. Green amenities include green spaces, parks, green roofs, gardens and green and energy efficient building materials. These initiatives can heal many environmental ills from industrialization and beautify urban landscapes. Additionally, greening is imperative for reaching a sustainable future. However, if accompanied by gentrification, these initiatives can have an ambiguous social impact. For example, if the low income households are displaced or forced to pay higher housing costs. First coined by Sieg et al. (2004), environmental gentrification is a relatively new concept, although it can be considered as a new hybrid of the older and wider topics of gentrification and environmental justice. Social implications of greening projects specifically with regards to housing affordability and displacement of vulnerable citizens. Greening in cities can be both healthy and just.
Gentrification
Gentrification is a process whereby a neighborhood is transformed in order to cater to a wealthier home buyer or investor. The process often takes place in working-class neighbourhoods that are inhabited by low-income residents. Real-estate development such as luxury condominiums or the transformation of old factories into trendy lofts, attract wealthier investors. As the process progresses, low-income residents are pushed out or to the outskirts of the neighborhood as real-estate and rent prices are increased due to demand. Also, as middle-class residents enter the neighbourhood surrounding businesses transform to accommodate desires. Gentrification has often been promoted by local governments through policies that promote ‘'urban renewal.' Generally, the process is considered to benefit the local economy and improve neighbourhoods.
Three phases of gentrification have been recognized during:
1960's-1970s - a process led by the government which hoped to reinvest capital to the inner-city. 1970s - widespread in big cities and spreading to smaller towns across North America. An example is the promotion of art communities such as Soho Manhattan, to attract residents and investors. 1990s - extensive large-scale development increased in scale and complexity through public-private partnerships.
As wealthier citizens have started to demand green amenities, cities have shifted their focus to marrying urban redevelopment with green initiatives all of which follow a similar process. Some of these initiatives can be seen through changes in various infrastructure, people changing their means of transportation to things such as biking and walking, as well as the displacement of people, all of which may lead to the gentrification of a neighborhood.
Urban planning and sustainability
Sustainability is a tool that is used by governments and developers to promote green initiatives in cities. Growing out of the promotion of sustainable development for developing countries, sustainability emerged as a global proposal at the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit. In theory, sustainability is achievable through a balance of three pillars - economy, environment and social equity. However, the practice it still remains a challenge. The social equity portion of sustainability is concerned with providing local communities ability to participate in decision-making as well as benefit from development projects. Public participation aims to ensure that local concerns and needs are met. The redevelopment of brownsites, post-industrial areas, have become foundations for large-scale urban greening redevelopments. These sites are typical of past industrial landscapes - near the downtown core and waterfront and in need of environmental remediation. Environmental redevelopments often promote sustainability through urban planning mechanisms such as new urbanism which promotes that planning that focus on building cities that are livable and walkable.
