Sustainable Spatial Planning Based on Ecosystem Services Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions

<p>Theoretical and methodological contributions as well as critical discussions on policy implementation characterize this Special Issue focusing following themes and research questions: 1) Integration of ecosystem services within spatial plans and strategic environmental assessment: What function do ecosystem services play or could play within plan-making processes and strategic environmental assessments?; What are the most important challenges in putting integration into practice and/or the most significant obstacles to achieving integration?; and What roles do scientific and technical expertise vs. community values and local knowledge play in integrating ecosystem services within spatial plans and environmental assessments?; 2) Consideration and use of green infrastructure within spatial plans: What function do green infrastructure play within plan-making processes?; What kinds of spatial plans are most suited for or most effective in designing and implementing green infrastructure?; and Does scale (local regional etc.) make a difference in the way green infrastructure are implemented within spatial plans?; 3) Relationship between nature-based solutions and spatial plans: Since nature-based solutions are increasingly promoted at the very strategic level i.e. that of broad policies and implemented at the very detailed level i.e. that of projects what is the role of nature-based solutions within spatial plans? and What tools are at planners' disposal to effectively integrate nature-based solutions in planning processes and promote their use especially in urban contexts?.</p>