Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Urban Soil Restoration Through LL

As urbanization continues to accelerate—projected to encompass 70% of the global population by 2050—urban soils are increasingly recognized as vital for delivering essential ecosystem services that support healthy and resilient cities. These soils play a key role in regulating carbon and water cycles, contributing significantly to both climate adaptation and mitigation. They also offer important provisioning services, such as fostering biodiversity and enabling urban food production through initiatives like community gardens, but also vertical farming and green roofs that lowers the heat island effects.

Beyond their ecological functions, urban soils enhance green spaces that promote mental and physical well-being and add aesthetic value to urban landscapes. However, despite their critical importance, urban soils are frequently degraded by human activities—including soil sealing, contamination with heavy metals, and compaction—which severely limit their capacity to provide these services.

To address these challenges, the URSOILL project is establishing a network of five Living Labs across European cities. These labs will serve as collaborative platforms where city planners, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders co-develop and test innovative solutions for urban soil restoration. The project emphasizes sustainable land management, nature-based solutions, and emerging technologies, ensuring that all approaches are scientifically sound, socially inclusive, and economically viable. Ultimately, URSOILL aims to make urban environments more climate-resilient, sustainable, and livable.