Urban research awarded Frontiers Planet Prize 2025

The article Contribution of prioritized urban nature-based solutions allocation to carbon neutrality, published 2023 in Nature Climate Change and co-authored by Beijer Institute programme director Johan Colding has been awarded the Frontiers Planet Prize 2025.

The motivation reads: “As cities continue to grow and face escalating climate challenges, embracing Nature-Based Solutions offers a pathway to sustainable urban development that benefits both people and the planet.”

Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are actions to address societal challenges through the protection, sustainable management and restoration of ecosystems.

The winning article shows how cities can leverage NBS as a core strategy to meet environmental targets, not only by carbon sequestration, but importantly by promoting pro-environmental habits.

The awarded article was an interdisciplinary group effort by researchers from China and Sweden. The Frontiers Planet Prize is awarded to research with the greatest potential to address the ecological crisis, and co-ordinating author Zahra Kalantari, professor in Environmental Science and Engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, was awarded one million dollars for continued research.

”I am deeply honoured to be part of this award”, says Johan Colding. “It sheds light on a crucial issue: how we design our cities truly matters. We will never achieve climate-neutral cities through technology alone. Nature must be part of the equation.”

“It’s not just about how much carbon dioxide trees, parks, and other nature solutions can capture. It’s also about all the other benefits nature gives us: cooler streets, cleaner air, greater well-being, and better public health.”

“Take something as simple as planting trees along bike paths. It encourages more people to choose cycling, even on hot summer days, because greenery lowers temperatures in the city. And when more people cycle, fewer drive. That’s how we reduce carbon emissions and create better cities for its residents.”

Go to article 

Reference: Pan, H., J. Page, R. Shi, C. Cong, Z. Cai, S. Barthel, P. Thollander, J. Colding, and Z. Kalantari. 2023. Contribution of prioritized urban nature-based solutions allocation to carbon neutrality. Nature Climate Change 13:862–870.