Towards Nature-Positive Smart Cities: Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Ecology

Highlights What are the main findings? A new framework, Nature-Positive Smart Cities in a Socio-Technical-Ecological System (STES), has been proposed. Findings from the literature highlight the potential of smart technologies to enhance ecosystem services and biodiversity in urban green spaces. What is the implication of the main finding? This study supports a shift towards urban planning that prioritises biodiversity and addresses environmental challenges. This study calls for policy interventions and further research to integrate ecological considerations into urban planning and design.Abstract In the biodiversity and climate emergency, a holistic approach is needed for the development of smart cities. This perspective paper proposed a novel conceptual framework for nature-positive smart cities in a socio-technical-ecological system (STES), which bridged the gap between technological advancement and ecological principles within the existing smart city approach, enabling cities to transition towards a biodiversity-led paradigm. Based on recent literature on smart cities and nature-positive cities, this framework combines the principles of nature-positive cities and smart cities with the technological capabilities of Nature 4.0, using tools such as AI, sensors, IoT, big data analytics, and machine learning. The literature shows that smart green spaces have already been developed worldwide; therefore, education is needed for personnel working in local government to effectively use this new technology. The paper presents examples of how smart technologies can be utilised within urban green spaces to maximise ecosystem services and biodiversity. Finally, it provides recommendations and areas for future research, concluding with a call for specific policy interventions to facilitate the transition towards nature-positive smart cities.