In an era defined by urgent environmental crises and accelerating urbanization, the quest for equitable and sustainable solutions has never been more pressing. A groundbreaking study led by Pineda-Pinto, Lennon, Kennedy, and colleagues, recently published in npj Urban Sustainability, breaks new intellectual ground by proposing a transformative framework: realizing multispecies justice through a capability approach aimed at promoting nature-based solutions (NBS). This pioneering work reframes urban sustainability discourse by insisting that justice in environmental planning must extend beyond human communities to encompass the full spectrum of living species intertwined within urban ecosystems.
At its core, the capability approach adopted by the researchers moves beyond conventional metrics of environmental management, which often prioritize economic efficiency or isolated biodiversity goals. Instead, it advocates a philosophical and practical pivot towards ensuring that all species—not just humans—can flourish and exercise their inherent capacities within urban landscapes. This reframing elevates the normative ambitions of urban sustainability, intertwining ethics, ecology, and socio-political dimensions into a coherent strategy that promotes multispecies flourishing.
Nature-based solutions have become a favored strategy among urban planners globally, touted for their promise to mitigate climate change impacts and augment resilience. Yet, Pineda-Pinto et al. critically observe that many NBS initiatives, while environmentally beneficial, tend to center human priorities and sometimes inadvertently marginalize other species. Addressing this blind spot, their capability approach insists on recalibrating urban design and governance models to accommodate diverse species’ needs and agency, fundamentally challenging anthropocentric urban policy traditions.
The authors meticulously weave interdisciplinary insights from ecology, political theory, and environmental justice to articulate their vision. By positioning multispecies justice as a theoretical and practical imperative, they stress the importance of contextualizing urban nature not as mere backdrop or resource, but as co-inhabitants with distinct capabilities and rights. This shift calls for a re-evaluation of how urban green spaces are designed, managed, and regulated, advocating for more inclusive governance structures that recognize nonhuman voices through proxy representation or ecological indicators.
Practically, this means reconsidering what counts as a “successful” nature-based intervention within cities. Rather than focusing solely on human-centric benefits like air purification or recreation, the framework proposes evaluating urban projects based on how they expand the freedoms and capabilities of multiple species. This might involve fostering habitat connectivity, ensuring availability of food and shelter, and preserving ecological processes that underpin life for diverse organisms—actions that require detailed ecological knowledge integrated with social considerations.
The study also delves into the complex challenge of operationalizing such multispecies justice ambitions within existing institutional frameworks. Urban governance systems are historically designed with human welfare as their axis, creating systemic barriers to integrating nonhuman interests. The authors argue for innovative policy instruments, co-creation processes involving a broad spectrum of stakeholders, and adaptive structures capable of evolving as ecological and social conditions shift. They underscore the need for iterative monitoring that captures multispecies wellbeing indicators, enabling dynamic responses over time.
Beyond policy, this capability approach has profound implications for urban design practices. It demands designers and planners to become fluent not only in biodiversity science but in the political and ethical dimensions of multispecies coexistence. This transdisciplinary competence fosters new modes of collaboration between scientists, communities, and decision-makers, challenging entrenched silos and promoting holistic urban ecological stewardship that is both just and resilient.
One striking element of the paper is its emphasis on justice as a relational concept, one that breaks down the hierarchical dichotomy between humans and nature. By invoking the capability approach, originally developed by economist and philosopher Amartya Sen and furthered by Martha Nussbaum, the authors establish a normative foundation that foregrounds what beings are able to do and be in the world. This focus on capabilities shifts attention to quality of life across species lines, advocating for a pluralistic but equitable distribution of ecological freedoms.
This reorientation is vital in contemporary cities, where the densification and fragmentation of habitats frequently produce ecological deserts—areas inhospitable to many forms of life. The framework provides a roadmap to convert such spaces into dynamic, living assemblages supporting diverse species’ capabilities. It also offers a critique of urban development paradigms that prioritize short-term economic gains at the expense of long-term ecological health, highlighting the interconnectedness of multispecies wellbeing with human welfare.
Moreover, the article explores how cultural narratives and societal values shape attitudes toward urban nature and influence governance priorities. Recognizing that perceptions of nature and species differ among social groups, the capability approach invites negotiation and democratic engagement to balance conflicting interests while safeguarding multispecies rights. This implies fostering environmental education and public discourse that awaken empathy and awareness, generating political will for more inclusive urban futures.
The research further provides case studies from diverse urban contexts, illustrating how capability-informed interventions can be translated into practice. Examples include designing green corridors that facilitate wildlife movement, creating pollinator-friendly gardens in public spaces, and restoring wetlands in ways that enhance water quality and habitat diversity. These cases demonstrate that operationalizing multispecies justice is not merely an idealistic vision but a practicable pathway yielding measurable environmental and social benefits.
Importantly, the study acknowledges the challenges and potential trade-offs inherent in multispecies urban planning. Conflicts may arise when the needs of certain species compete, or when urban communities face urgent socio-economic pressures that constrain environmental interventions. The capability approach thus advocates for flexible, contextually grounded strategies that seek to maximize overall capability sets, emphasizing pluralism rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
The implications of this work extend beyond academia to inform global sustainability agendas, particularly as cities worldwide commit to achieving climate resilience and biodiversity targets. By integrating multispecies justice into urban sustainability frameworks, policymakers and practitioners gain a powerful ethical compass guiding equitable and effective nature-based solutions. This contributes to reimagining urban environments as spaces where human and nonhuman lives thrive together.
Looking forward, the authors suggest exciting avenues for future research, including developing quantitative indicators for multispecies capabilities, exploring governance models that embed nonhuman representation, and advancing participatory design methods that include diverse knowledge systems. Such interdisciplinary efforts will be crucial for advancing the operationalization of multispecies justice and realizing the full potential of nature-based solutions in cities.
In sum, the study by Pineda-Pinto et al. marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of urban sustainability science. By marrying the philosophical rigor of the capability approach with the pragmatic promise of nature-based solutions, it charts a transformative agenda that elevates the moral and ecological dimensions of urban design. This innovative framework has the power to inspire a profound reimagining of cities as shared habitats where multiple species—not just humans—enjoy the freedoms necessary for flourishing life.
As the urgency of ecological declines in urban regions escalates, embracing multispecies justice through capability-enhanced nature-based solutions offers a hopeful pathway. It transcends conventional environmental management, inviting societies to rethink their relationships with the nonhuman world and to commit to more equitable, resilient urban futures. This visionary approach promises not only to safeguard biodiversity but to nurture vibrant, dynamic ecosystems that sustain all life forms, redefining what it means to build cities for the 21st century and beyond.
Subject of Research: Multispecies justice and capability approach applied to urban nature-based solutions
Article Title: Realizing multispecies justice through a capability approach to promote nature-based solutions
Article References:
Pineda-Pinto, M., Lennon, M., Kennedy, C. et al. Realizing multispecies justice through a capability approach to promote nature-based solutions. npj Urban Sustain 5, 31 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00205-z
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