Approaching Urban Green Justice: A Critical Analysis  of the Green Redevelopment Plans in the Binckhorst, The Hague: How is Urban Green Justice approached in the Binckhorst, The Hague?

This paper examines the approach to urban green justice in the greening narratives of one of the biggest inner-city area redevelopments in the Netherlands, the Binckhorst, The Hague, which has a special focus on greening and sustainability. For the analysis, planning documents as well as public communication were examined using a spatially sensitive framework for the analysis of the municipalities narrative on the green developments in the Binckhorst. I found that a rhetoric of urban green boosterism is prominent throughout the sources analysed. That means the municipality uses greening to sell the Binckhorst as a desirable place to invest and live. The greening narrative is part of the urban greening orthodoxy. Furthermore, the narrative seems to be underpinned by the apolitical assumption of a “green” trickle-down effect, suggesting that the benefits of greening will spread to everyone and lead to more just and prosperous cities. Social justice is not directly addressed in the...Show moreThis paper examines the approach to urban green justice in the greening narratives of one of the biggest inner-city area redevelopments in the Netherlands, the Binckhorst, The Hague, which has a special focus on greening and sustainability. For the analysis, planning documents as well as public communication were examined using a spatially sensitive framework for the analysis of the municipalities narrative on the green developments in the Binckhorst. I found that a rhetoric of urban green boosterism is prominent throughout the sources analysed. That means the municipality uses greening to sell the Binckhorst as a desirable place to invest and live. The greening narrative is part of the urban greening orthodoxy. Furthermore, the narrative seems to be underpinned by the apolitical assumption of a “green” trickle-down effect, suggesting that the benefits of greening will spread to everyone and lead to more just and prosperous cities. Social justice is not directly addressed in the green development plans, which creates the risk that the green developments in the Binckhorst will turn into green commodities or enclaves of environmental privilege.Show less

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Approaching Urban Green Justice: A Critical Analysis of the Green Redevelopment Plans in the Binckhorst, The Hague: How is Urban Green Justice approached in the Binckhorst, The Hague?