Designing the regenerative city? A case study of urban actors working to integrate ideas of biodiversity in Copenhagen

The decline of biodiversity is progressing at an alarming scale and pace. A strengthening of relations between humans and nature may hold the key to a sustainable future, having the potential to increase human awareness of planetary well-being. Recently, urban actors across the world have seemingly accelerated the integration of Regenerative Thinking into strategies targeting biodiversity. Approaching a well-established urban planning and design practice with a new ideology, urban actors must tackle how to integrate this new arena of Regenerative Thinking in their work. This case study analyzes how urban actors such as architects and planners translate ideas of biodiversity into urban development in Copenhagen. The study identifies drivers and barriers related to the integration of biodiversity in Copenhagen and discuss potentials and challenges in this relation, including asking whether a new methodology such as a dialogue tool might have the potential to support urban actors working with biodiversity. The study concludes that urban actors are experiencing a range of drivers and challenges related to their work with biodiversity, and new methodologies seems to be needed. The study is an initial explorative component of a larger case study planned to be key content of a Ph.D. thesis.