Francesc BARÓ

I am an (urban) environmental scientist currently appointed as Asst. Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium, and I am also an affiliated researcher at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), Spain. I hold a PhD in Environmental Science and Technology (UAB, 2016), an MSc in Geographic Information Systems (UPC, 2007), an MSc in Ecological Economics and Environmental Management (UAB, 2005) and a BSc in Environmental Science (UAB, 2004).

My research is motivated by making cities inclusive, healthy, livable, resilient and sustainable for all. In order to understand the complexity of urban social-ecological systems, I conduct applied research at the interface of urban ecology, urban geography, urban planning and ecosystem service science. My interdisciplinary research approach combines geospatial modelling, advanced quantitative and qualitative data analysis and participatory methods. I serve as advisor for local and metropolitan governments and other organizations, and I have been involved in several international research projects on urban ecosystem services, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions.

2019-2023. Collaborative Learning in Research, Information-sharing and Governance on How Urban tree-based solutions support Sino-European urban futures - CLEARING HOUSE (ID: 821242). Funding: European Commission under the Horizon 2020 scheme (Call: H2020-SC5-2018-2). Role: Co-PI for VUB. Note: I started my participation in the project on 1st March 2021 after my appointment at VUB as Asst. Prof.

2016-2021. Green Locally Unwanted Land Uses – GREENLULUS (ID: 678034). Funding: ERC Starting Grant Call 2015 (PI: Isabelle Anguelovski). Role: Postdoctoral research team member.

2016-2020. NATure-based Urban innoVATION – NATURVATION (ID: 730243). Funding: European Commission under the Horizon 2020 scheme (Call: H2020-SCC-NBS-1stage-2016). 14 partners. Role: Postdoctoral research team member and case study lead.

2016-2020. Enabling green-blue infrastructure in complex social-ecological regions: a system approach for assessing local solutions – ENABLE (ID: PCIN-2016-002). Funding: BiodivERsA Joint Call 2015-2016 under the Horizon 2020 ERA-NET COFUND scheme and the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). 11 partners. Role: Work package and case study co-lead.

2013-2017. Operationalisation of Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services: From Concepts to Real-world Applications – OpenNESS (ID: 308428). Funding: European Commission under the FP7 scheme. 38 partners. Role: Research team member and case study co-lead.

2012-2015. Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - URBES (ID: PRI-PIMBDV-2011-1179). Funding: BiodivERsA Joint Call 2010-2011 under the FP7 ERA-NET COFUND scheme and the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). 11 partners. Role: Member of the research team and case study co-lead.

Baró, F., Camacho, D.A., Pérez Del Pulgar, C., Triguero-Mas, M., Anguelovski, I., 2021. School greening: Right or privilege? Examining urban nature within and around primary schools through an equity lens. Landscape and Urban Planning. 208, 104019. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.104019

Baró, F., Langemeyer, J., Łaszkiewicz, E., Kabisch, N., 2021. Editorial to the special issue “Advancing urban ecosystem service implementation and assessment considering different dimensions of environmental justice.” Environmental Science and Policy 115, 43–46. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2020.10.008

Anguelovski, I., Brand, A.L., Connolly, J.J.T., Corbera, E., Kotsila, P., Steil, J., Garcia-Lamarca, M., Triguero-Mas, M., Cole, H., Baró, F., Langemeyer, J., del Pulgar, C.P., Shokry, G., Sekulova, F., Ramos, L.A., 2020. Expanding the Boundaries of Justice in Urban Greening Scholarship: Toward an Emancipatory, Antisubordination, Intersectional, and Relational Approach. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 0, 1–27. doi:10.1080/24694452.2020.1740579

Langemeyer, J., Wedgwood, D., McPhearson, T., Baró, F., Madsen, A.L., Barton, D. 2020. Creating urban green infrastructure where it is needed – A spatial ecosystem service-based decision analysis of green roofs in Barcelona. Science of the Total Environment 707, 135487. doi:10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.135487

Baró, F., Calderón-Argelich, A., Langemeyer, J., Connolly, J.J.T. 2019. Under one canopy? Assessing the distributional environmental justice implications of street tree benefits in Barcelona. Environmental Science & Policy 102, 54–64. doi:10.1016/J.ENVSCI.2019.08.016

Andersson, E., Langemeyer, J., Borgström, S., McPhearson, T., Haase, D., Kronenberg, J., Barton, D.N., Davis, M., Naumann, S., Röschel, L., Baró, F. 2019. Enabling Green and Blue Infrastructure to Improve Contributions to Human Well-Being and Equity in Urban Systems. Bioscience 69, 566–574. doi:10.1093/biosci/biz058

Langemeyer, J., Calcagni, F., Baró, F. 2018. Mapping the intangible: Using geolocated social media data to examine landscape aesthetics. Land Use Policy 77, 542–552. doi: doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.05.049

Turkelboom, F., Leone, M., Jacobs, S., Kelemen, E., García-Llorente, M., Baró, F., et al. 2018. When we cannot have it all: Ecosystem services trade-offs in the context of spatial planning. Ecosystem Services 29:566-578. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.10.011

Zulian, G., Stange, E., Woods, H., Carvalho, L., Dick, J., Andrews, C., Baró, F., et al. 2018. Practical application of spatial ecosystem service models to aid decision support. Ecosystem Services 29:465-480. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.11.005

Baró, F., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Haase, D. 2017. Ecosystem service bundles along the urban-rural gradient: Insights for landscape planning and management. Ecosystem Services. 24, 147–159. doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.02.021

Baró, F., Palomo, I., Zulian, G., Vizcaino, P., Haase, D., Gómez-Baggethun, E. 2016. Mapping ecosystem service capacity, flow and demand for urban planning and policy: a case study in the Barcelona metropolitan region. Land Use Policy 57:405-417. doi: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2016.06.006

Kremer, P., Hamstead, Z., Haase, D., McPhearson, T., Frantzeskaki, N., Andersson, E., Kabisch, N., Larondelle, N., Rall, E.L., Voigt, A., Baró, F., et al. 2016. Key insights for the future of urban ecosystem services research. Ecology and Society. 21(2):29. doi:10.5751/ES-08445-210229

Baró, F., Haase, D., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Frantzeskaki, N. 2015. Mismatches between ecosystem services supply and demand in urban areas: A quantitative assessment in five European cities. Ecological Indicators 55:146–158. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.03.013

Baró, F., Chaparro, L., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Langemeyer, J., Nowak, D. J., Terradas, J. 2014. Contribution of Ecosystem Services to Air Quality and Climate Change Mitigation Policies: The Case of Urban Forests in Barcelona, Spain. Ambio 43:466–479. doi: 10.1007/s13280-014-0507-x

Full list of publications: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francesc-Baro-2

In English (starting academic year 2021-2022):

Introduction to GIS – 3 ECTS (various master programs)

Greening the City – 6 ECTS (Msc Urban Studies and Msc Geography)