Natural Environment vs. Built Environment

Humans generally have a built environment in comparison to their natural environment. In the context of climate change, both terms are relevant since both types of environment can be damaged by external factors such as air pollution.

In a natural environment, all living species interact. Many ecological units, for example vegetation, soil or atmosphere, function without us humans intervening. Some natural resources and physical phenomena , such as air, water, climate, energy, or magnetism, that are not produced by human activity, also define a natural environment. However, no environment is 100 percent natural.

Aspects such a climate and weather influence natural environments intensely. Changes in the atmosphere caused by human activity affect weather conditions and, in the long run, also our climate. Restrictions on the emission of so-called greenhouse gases, for example carbon dioxide, are only the first steps in mitigating the effects of progressing climate change.

In contrast to our natural environment, we humans also live in a built environment. Strictly speaking, built environment includes anything from man-made buildings to infrastructure. It is also defined as the materially, spatially and culturally produced surroundings made by men and intended  for human life, work and play. Built environment is connected to several disciplines like economics, law, management, design or environmental sustainability.

The term landscape architecture is used for areas that are built by men but give the impression of being natural environments, for instance parks. The aim of landscape architecture is to achieve an aesthetic, environmental or social-behavioural result. Landscape architecture involves investigating social, ecological and geological aspects of landscapes.

Another term connected to built environment is urban planning: It controls the use of land and settlement, and is concerned with the design of cities and their transportation networks. The movement of urban planning was initiated in the industrial age and was intended to orderly plan cities. In later times, urban renewal has become more popular: It includes the adaptation of existing cities to new conditions.

Damages in our natural and built environments, which are caused by factors such as climate change,  air or water pollution, can be overcome by sustainable development. The extensive use of natural resources as well as the pollution and destruction of ecosystems has given to rise to city planning with an ideal outcome for both humans and ecological systems