Staff

Tural Aliyev

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Dr. Tural Aliyev

Scientist, Group : Policy Analysis and Environmental Governance (PEGO)

Department Environmental Social Sciences

About Me

Since 2026, I have been working as a Scientist in the Policy Analysis and Environmental Governance (PEGO) group at Eawag (ETH Domain), following three years as a postdoctoral researcher at Eawag (2023–2026). During this period, I was also affiliated as a postdoctoral researcher with the Department of Environmental Systems Science ETH Zurich (2024–2025), contributing to interdisciplinary research at the interface of environmental governance, biodiversity, and urban planning. I am additionally an associated researcher at the Gouvernance de l’Environnement et Développement Territorial (GEDT) group at the University of Geneva.

My research focuses on science–policy interfaces, environmental governance, and biodiversity-sensitive urban planning, with particular attention to the role of social–ecological connections and networks in sustainable urban transformation. Within PEGO, I contribute to interdisciplinary research linking Eawag with the University of Bern and other partners working at the interface of environmental governance and public policy. At Eawag, I am involved in the GreenCityNet project, which aims to strengthen biodiversity in urban green areas through the development of social–ecological networks connecting planning actors, governance institutions, and urban ecosystems.

I have completed my PhD in Urban and Regional Planning at the Institute for Environmental Sciences of the University of Geneva as a recipient of the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship awarded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. The work connected urban transformation processes with environmental strategies, infrastructure transitions, and territorial-scale sustainability planning in post-socialist metropolitan contexts.

During my doctoral studies, I contributed to international policy-oriented research through the Centre of Excellence for Smart Sustainable Cities, a joint initiative between the University of Geneva and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. I also worked as a lead specialist in the United Nations Environment Programme Green City programme, supporting territorial analyses for the implementation of nature-based solutions and green infrastructure in urban planning processes.

I am also an active participant in the Zofnass Research Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, a board member of CaspisNet (Caspian Integrated Scientific Network), and an external consultant to the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction Awards program and have contributed as a guest lecturer at the University of Geneva, the University of Bern, the University of Strasbourg, and within the ETH Domain.

In addition to my research activities, I served as a board member of the Eawag Postdoctoral Scientists Association (EPSA), supporting scientific exchange, professional development, and collaboration within the postdoctoral community at Eawag.

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Projects

Social-ecological networks to enhance biodiversity in urban green areas

GreenCityNet

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Publications

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Espaces verts urbains: défis et leviers

Les espaces verts urbains jouent un rôle central pour la résilience climatique, la biodiversité et la qualité de vie. Dans ce cadre, un atelier participatif s'est tenu à Versoix en avril 2025, réunissant chercheur·euse·s, administrations, associations et praticien·ne·s. Cet atelier, organisé dans le cadre du projet GreenCityNet (projet financé par le SNSF et mené par WSL et Eawag) [1], a permis d'identifier des défis et de formuler des recommandations pratiques.
Aliyev, T.; Fischer, M.; Bolliger, J.; Donati, G.; Willemin, R.; Hedjazi, A.; Mantziaras, P.; Lambert, C. (2025) Espaces verts urbains: défis et leviers, Collage: Zeitschrift für Planung, Umwelt und Städtebau, 27-30, Institutional Repository
Aliyev, T.; Fischer, M.; Bolliger, J.; Hedjazi, A.; Mantziaras, P.; Donati, G.; Willemin, R. (2025) Science-policy practice interface. Co-designing blue-green infrastructure for urban biodiversity and transformation. Insights from Swiss research institutes and international Geneva. Roundtable report 2025, 5 p, Institutional Repository

Réseaux sociaux et écologiques dans les espaces verts urbains pour soutenir l'amélioration de la biodiversité en ville. Rapport de synthèse d l'atelier

• Des fonctions essentielles : Les espaces verts urbains – qu'ils soient publics ou privés – jouent un rôle clé pour la résilience climatique, la biodiversité, la qualité de vie et les interactions sociales.
• Une grande diversité de formes : Ils incluent notamment les parcs, forêts urbaines, jardins collectifs, toitures et murs végétalisés, haies, friches, berges renaturées, cimetières et corridors écologiques.
• Des défis de gouvernance multiples : Leur design, mise en oeuvre et gestion sont freinés par une gouvernance fragmentée, un manque de diagnostics écologiques, des capacités techniques limitées, une coordination institutionnelle faible, des obstacles juridiques et un financement souvent insuffisant ou mal ciblé.
• Un pilotage par des réseaux d’acteurs : Ces espaces sont gérés et transformés par un réseau d'acteurs sociaux (collectivités, propriétaires privés, associations, entreprises), ce qui justifie une lecture en termes de réseaux sociaux pour comprendre les dynamiques de gouvernance.
Aliyev, T.; Fischer, M.; Bolliger, J.; Donati, G.; Hedjazi, A.; Mantziaras, P.; Lambert, C.; Willemin, R. (2025) Réseaux sociaux et écologiques dans les espaces verts urbains pour soutenir l'amélioration de la biodiversité en ville. Rapport de synthèse d l'atelier, 8 p, Institutional Repository
Aliyev, T.; Fischer, M.; Bolliger, J.; Hedjazi, A. (2024) Urban green areas in Baku. Crafting a sustainable and climate-resilient city agenda, Baku dialogues, 8(1), 28-40, Institutional Repository

Baku sea-level rise resilience challenges: beyond the unidirectional coastal urban renewal program

Climate change is manifesting its influence on urban areas, intensifying apprehensions regarding their resilience in the face of future challenges. The challenges are notably pronounced in coastal city regions, marked by high population density and land use. Alongside the established perils inherent to coastal cities, such as irregular precipitation and cyclical water level fluctuations, the Caspian Sea region carries its own unique range of challenges associated with urban and industrial development, including activities like oil exploration and exploitation.
The challenges associated with the Caspian Sea's rising sea levels for coastal areas highlight the importance of integrating natural and physical protective measures into the built environment. Within this context, various urban planning strategies play a crucial role in adapting to and efficiently managing a range of challenges, notably including flooding, displacement, and infrastructure damage.
Baku, the largest city in terms of both size and population along the Caspian Sea, also grapples with the hazards linked to increasing water levels in its coastal urban areas. This is a significant concern for the city, as the increasing complexity of disasters disproportionately affects its coastal areas. Furthermore, the cyclic environmental risks in coastal urban areas are compounded by the growing influence of climate change, seismic hazards, and the potential for associated tsunamis.
The article begins with the analysis of current resilient situation of Baku related to sea level rise, addresses risks related to ongoing urban projects on coastal areas and emphasizes the importance of transcending a one-sided (unidirectional) urban renewal approach. It illustrates the various components of a comprehensive and holistic (multidirectional) framework tailored for urban littoral areas, aimed at bolstering the resilience of Baku's coastal areas.
Aliyev, T.; Fischer, M.; Hedjazi, A. (2023) Baku sea-level rise resilience challenges: beyond the unidirectional coastal urban renewal program, International Scientific Journal of Urban Planning and Sustainable Development, 1-19, doi:10.58225/urbanizm.2023-28-1-19, Institutional Repository

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Address

E-Mail: tural.aliyev@eawag.ch
Phone: +41 58 765 5669
Fax: +41 58 765 5802
Address: Eawag
Überlandstrasse 133
8600 Dübendorf
Office: FC E20
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Research Group

Policy Analysis and Environmental Governance (PEGO) 

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Focalpoints

Science–policy interfaces in urban sustainability transformation

Environmental governance of urban biodiversity and green infrastructure

Social–ecological connections between people and urban nature

Nature-based solutions for climate-resilient cities

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