Urban Greening as a Response to Climate-Related Heat Risk: A Social–Geographical Review

Abstract

With the increasing intensity, frequency and duration of heat waves, adaptation measures are becoming increasingly relevant and are moving up the agenda of decision-makers. In particular, urban areas require effective solutions due to the urban heat island effect and the increasing number of urban dwellers, including highly vulnerable social groups, such as people with low income or who lack access to public areas. However, despite there being strong agreement about the relevance of urban greening as an adaptation measure, there is still a limited understanding of where such measures should be implemented and for whom they are potentially accessible and beneficial. Through a systematic scoping review of the academic literature, this paper shows critical regional and methodological research gaps in mainstream adaptation research, including a bias towards Asian and European cities, and a lack of assessments of the socio-economic context and the accessibility of urban greening structures. Addressing the spatial issues of urban greening is of great importance for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, given the ongoing urbanisation trends and projected increase in heat risk.