Urban heatwave, green spaces, and mental health: A review based on environmental health risk assessment framework

Abstract

Utilizing the framework of environmental health risk assessment and healing, the article reviews the effectiveness and potential of green space systems in mitigating the impact of high temperatures, promoting mental health, and improving the risk characteristics of high-temperature heat waves. We utilized CiteSpace software to conduct a time-zone analysis of the relationship between heatwaves, green spaces, and health using clustered data from 2001 to 2023. This study evaluates the role of green space systems in mitigating high temperatures and enhancing mental health within the environmental health risk assessment framework. Using CiteSpace software, we analyzed literature from 2001 to 2023, focusing on the interactions among heatwaves, green spaces, and health. Our results indicate that most existing research concentrates on hazard identification, with insufficient exploration of the dose-response relationships between green spaces and temperature reduction. Quantitative studies on green space design and spatial optimization are scarce, and guidance on effective configurations remains limited. Additionally, the health impacts of heatwaves vary by region, with a noticeable imbalance in research focus; Asia and Africa, in particular, are underrepresented in studies addressing heatwave effects. We conclude that effective mitigation strategies require: (1) a comprehensive environmental health risk assessment framework that integrates advanced methods like big data analysis and geospatial simulations to improve green space planning and design; (2) further theoretical exploration into the mechanisms by which green spaces regulate temperature and mental health, including detailed analysis of spatiotemporal patterns and the functional optimization of green space structures; and (3) the development of robust parameterized design guidance based on specific therapeutic dosages (green space stimulus) to optimize configurations and enhance the effectiveness of green spaces in mitigating adverse mental health impacts from deteriorating thermal environments. Future research should prioritize underrepresented regions, focusing on exposure levels, dose-response relationships, and high-temperature warning systems while fostering multidisciplinary collaboration to develop effective urban planning and climate adaptation strategies.