Green Infrastructure Approach Research Articles

Nature-based solutions for coastal resilience in South Africa

ABSTRACT Coastlines globally are sensitive to the effects of sea-level rise, increased coastal storminess and changes in coastal sediment supply and sediment dynamics in the Anthropocene. Coastlines are also influenced by land use change, urbanization and development of built infrastructure. These changes can affect the dynamics of coastal landforms, weaken coastal resilience and make coasts more sensitive to climate hazards. This study critically examines the properties of coastlines that contribute to coastal biophysical resilience in South Africa, highlighting their relativerates of change and dynamic behaviour in response to physical and human forcing factors. Coastal landforms can be considered as ‘green infrastructure’ that can buffer the effects of climate change as well as providing ecosystem and environmental services in their own right. Viewing coastal landforms as green infrastructure provides a ‘nature-based solution’ to mitigate against climate change impacts that can work with – not against – the natural geomorphic, sedimentary and ecological processes of coastlines. Coastal landforms can also contribute to socioecological resilience, where they provide environmental and ecosystem services. The green infrastructure approach to coastal resilience has not been well developed in South Africa but is more effective in supporting coastal sustainable development.

A Review of Emerging Scientific Discussions on Green Infrastructure (GI)-Prospects towards Effective Use of Urban Flood Plains

The goal of the present review is to collect data on trending scientific discussions on applying green infrastructure (GI) approaches to the effective use of urban floodplains and conceptualize potential future directions. A systematic literature review methodology was employed for this review. We reviewed 120 scholarly articles published between 2011 and 2022 under a predefined protocol. In this review, we discuss the trending dialogues on GI approaches and their applications. The research gap in applying GI approaches for macro-level urban-flood-plain management is addressed by (a) speculative arguments drawn from reviewed GI case studies, (b) an analysis of the trends’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), and (c) presenting the concurrent ‘green–gray’ debate on neutral ground. Evidently, GI has its strengths and opportunities, as well as weaknesses and threats. The approaches to GI can be customized according to the application purpose, the regional or locational context, and the intended capacity. Following the analysis of emerging GI discussions, we position the current GI dialogues into four categories: (i) the green–gray continuum; (ii) GI for sustainable and resilient cities; (iii) GI as a resolution for urban issues; and (iv) the green–gray debate. In this classification, we strongly argue that placing GI in a more certain and instrumental position can be optimally achieved in the ‘green–gray continuum’ concept with a win–win scenario. Therefore, scientifically investigating the ‘green–gray continuum’ possibilities in a futuristic approach is strongly recommended.

Editorial: Special Issue on Smart and Green Infrastructures with Optimum Life Cycle Solutions

Editorial: Special Issue on Smart and Green Infrastructures with Optimum Life Cycle Solutions

STRATEGI MITIGASI BENCANA HIDROMETEOROLOGI DI DAERAH MUARA SUNGAI AYUNG

A hydrometeorological disaster is an event or series of floods, landslides, ecosystem damage, land degradation, hurricanes, and droughts, which can threaten people's lives. The current climate change is also allegedly causing an increase in hydrometeorological disasters. The distinctive characteristic of the estuary is the confluence of river and sea flows, increasing the potential for hydrometeorological disasters. Therefore, it is necessary to mitigate hydrometeorological disasters in the Ayung River Estuary to reduce the negative impacts that can occur due to hydrometeorological conditions. This research is a descriptive quantitative research. Meteorological data obtained from satellite data is used to see the meteorological characteristics of the Ayung River Estuary. Based on the results of the analysis, it is known that several hydrometeorological conditions in the Ayung River estuary area show potential hydrometeorological disasters, such as an increase in maximum wind speed reaching 1.5 times the average speed, an increase in temperature ranging from 6-8°C from the average temperature and conditions There is daily rainfall that reaches more than 100 mm/day. Mitigation efforts that can be carried out in the Ayung River Estuary can be carried out with many actions such as structural, non-structural and potential nature-based solutions (blue, green and hybrid infrastructure approaches).

Penanganan Banjir Sub-DAS Posindo Kota Balikpapan dengan Optimalisasi Penyediaan Infrastruktur Hijau

The Posindo sub-basin, emptying into the Ampal river, is experiencing floods, yet the city government has regularly normalized and cleaned the river. Therefore, this problem cannot be handled conventionally and generically. The research was conducted to formulate optimal flood management scenarios through a green infrastructure approach as an alternative for sustainable flood management. Two analytical methods were used to overcome the research question: the Gumbel Type I distribution to calculate rainfall return periods and HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS modeling software to simulate hydrological and hydraulic conditions. Result analysis showed an overflow discharge above the embankment along the Posindo sub-basin secondary channel by 0.38 – 1.64 m3/s. Alternative’s simulation shows that providing green open space (GOS) is crucial for maintaining water balance in the study area. The combined management scenario by maintaining a minimum GOS of 10%, storage ponds establishment, and increasing the drainage capacity adequate to reduce the overflow height.

Green and blue infrastructure as a tool to support decision-making in the spatial planning process. The case of Lake Trichonida, Greece

Green infrastructure (GI) has gained high interest over the last two decades, as a policy tool to promote sustainable development and enhance the resilience of both the urban and rural environments. GI has the potential to offer multiple benefits through the services and functions performed within ecosystems, and thus its implementation requires an integrated and balanced approach that emphasizes the multifunctional nature of a territory. Multifunctionality along with connectivity and networking appear to be core features accepted by all disciplines using the term. GI incorporates green spaces, or/and blue if aquatic ecosystems are concerned, and other physical features in terrestrial and marine areas. This paper presents the development and application of a methodology to facilitate spatial planning choices, incorporating a green and blue infrastructure (GBI) approach, in a Greek case, the wider area of Lake Trichonida in Western Greece. The conceptual basis of the proposed approach embeds both natural and man-made features that could function as green or blue infrastructure. The methodology and its application facilitated the identification of planning priorities and the pursue of planning objectives, thus supporting the decision-making in the spatial planning process.

Green System Development in the Medinas of Tunis and Marrakesh—Green Heritage and Urban Livability

Due to their authentic urban and architectural character, the Medinas of Tunis and Marrakesh became listed among the United Nations educational, scientific, and cultural organization (UNESCO) heritage sites in 1979 and 1985, respectively. Nowadays, the urbanization of the surrounding green areas and the climate change impacts on cities are degrading the Medinas’ livability and their characteristic heritage. On the other hand, scientific knowledge and data about the green system in the dense urban cores of Medinas in the Maghreb region is still not a widely apprehended theme in the scientific domain. This research objective is to initiate nature-based and sustainable solutions in these cities by demonstrating the application of the urban green infrastructure (UGI) approach. As a research methodology, an analysis of the historical green system development in the Medinas is given to highlight their tangible and intangible values. The analysis goes over three periods: first, the medieval Islamic era, then the modern period during the French colony, and the contemporary city as a unique urban landscape. Finally, the study proposes a design guideline to prove the applicability of the UGI in the given historical morphologies by implementing the retained historical values of the historic green heritage in Medinas and the aspects of the site.

Priority Areas for Developing Green Infrastructure in Semi-arid Cities: A Case Study of Tehran

Urban green infrastructure (GI) approach supports building resilience, mitigating greenhouse gases emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. However, the development and maintenance of GI in semi-arid cities can be hindered by limitations such as available water resources. In this article, we study priority areas for GI development schemes at the neighbourhood scale through a seasonal vulnerability framework with the case study of two urban districts in the semi-arid city of Tehran, Iran. Heat mitigation and stormwater runoff control are considered as the main objectives of GI development. The results show that priority areas have high levels of land surface temperature, impervious surfaces and population density, with a low proportion of vegetation land cover. The necessary GI services vary in different local climate zones (LCZ) during the year. Although heat mitigation is required in both compact and open LCZs, the runoff control service of GI is also needed for neighbourhoods with compact midrise settings. To promote sustainability at the neighbourhood scale, the findings of the study can be used for initiating nature-based solutions and GI development projects.

Polarised views of urban biodiversity and the role of socio-cultural valuation: Lessons from Cape Town

This study investigates values and narratives of urban biodiversity in the highly culturally and biologically diverse city Cape Town, South Africa. Local expressions of values of biodiversity are explored, in the context of the challenge of accounting for diverse values of biodiversity through a green infrastructure approach. Based on interviews with practitioners involved in green space and biodiversity management I investigate: i) narratives around challenges of different values of biodiversity and green space for management and planning, and ii) the perceived potential of assessments of social values of biodiversity and ES in practice. Highly polarised views of nature and biodiversity exist within management and planning of urban nature within the city. This study shows the complexity of including and integrating highly diverse and contrasting meanings of urban nature and biodiversity for citizens and stakeholders in management and planning based on an ES and GI approach. Potential value-conflicts arise when applying a green infrastructure approach in places with high biodiversity values, where management is based on a traditional conservation perspective. Socio-cultural valuation can be useful in green infrastructure planning, but needs to go beyond a consideration of current preferences, consider informal engagements, and recognise the potential of urban green for citizen building.

Green Urban Infrastructure: Assessment Challenges

The presented study addresses the problem of forming and assessing green urban infrastructure, focusing on the elements of green infrastructure in the largest cities of the Russian Federation.Aim. The study aims to analyze approaches to identifying key elements of green infrastructure and methodological approaches to its assessment.Tasks. The authors determine approaches to highlighting key structural elements of green infrastructure; use statistics to comparatively assess the elements of green infrastructure in the largest Russian cities; identify problems in approaches to assessing key elements of green infrastructure.Methods. This study uses the methods of system analysis and comparison to address the problems of assessing key elements of green urban infrastructure and provides data published on the official websites of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, municipalities, and the Federal State Statistics Service.Results. Key structural elements of green infrastructure are identified and its effects on the urban environment are determined. Methodological approaches to assessing green infrastructure are analyzed, and its key elements in the largest cities of the Russian Federation are comparatively analyzed. The authors identify assessment problems and conclude that it is necessary to update the methodology of approaches to assessing the elements of green infrastructure in order to take into account its results at the stage of urban and spatial planning of territories.Conclusions. The results of the study can be used in developing a methodology for green infrastructure assessment and urban planning.

From gray copycats to green wolves: policy and infrastructure for flood risk management

Flooding has affected over two billion people since 1995. While gray infrastructure such as levees and dams has traditionally been used to mitigate this hazard, many communities are looking for approaches to augment or replace some of these structural solutions. Propelled by the regulatory support for green infrastructure approaches for stormwater management, some communities are also looking to green infrastructure for flood risk management (FRM). We apply the internal determinants and regional diffusion models to evaluate how floodplain management policies are evolving in place and diffusing through policy networks in several case studies from Oregon, US. We then develop several propositions as a way of focusing our findings on the community objectives and policy processes for FRM, contributing to the literature on policy innovation and adoption, and elucidating the nuances of these models for explaining FRM.

Re-Interpreting the Imrahor Valley (Ankara-Turkey) in Terms of Green Infrastructure Directing Urban and Rural Development

Abstract The earth is rapidly urbanizing. One of the most effective means of dealing with the emergency caused by rapid urbanization is green infrastructure now. Ankara as a metropolitan capital city is also rapidly losing its urban-rural integrity due to rapid urbanization. Although different spatial plans have been made since the declaration of the Republic, the city continued oil-stain expansion and the green area system could not be protected. The Imrahor Valley, which is of ecologically vital importance in the urban-rural integrity, is one of the valuable areas under threat. The valley is an ecotone between the rural and urban ecosystems, southeast of Ankara city center. The valley has come to the point of losing its natural and rural character, especially with the urban transformation practices on the valley floor, slopes and surrounding areas. In this context, the ecological processes to which the Imrahor Valley is connected and dependent and human interventions in these processes are examined in three layers at different levels initially: the province, the city containing the central districts and the basin containing Lake Mogan-Eymir Lake-Imrahor Valley. Then, we focus on the transformation of the Imrahor Valley, one of the most important ecological components of the metropolitan city of Ankara, between 2003–2020. All transformational interventions in the Imrahor Valley affect all natural processes of the Valley irreversibly. It is necessary to re-read and interpret the Imrahor Valley landscape within the framework of the green infrastructure approach in all spatial planning studies and plan changes to be made regarding the metropolitan city.

Urban green infrastructure size, quality and proximity and health outcomes in older populations

Abstract Background A city's multi-functional network of green and blue spaces has an important role underpinning the health and wellbeing of its residents. Although evidence of positive links between nature and health is plentiful, little is known about which particular aspects of green and blue spaces are most influential, and how benefits might vary between social groups and age. Methods We used a green infrastructure (GI) approach combining a high-resolution spatial dataset of land-cover and function with area-level demographic and socio-economic data. A comprehensive characterisation of the Greater Manchester UK city region was generated. The GI attributes were used in step-wise multi-level regression analyses to test for associations between population chronic morbidity and the functional, physical and spatial components of GI across an urban socio-demographic gradient. Results Individual GI attributes were significantly associated with health in all socio-demographic contexts; even when associations between health and overall green cover were non-significant. For areas with having higher proportions of older people ('older neighbourhoods'), associations were found between health and land-cover diversity, informal greenery and patch size in high income areas. In lower income areas, health was predicted by proximity to public parks and recreation land. Conclusions A nuanced description of greenspace in terms of quality, cover type, diversity explains more variation in population health than a single metric such as percentage green cover. People in urban neighbourhoods that have older age populations and lower income are disproportionately healthy if their neighbourhoods contain accessible, good quality public greenspace. This has implications for strategies to decrease health inequalities and inform international initiatives, such as the World Health Organisation's Age-Friendly Cities programme. Key messages A nuanced description of green and blue space in terms of quality, cover type, diversity explains more variation in population health than a single metric such as percentage green cover. People in urban neighbourhoods that have older age populations and lower income are disproportionately healthy if their neighbourhoods contain accessible, good quality public greenspace.

Advancing the green infrastructure approach in the Province of Barcelona: integrating biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services into landscape planning

The effective integration of biodiversity, ecosystem functions and ecosystem services (ES) indicators into green infrastructure (GI) planning and conservation constitutes an important challenge for landscape and urban planners. In this study, we developed an operational framework for GI planning at the landscape scale in the Province of Barcelona. Building on the ES cascade model, the framework integrates a comprehensive assessment of biodiversity (including functional biodiversity), ecosystem functions, and both ES supply and demand, to assure a sound knowledge basis for GI planning. Specifically, we aimed at: (1) identifying the quantitative relationships and spatial patterns of biodiversity, ecosystem functions, ES supply and demand indicators; (2) assessing the mismatches between biodiversity, ES supply and demand and (3) prioritizing key areas for GI planning which respond to various conservation objectives and human demands. Our study underscores the crucial importance of peri-urban green areas, including forests or crop areas, for the urban biodiversity, ecosystem functions and ES provision. We further observe an important mismatch between the supply and demand of ES at landscape scale. In general, peri-urban forests provide a broad diversity of ES; heavy urbanized areas, including the city of Barcelona and its metropolitan area, as well as areas along the coast concentrate the highest ES demands, while areas combining high ES supply and demand are especially found in the urban-rural fringes. Our study revealed that the urban fringes should be critically focused on when integrating both ES and biodiversity indicators into green infrastructure planning at landscape scale. Our approach has been successfully implemented into landscape planning in the Province of Barcelona, reconciling both biodiversity conservation and ES enhancement in practical GI planning.

Relationships between health outcomes in older populations and urban green infrastructure size, quality and proximity

BackgroundThere is a growing body of literature supporting positive associations between natural environments and better health. The type, quality and quantity of green and blue space (‘green-space’) in proximity to the home might be particularly important for less mobile populations, such as for some older people. However, considerations of measurement and definition of green-space, beyond single aggregated metrics, are rare. This constitutes a major source of uncertainty in current understanding of public health benefits derived from natural environments. We aimed to improve our understanding of how such benefits are conferred to different demographic groups through a comprehensive evaluation of the physical and spatial characteristics of urban green infrastructure.MethodsWe employed a green infrastructure (GI) approach combining a high-resolution spatial dataset of land-cover and function with area-level demographic and socio-economic data. This allowed for a comprehensive characterization of a densely populated, polycentric city-region. We produced multiple GI attributes including, for example, urban vegetation health. We used a series of step-wise multi-level regression analyses to test associations between population chronic morbidity and the functional, physical and spatial components of GI across an urban socio-demographic gradient.ResultsGI attributes demonstrated associations with health in all socio-demographic contexts even where associations between health and overall green cover were non-significant. Associations varied by urban socio-demographic group. For areas characterised by having higher proportions of older people (‘older neighbourhoods’), associations with better health were exhibited by land-cover diversity, informal greenery and patch size in high income areas and by proximity to public parks and recreation land in low income areas. Quality of GI was a significant predictor of good health in areas of low income and low GI cover. Proximity of publicly accessible GI was also significant.ConclusionsThe influence of urban GI on population health is mediated by green-space form, quantity, accessibility, and vegetation health. People in urban neighbourhoods that are characterised by lower income and older age populations are disproportionately healthy if their neighbourhoods contain accessible, good quality public green-space. This has implications for strategies to decrease health inequalities and inform international initiatives, such as the World Health Organisation’s Age-Friendly Cities programme.

Planning the “unknown”: Perception of urban green infrastructure concept in Romania

Urban areas are under constant pressure, owing to population growth and societal challenges. The higher perceived quality of life characterising urban areas is beginning to decrease, owing to changes in environmental quality, security levels, employment, and public health. Urban planning must adapt to overcome these challenges. The urban green infrastructure (UGI) approach aims to mitigate the effects of climate change and environmental degradation, and to improve the overall quality of urban life by providing a wide variety of ecosystem services.While the UGI concept has been presented as successfully implemented in some European and North American countries, for other cities the struggle continues. Our study presents the results of a perception analysis for three groups of stakeholders in Romania: citizens, public authorities, and economic agents. We sent 970 questionnaires to our targeted groups, of which 300 were validated for further processing. We determined the knowledge levels on the UGI concept, and the main challenges these actors have in planning and managing this type of infrastructure.Our results emphasise that the UGI concept is considered nothing more than a modern reinterpretation of green spaces, and the development of such urban features is considered an unnecessary expenditure for local budgets Available and unbuilt land is being considered more suited for real estate development. While citizens and public authorities acknowledge the benefits of UGI, our findings raise a red flag over the urgency to bridge the gap between the scientific community and urban practitioners, for the latter to further concentrate on planning and developing these kind of networks within the urban settlements.

Benefits of synergy of urban green infrastructure and integrated stormwater management approaches: theoretical perspective and examples from Vienna

This paper deals with multiple benefits and outcomes at a lower spatialfunctional city levels generated by the synergy of Urban Green Infrastructure approach and integrated stormwater management approaches, resulting from their simultaneous application in the process of urban planning and design. The conducted research examines and analyzes key characteristics of Green Infrastructure and integrated stormwater management approaches, as well as their relationship in terms of principles, spatial-functional forms, types and benefits of their implementation. Since both of them are based on supporting and mimicking the natural environment in urban conditions, which makes them environmentally friendly and allows a greater presence of nature in many urban circumstances, the focus is on investigation of two common main principles and benefits of their implementation - closer connection with nature and increase of biodiversity in urban environment. The research platform consists of selected examples from Vienna which represent different types of lower spatialfunctional levels in which both approaches are applied, making them suitable for examining the effects of their synergy.

Mitigating Climate Change Related Floods in Urban Poor Areas: Green Infrastructure Approach

Mitigating Climate Change Related Floods in Urban Poor Areas: Green Infrastructure Approach

An integrated approach to place Green Infrastructure strategies in marginalized communities and evaluate stormwater mitigation

Increasing urbanization augments impervious surface area, which results in increased run off volumes and peak flows. Green Infrastructure (GI) approaches are a decentralized alternative for sustainable urban stormwater and provide an array of ecosystem services and foster community building by enhancing neighborhood aesthetics, increasing property value, and providing shared green spaces. While projects involving sustainability concepts and environmental design are favored in privileged communities, marginalized communities have historically been located in areas that suffer from environmental degradation. Underprivileged communities typically do not receive as many social and environmental services as advantaged communities. This research explores GI-based management strategies that are evaluated at the watershed scale to improve hydrological performance by mitigating storm water run off volumes and peak flows. GI deployment strategies are developed to address environmental justice issues by prioritizing placement in communities that are underprivileged and locations with high outreach potential. A hydrologic/hydraulic stormwater model is developed using the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM 5.1) to simulate the impacts of alternative management strategies. Management scenarios include the implementation of rain water harvesting in private households, the decentralized implementation of bioretention cells in private households, the centralized implementation of bioretention cells in municipally owned vacant land, and combinations of those strategies. Realities of implementing GI on private and public lands are taken into account to simulate various levels of coverage and routing for bioretention cell scenarios. The effects of these strategies are measured by the volumetric reduction of run off and reduction in peak flow; social benefits are not evaluated. This approach is applied in an underprivileged community within the Walnut Creek Watershed in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Investing in Natural and Nature-Based Infrastructure: Building Better Along Our Coasts

Much of the United States’ critical infrastructure is either aging or requires significant repair, leaving U.S. communities and the economy vulnerable. Outdated and dilapidated infrastructure places coastal communities, in particular, at risk from the increasingly frequent and intense coastal storm events and rising sea levels. Therefore, investments in coastal infrastructure are urgently needed to ensure community safety and prosperity; however, these investments should not jeopardize the ecosystems and natural resources that underlie economic wealth and human well-being. Over the past 50 years, efforts have been made to integrate built infrastructure with natural landscape features, often termed “green” infrastructure, in order to sustain and restore valuable ecosystem functions and services. For example, significant advances have been made in implementing green infrastructure approaches for stormwater management, wastewater treatment, and drinking water conservation and delivery. However, the implementation of natural and nature-based infrastructure (NNBI) aimed at flood prevention and coastal erosion protection is lagging. There is an opportunity now, as the U.S. government reacts to the recent, unprecedented flooding and hurricane damage and considers greater infrastructure investments, to incorporate NNBI into coastal infrastructure projects. Doing so will increase resilience and provide critical services to local communities in a cost-effective manner and thereby help to sustain a growing economy.