IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i9p4178-d1649787.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Green Infrastructure’s Role in Climate Change Adaptation: Summarizing the Existing Research in the Most Benefited Policy Sectors

Author

Listed:
  • Ana Kadić

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geodesy, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia)

  • Biljana Maljković

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geodesy, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia)

  • Katarina Rogulj

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geodesy, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia)

  • Jelena Kilić Pamuković

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geodesy, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia)

Abstract

Extreme climate change is today’s world’s most pressing and challenging problem. Increases in greenhouse gas emissions, the warming of the atmosphere and ocean, increased precipitation, rising sea levels, and temperature rise are the major effects of climate change that significantly affect urban infrastructure. Green Infrastructure (GI) is an increasingly acknowledged tool for climate change adaptation that contributes to sustainable urban and rural development. This study reviewed 111 research articles to identify and summarize the research findings about the role of GI in climate change adaptation. Furthermore, the research articles are grouped into three sectors with the most benefits of green infrastructure in climate change adaptation: mitigating urban heat islands, increasing ecosystem resilience, and flood risk management. The literature was further divided according to the developed or utilized strategies and techniques. The findings suggest that the topic of GI’s role in climate change adaptation is very current and it has been studied frequently in the last five years.

Suggested Citation

  • Ana Kadić & Biljana Maljković & Katarina Rogulj & Jelena Kilić Pamuković, 2025. "Green Infrastructure’s Role in Climate Change Adaptation: Summarizing the Existing Research in the Most Benefited Policy Sectors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-26, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:4178-:d:1649787
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/4178/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/4178/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Elie Hanna & María R. Felipe-Lucia & Francisco A. Comín, 2024. "Scenario Analysis of Green Infrastructure to Adapt Medium-Size Cities to Climate Change: The Case of Zaragoza, Spain," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, February.
    2. Thomas J. Wilbanks & Rae Zimmerman & Susan Julius & Paul Kirshen & Joel B. Smith & Richard Moss & William Solecki & Matthias Ruth & Stephen Conrad & Steven J. Fernandez & Michael S. Matthews & Michael, 2020. "Toward indicators of the performance of US infrastructures under climate change risks," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 1795-1813, December.
    3. Claudia Shantal Moreno & Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta & Steven W. J. Canty & Jorge Herrera & Claudia Teutli & Aarón Israel Muñiz-Castillo & Melanie McField & Melina Soto & Cibele do Amaral & Steven Paton &, 2022. "Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Nature-Based Solutions for Hurricane Risk Reduction Policies in the Mexican Caribbean," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-25, September.
    4. Huamei Shao & Gunwoo Kim, 2022. "A Comprehensive Review of Different Types of Green Infrastructure to Mitigate Urban Heat Islands: Progress, Functions, and Benefits," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, October.
    5. Claire Doussard & Muriel Delabarre, 2023. "Perceptions of urban green infrastructures for climate change adaptation in Lausanne, Switzerland: unveiling the role of biodiversity and planting composition," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(10), pages 1-21, October.
    6. Trisha L. Moore & John S. Gulliver & Latham Stack & Michael H. Simpson, 2016. "Stormwater management and climate change: vulnerability and capacity for adaptation in urban and suburban contexts," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 138(3), pages 491-504, October.
    7. Peta Brom & Kristine Engemann & Christina Breed & Maya Pasgaard & Titilope Onaolapo & Jens-Christian Svenning, 2023. "A Decision Support Tool for Green Infrastructure Planning in the Face of Rapid Urbanization," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-19, February.
    8. Kunpeng Ai & Xiangwu Yan, 2024. "Can Green Infrastructure Investment Reduce Urban Carbon Emissions:Empirical Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, February.
    9. Davide Marino & Margherita Palmieri & Angelo Marucci & Mariangela Soraci & Antonio Barone & Silvia Pili, 2023. "Linking Flood Risk Mitigation and Food Security: An Analysis of Land-Use Change in the Metropolitan Area of Rome," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-23, January.
    10. Yasser Jezzini & Ghiwa Assaf & Rayan H. Assaad, 2023. "Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-40, May.
    11. Nees Jan Eck & Ludo Waltman, 2010. "Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 84(2), pages 523-538, August.
    12. Bakhshoodeh, Reza & Ocampo, Carlos & Oldham, Carolyn, 2022. "Thermal performance of green façades: Review and analysis of published data," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    13. Ángela Lara & Leandro del Moral, 2022. "Nature-Based Solutions to Hydro-Climatic Risks: Barriers and Triggers for Their Implementation in Seville (Spain)," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-25, June.
    14. Maragno, Denis & Gaglio, Mattias & Robbi, Martina & Appiotti, Federica & Fano, Elisa Anna & Gissi, Elena, 2018. "Fine-scale analysis of urban flooding reduction from green infrastructure: An ecosystem services approach for the management of water flows," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 386(C), pages 1-10.
    15. Seung Kyum Kim & Paul Joosse & Mia M. Bennett & Terry Gevelt, 2020. "Impacts of green infrastructure on flood risk perceptions in Hong Kong," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(4), pages 2277-2299, October.
    16. Jeremy Carter & S.M. Labib & Ian Mell, 2024. "Understanding and Assessing Climate Change Risk to Green Infrastructure: Experiences from Greater Manchester (UK)," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-22, May.
    17. Jackie Parker & Greg D. Simpson, 2020. "A Theoretical Framework for Bolstering Human-Nature Connections and Urban Resilience via Green Infrastructure," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-20, July.
    18. Jon Laurenz & Jone Belausteguigoitia & Ander de la Fuente & Daniel Roehr, 2021. "Green Urban (RE) Generation: A Research and Practice Methodology to Better Implement Green Urban Infrastructure Solutions," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-24, December.
    19. Heather L Reynolds & Leslie Brandt & Burnell C Fischer & Brady S Hardiman & Donovan J Moxley & Eric Sandweiss & James H Speer & Songlin Fei, 2020. "Implications of climate change for managing urban green infrastructure: an Indiana, US case study," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 1967-1984, December.
    20. Mireia Gascon & Margarita Triguero-Mas & David Martínez & Payam Dadvand & Joan Forns & Antoni Plasència & Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, 2015. "Mental Health Benefits of Long-Term Exposure to Residential Green and Blue Spaces: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-26, April.
    21. Michelle C. Kondo & Jaime M. Fluehr & Thomas McKeon & Charles C. Branas, 2018. "Urban Green Space and Its Impact on Human Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-28, March.
    22. Gabrielle Wong-Parodi & Kelly Klima, 2017. "Preparing for local adaptation: a study of community understanding and support," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 145(3), pages 413-429, December.
    23. Simon Peter Muwafu & Lena Rölfer & Jürgen Scheffran & María Máñez Costa, 2024. "A framework for assessing social structure in community governance of sustainable urban drainage systems: insights from a literature review," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 1-19, June.
    24. Anthony C. Janetos, 2020. "Why is climate adaptation so important? What are the needs for additional research?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 171-176, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Melika Zarei & Sina Shahab, 2025. "Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Green Infrastructure: A Systematic Review of Success Factors and Implementation Challenges," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-26, April.
    2. Nandini Halder & Manoj Kumar & Akshay Deepak & Shailendra K. Mandal & Amjad Azmeer & Basit A. Mir & Anissa Nurdiawati & Sami G. Al-Ghamdi, 2025. "The Role of Urban Greenery in Enhancing Thermal Comfort: Systematic Review Insights," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-30, March.
    3. Yonatal Tefera & Veronica Soebarto & Courtney Bishop & John Kandulu & Carmel Williams, 2023. "A Scoping Review of Urban Planning Decision Support Tools and Processes That Account for the Health, Environment, and Economic Benefits of Trees and Greenspace," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-28, December.
    4. Lisa Dandolo & Klaus Telkmann & Christina Hartig & Sophie Horstmann & Sara Pedron & Lars Schwettmann & Peter Selsam & Alexandra Schneider & Gabriele Bolte & on behalf of the INGER Study Group, 2023. "Do Multiple Sex/Gender Dimensions Play a Role in the Association of Green Space and Self-Rated Health? Model-Based Recursive Partitioning Results from the KORA INGER Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-23, March.
    5. Gill Hubbard & Chantal den Daas & Marie Johnston & Peter Murchie & Catharine Ward Thompson & Diane Dixon, 2021. "Are Rurality, Area Deprivation, Access to Outside Space, and Green Space Associated with Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross Sectional Study (CHARIS-E)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.
    6. Herath Mudiyanselage Malhamige Sonali Dinesha Herath & Takeshi Fujino & Mudalige Don Hiranya Jayasanka Senavirathna, 2023. "A Review of Emerging Scientific Discussions on Green Infrastructure (GI)-Prospects towards Effective Use of Urban Flood Plains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-21, January.
    7. Nicole V. DeVille & Linda Powers Tomasso & Olivia P. Stoddard & Grete E. Wilt & Teresa H. Horton & Kathleen L. Wolf & Eric Brymer & Peter H. Kahn & Peter James, 2021. "Time Spent in Nature Is Associated with Increased Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-18, July.
    8. Andreia Teixeira & Ronaldo Gabriel & José Martinho & Irene Oliveira & Mário Santos & Graça Pinto & Helena Moreira, 2023. "Distance to Natural Environments, Physical Activity, Sleep, and Body Composition in Women: An Exploratory Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, February.
    9. David Rojas-Rueda & Elida Vaught & Daniel Buss, 2021. "Why a New Research Agenda on Green Spaces and Health Is Needed in Latin America: Results of a Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-16, May.
    10. David B. Olawade & Melissa McLaughlin & Yinka Julianah Adeniji & Gabriel Osasumwen Egbon & Arghavan Rahimi & Stergios Boussios, 2025. "Urban Microclimates and Their Relationship with Social Isolation: A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(6), pages 1-32, June.
    11. Xialu Wu & Yu-Sheng Shen & Shenghui Cui, 2023. "Global Trends in Green Space and Senior Mental Health Studies: Bibliometric Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, January.
    12. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Margarita Kokkinaki & Marios-Dimitrios Sinvare & Chrisovalantis Malesios & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2023. "Keep Calm and Go Out: Urban Nature Exposure, Mental Health, and Perceived Value during the COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    13. Marina Cervera & Simon Bell & Francesc Muñoz & Himansu S. Mishra & Lora E. Fleming & James Grellier & Glòria Carrasco-Turigas & Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen & Cristina Vert & Mireia Gascon, 2021. "A Transdisciplinary Approach to Recovering Natural and Cultural Landscape and Place Identification: A Case Study of Can Moritz Spring (Rubí, Spain)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    14. Matthew H. E. M. Browning & Alessandro Rigolon, 2018. "Do Income, Race and Ethnicity, and Sprawl Influence the Greenspace-Human Health Link in City-Level Analyses? Findings from 496 Cities in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-22, July.
    15. Vanessa Natalie Frey & Patrick Benjamin Langthaler & Martin Josef Huf & Günter Gruber & Thomas Prinz & Ludmilla Kedenko & Bernhard Iglseder & Bernhard Paulweber & Eugen Trinka, 2024. "Stress and the City: Mental Health in Urbanized vs. Rural Areas in Salzburg, Austria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-20, October.
    16. Yinhua Tao & Jie Yang & Yanwei Chai, 2019. "The Anatomy of Health-Supportive Neighborhoods: A Multilevel Analysis of Built Environment, Perceived Disorder, Social Interaction and Mental Health in Beijing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-19, December.
    17. Castaldo, Anna Giulia & Nocentini, Margherita Gori & Lemes de Oliveira, Fabiano & Mahmoud, Israa H., 2025. "Nature-based solutions and urban planning in the Global South: Challenge orientations, typologies, and viability for cities," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    18. Austin Thompson & Kyle Bunds & Lincoln Larson & Bethany Cutts & J. Aaron Hipp, 2023. "Paying for nature‐based solutions: A review of funding and financing mechanisms for ecosystem services and their impacts on social equity," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 1991-2066, August.
    19. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Maria Lydia Vardaka & Chrisovaladis Malesios & Zainab Jamidu Katima & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2024. "Can Campus Green Spaces Be Restorative? A Case Study from Tanzania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, January.
    20. Tadeusz Ciupa & Roman Suligowski, 2021. "Green-Blue Spaces and Population Density versus COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-17, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:4178-:d:1649787. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.