Nature-based Solutions for Enhancing Urban Cooling and Beyond: Advances, Co-Benefits and Trade-offs

Urban areas are increasingly vulnerable to rising temperatures as a result of climate change and rapid urbanization. Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI), including trees, parks, wetlands, rivers, green roofs, rain gardens, and ecological corridors, is emerging as a vital Nature-based Solution (NbS) for mitigating the urban heat island effect, improving thermal comfort, and strengthening climate resilience. Beyond cooling, these solutions contribute to stormwater management, biodiversity enhancement, social well-being, livability, adaptation, and mitigation.

This Research Topic invites interdisciplinary contributions that explore advances in planning, design, implementation, and governance of NbS for climate-resilient cities. We welcome research that combines ecological, technical, socio-economic, and policy perspectives, and which bridges conceptual development with applied practice. Potential directions include, but are not limited to:

1. Forms and concepts: Green Infrastructure (GI), Green-Blue Infrastructure (GBI), Low-Impact Development (LID), Sponge City initiatives, Best Management Practices (BMP), and Urban Greenery (UG), and their integration into urban planning with social, economic, and environmental implications.

2. Spatial optimization and tools: development of optimization models, software, GIS-based suitability analysis, prioritization frameworks, and other spatial decision-support tools.

3. Cost-effectiveness and applicability: empirical studies assessing the efficiency, adaptability, and contextual relevance of NbS across different urban environments.

4. Feasibility across urban typologies: comparative research into how NbS perform across varying climatic, morphological, and socio-economic settings.

5. Equity and social vulnerability: integrating social justice considerations into NbS planning to promote equitable outcomes and minimize unintended trade-offs, such as green gentrification.

6. Economic evaluation: cost–benefit analyses, long-term investment sustainability, and exploration of NbS within the green economy.

7. Policy and governance: evaluation of local, regional, and national governance mechanisms, and strategies to improve coordination and policy alignment.

8. Cross-regional and comparative studies: testing, adapting, and scaling NbS frameworks across diverse cultural and governance contexts.

9. Scenario modeling and policy integration: enhancing NbS performance assessments through dynamic scenario modeling, incorporating climate projections and policy interventions.

10. Green economy and business models: identifying innovative financing strategies, business models, and investment mechanisms to support NbS implementation and job creation.

11. Stakeholder engagement and participatory approaches: advancing methods for inclusive engagement of communities, practitioners, and decision-makers in the planning and design of NbS.

By consolidating diverse insights across these dimensions, this Research Topic aims to advance knowledge and provide actionable strategies for implementing NbS that maximize urban cooling benefits while promoting resilience, biodiversity, and equity. The outcomes will support urban planners, policymakers, and stakeholders in building climate-adaptive and livable cities. Transdisciplinary perspectives are especially encouraged, as they can help communicate scientific research to communities and the public, thereby strengthening awareness and adoption of NbS.

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Nature-based Solutions for Enhancing Urban Cooling and Beyond: Advances, Co-Benefits and Trade-offs