URBAN FORESTS AS A CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGY: NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR RESILIENT CITIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/aurumpub.065-008Keywords:
Climate Adaptation, Environmental Governance, Nature-Based Solutions, Socio-Ecological Resilience, Urban ForestsAbstract
Cities play a central role in the contemporary climate crisis, concentrating greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and socio-environmental vulnerabilities. This context poses significant challenges to urban governance and planning, particularly in countries of the Global South, where historical inequalities exacerbate the impacts of extreme events. This study analyzes recent scientific research on Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and urban forests as strategies for climate adaptation and resilience, with emphasis on public policies, ecological innovation, and social participation. A bibliometric and systematic literature review was conducted using the Web of Science database, covering publications from 2014 to 2024, followed by thematic cluster analysis to identify the main conceptual dimensions of the field. The results reveal three prominent thematic axes: adaptive governance, green infrastructure, and climate justice. The findings also indicate an increasing integration of ecological and urban planning perspectives, highlighting the potential of NbS to reduce heat-related vulnerabilities and promote environmental equity. Nevertheless, methodological gaps and implementation challenges persist in tropical countries such as Brazil, particularly due to institutional fragmentation and limited investment in environmental monitoring. The study concludes that strengthening nature-based urban policies is essential to enhance socio-ecological resilience and foster more sustainable and inclusive cities.
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