URBAN CLIMATE JUSTICE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF INEQUITIES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/aurumpub.012-054Keywords:
Green Gentrification, Green Infrastructure, Urban PlanningAbstract
Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are crucial for urban climate adaptation, yet their implementation can deepen social inequalities. This systematic review analyzes the literature on inequities in the distribution of NBS in cities. The analysis of 87 articles reveals a consistent pattern of 'green injustice,' where ecological infrastructure is disproportionately concentrated in higher-income and predominantly white neighborhoods. The mechanisms driving this segregation include historical legacies, real estate market speculation, and exclusionary planning policies. The most documented impact is 'green gentrification,' a process that raises the cost of living and causes the displacement of vulnerable communities. We conclude that without the deliberate integration of social and housing justice policies, urban greening may reinforce exclusion. The creation of sustainable cities must be inseparable from the pursuit of equity.
Downloads
References
ANGUELOVSKI, I. et al. From landscapes of privilege to landscapes of justice: green gentrification and the case for a just urban greening. In: BRENNER, N.; MADDEN, D. (Eds.). Handbook of Gentrification Studies. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019. p. 390-407.
BULLARD, R. D. Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental Quality. 3. ed. Boulder: Westview Press, 2000.
COHEN-SHACHAM, E. et al. Nature-based solutions to address global societal challenges. Gland: IUCN, 2016.
DEMUZERE, M. et al. Mitigating and adapting to climate change: Multi-functional and multi-scale assessment of green urban infrastructure. Journal of Environmental Management, v. 146, p. 107-115, 2014.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION. Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The vital role of nature-based solutions in a nature-positive economy. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2021.
GOULD, K. A.; LEWIS, T. L. Green Gentrification: Urban Sustainability and the Struggle for Environmental Justice. London: Routledge, 2017.
HARTIG, T.; KRAHN, G. L. Nature and human health. Annual Review of Public Health, v. 43, p. 331-352, 2022.
IPCC. Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.
MCGRANAHAN, G. et al. Greening cities: an analysis of the drivers of the urban vegetation fraction in 906 cities. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, v. 81, p. 127845, 2023.
RIGOLON, A.; NEMET, K. Green gentrification or ‘just green enough’: Do park location, size and function affect whether a nearby park triggers gentrification? Urban Studies, v. 57, n. 2, p. 402-420, 2020.
SHI, L. et al. Roadmap towards justice in urban climate adaptation research. Nature Climate Change, v. 6, n. 2, p. 131-137, 2016.
PAGE, M. J. et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, v. 372, n. 71, p. 1-8, 2021.
ONU-HABITAT. World Cities Report 2023: Financing a Sustainable Urban Future. Nairobi: UN-Habitat, 2023.
WOLCH, J. R.; BYRNE, J.; NEWELL, J. P. Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’. Landscape and Urban Planning, v. 125, p. 234-244, 2014.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Felipe Martins Sousa, Cauã Queiroz Fernandes de Sousa, Juliana dos Santos Nogueira, Beatriz de Fátima Silva Mota, Ítalo Rosário de Freitas (Autor)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
