A review of green infrastructure research in Europe: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Abstract Green Infrastructure (GI) is defined as a network of natural and semi-natural areas that is strategically designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services and to enhance human wellbeing. In Europe, the GI concept has been strongly related to the concepts of multifunctionality, climate change, and green growth, particularly in the last decade, leading to a research and policy agenda that varies greatly, targeting different audiences and topics. Here, we provide an up-to-date review of the key characteristics of GI research by focusing on the countries of the European Union. We consider the conceptualizations of GI, key research priorities, and thematic clusters within the existing literature. We demonstrate that the ambiguous definition of GI has generated a high diversity in research objectives and outputs. We also show that urban green spaces and ecosystems services are the most frequent topics and that more research is needed on the social aspects of GI. We suggest that an explicit incorporation of both nature conservation and social-environmental justice goals is essential for GI research to support sustainability transitions within and beyond the city.