Nature-Based Solutions Forming Urban Intervention Approaches to Anthropogenic Climate Change: A Quantitative Literature Review
Open accessAbstract
Discussion around anthropogenic climate change has occurred for over 100 years. However, in recent decades, these discussions have intensified due to increased confidence in scientific research highlighting adverse effects, increased knowledge breadth in climate science, and heightened public and political awareness and engagement on the topic. Climate change is now acknowledged as one of the biggest challenges and threats to modern lifestyles. Nature-based solutions (NBS), as a mediator and mitigator to adverse climate change effects, is an emerging area of expanding research collateral and practitioner literacy. To highlight current NBS knowledge, existing knowledge gaps, and research trends, a Quantitative Systematic Literature Review (QSLR) was undertaken (n = 54). This QSLR reveals the short temporal span of articles relating to NBS as a response to climate change, with most articles being of a research style format. NBS research focus areas were found to be dominated by ecological and infrastructure approaches to climate change mitigation, and ecological and technical positions were found to be most topical across the current climate change literature. Multiple knowledge gaps were identified by the review, namely the lack of broader conceptual approaches and knowledge acquisition regarding climate change responses via NBS, as well as the psychological relationship humans share with NBS and climate change, adverse or otherwise. These knowledge gaps highlight where future research inquiry may be directed to increase the value and completion of this research area. It is hoped that this QSLR will assist in increasing the profile of NBS in the multidisciplinary and complex response to anthropogenic climate change, as well as contribute to the growth in investment and implementation of NBS assets for a rigid and resilient global future.
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Research on NbS often focuses on their design yet fails to quantify their performance, particularly in relation to climate adaptation and resilience.
“Research on NbS often focuses on their design yet fails to quantify their performance, particularly in relation to climate adaptation and resilience (39).”
From Global synthesis and regional insights for mainstreaming urban nature-based solutions (2025) · cites this paper as [39]
The Introduction (section 1; page unavailable) identifies a lack of practical, viable, quantifiable research on NbS to inform climate-change interventions. Section 5.6 likewise says ideas lack verification and validation. Neither passage establishes that research often focuses on design, or specifically identifies a failure to quantify performance for climate adaptation and resilience. (LLM, conf=0.84)
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- Authors
- Parker, J., Simpson, G. D., & Miller, J. E.
- Affiliations
- Murdoch University (AU)
- School of Science and Engineering University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK
- Corresponding author
- Parker, Jackie
- Venue
- Sustainability
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2020-09-10
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 18
- Pages
- 7439
- ISSN
- 2071-1050 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3084395660
- Cited by
- 23
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 0.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Sustainability (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Discovery Research Portal (University of Dundee) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Murdoch University Research Portal (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Urban Heat Island Mitigation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Keywords
- nature-based solutions, anthropogenic climate change, urban climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, climate change mitigation, urban infrastructure, ecological approach, knowledge gaps, research trends
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