The green shield

As global temperatures climb, cities are increasingly becoming heat traps, endangering the health and well-being of millions. While "nature-based solutions" like urban forests are often touted as the ultimate fix, these green shields are themselves under threat from the very heat and drought they are meant to combat. A new perspective suggests that for cities to survive, we must rethink our relationship with urban nature. In a recently published Comment, Dagmar Haase argues that the effectiveness of urban adaptation to rising temperatures and drought depends on the health and diversity of a city’s entire "green patina." To unlock the full potential of urban nature, she suggests that cities must move beyond focusing solely on large-scale parks and instead integrate a holistic network of micro-green spaces and diverse vegetation, the “green patina”, that can better withstand and mitigate the impacts of a changing climate. Read the full Comment in Nature Cities to learn more about these thoughts on green cities.

Abstract

Not only are increasing numbers of people in cities suffering from climate change, hotter temperatures, and drought, but so is green infrastructure, which is inherently there for recreation and cooling. This Comment argues that the entire green patina of the city is needed to adapt effectively.