Trees-as-Infrastructure: How Urban Nature Builds Cool, Green and Resilient Cities

Stuttgart
Trees-as-Infrastructure is redefining how cities integrate nature into urban planning. By treating trees as critical infrastructure, this approach enhances climate resilience, reduces heat and flooding risks, and improves community well-being. The methodology, tested in Stuttgart, offers a scalable model for greener, healthier, and more sustainable cities worldwide.
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Balkan Green Cities: Greening the Urban Fabric and Why It Matters

Athens
Across eight Balkan green cities, we compare total green infrastructure and accessible urban green using EEA metrics and municipal datasets. The piece traces how geography and planning traditions shape outcomes, then spotlights flagship projects—from Athens’ Ellinikon to Belgrade’s Linear Park and Tirana’s Orbital Forest. We conclude with tiered, finance-aware recommendations that help city leaders turn green on paper into green on foot.
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Edible City: How Urban Gardens Transform Cities Beyond Food

Edible cities integrate urban gardens into public spaces, delivering multiple social, ecological, and economic benefits beyond food production. From Andernach to Belgrade, European cities are piloting edible landscapes as infrastructure for climate adaptation, community building, and environmental education. Research shows that inclusive, co-designed programs yield stronger social outcomes than purely technological approaches. Practical guidance for planners emphasizes mapping, governance, skills pipelines, and a mosaic of micro-sites to maximize impact.
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Belgrade’s Green Cover in Crisis: How a June Heatwave Stripped the City’s Vegetation

Belgrade’s Green Cover
In June 2025, Belgrade experienced record-breaking heat, leading to a sharp decline in urban vegetation. Using NDVI data from Landsat satellites, this article analyzes the spatial and sectoral impacts of the heatwave on Belgrade’s green cover. Parks, residential zones, and industrial areas all showed significant vegetation stress, revealing disparities in resilience. The findings frame vegetation as critical infrastructure—essential for cooling, health, and economic stability—and call for urgent adaptation in urban planning amid escalating climate risks.
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From Risk to Resilience: Urban Heat Adaptation in Action

heat adaptation
As extreme heat becomes an escalating urban threat, cities worldwide are pioneering bold adaptation strategies to protect public health, infrastructure, and economic vitality. From green canopies and reflective rooftops to reimagined public spaces, From Risk to Resilience showcases climate-smart planning are transforming heat-vulnerable cities into hubs of resilience.
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Urban Heat and Green Infrastructure: Lessons from Belgrade’s Record Summer

Belgrade's heat

As summer approaches and the risk of extreme heat increases, it is worth recalling what happened last year. The summer of 2024 placed Belgrade among the cities experiencing record-breaking heat waves, with temperatures soaring above 40°C during several consecutive days,…

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Biodiversity Credits and Units: New Tools for Ecosystem Protection

illustration of biodiversity
Biodiversity credits and units are emerging tools to bridge the $700 billion funding gap for environmental protection. They allow businesses to invest in conservation, offering measurable, tradable benefits. Learn how these innovative solutions are shaping the future of biodiversity preservation.
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Sponge City: A Sustainable Solution to Urban Water Management.

green roofs and green spaces
The article explores the concept of "sponge cities" as a sustainable solution to urban water management amidst increasing global urbanization and climate change. Sponge cities use a combination of natural and engineered infrastructure, such as permeable surfaces, green roofs, and rainwater harvesting, to absorb, store, and reuse rainwater. This approach aims to reduce flooding, conserve water, and promote biodiversity while improving air quality and climate resilience. The article highlights successful global examples and discusses the challenges and future outlook for implementing sponge city principles worldwide.
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