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Urban climate infrastructure does not automatically become biodiversity infrastructure

A Dutch perspective scores 14 common nature-based solutions against biodiversity functions and argues that climate-adaptation design routinely leaves ecological value on the table.

Evidence
Other
Geography
Netherlands / urban applications
System
Urban green-blue infrastructure / nature-based solutions

WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS

The authors develop a biodiversity-benefit typology and use literature plus expert judgement to estimate the performance of 14 urban nature-based solutions commonly selected for climate adaptation. Their central finding is a design gap: interventions optimized for heat or water functions may miss habitat, species and human–nature benefits unless biodiversity is an explicit objective.

WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ

For cities as landscapes, multifunctionality has to be designed rather than assumed. A bioswale, tree system or water feature can be climate infrastructure without necessarily functioning as good habitat.

CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY

This is a perspective and expert-judgement framework for the Dutch context, not post-occupancy ecological monitoring of the 14 interventions. The scores should guide questions and design criteria, not be treated as measured universal performance rankings.

SOURCE

Frontiers in Sustainability
View original evidence ↗