Climate change refers to long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns (United Nations, o. J.). Climate change that most people are discussing is human-made climate change as a result of burning fossil fuels such as gasoline or coal that we use to power our vehicles or heat our homes. These human-made changes to climate have been taking place since the mid-20th century, as a result of the burning of fossil fuels which increase greenhouse gases that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere (National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2024). That is not to say that other natural processes can also influence the earth’s climate for example cyclical ocean patterns or volcanic activity. Scientists observe the earth from the ground, air, and space in order to monitor, study and predict climate change impacts (National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2024).

This is a process that prevents infrastructure from being affected by potential long-term climate impacts, while ensuring that the principle of “energy efficiency first” is respected and that greenhouse gas emissions are consistent with the goal of climate neutrality by 2050 (Article 2, Article 42 of EU Regulation 2021/1060).

Natural features within cities such as parks, forests, street trees, green roofs and other elements are important for the sustainable management of cities, thus it is important to incorporate natural infrastructure into urban planning and design to increase benefits for urban residents (Hamel u. a. 2021). Ecosystem services play an important role in maintaining livable, healthy and resilient cities that are adaptable to climate change impacts, they also have economic benefits (Elmqvist u. a. 2015). The concept of ecosystem services helps us to understand, describe and sometimes even measure the benefits that nature provides us. Humans are dependent on nature to survive. That is because nature provides us with food, water, air and also regenerates these resources when left intact. Nature also provides us with a place to spend our free time. The specific benefits that ecosystem services provide can be characterized into three categories: • Provisioning examples include: crops, fiber, fisheries, fresh water, • Regulating examples include temperature regulation, flooding control, water and air purification and • Cultural services examples include recreation, aesthetics, cultural identity It is important to make sure that we leave space, integrate or even better leave nature intact within our cities. Urban nature (that’s nature in cities) can either be green or blue. That means, green as in plants and other vegetation or blue, as in different types of water features. Both blue and green infrastructure can benefit our cities specifically by improving urban climate and air. These spaces can also support biodiversity, that is, make sure that we have many kinds of animals, plants and insects. Which make our cities not only function but keep them colorful and interesting! (European Environment Agency 2021; Grunewald u. a. 2020).

A strategically designed and managed network of natural and semi-natural areas and the connections between them. On land, it includes green and aquatic landscape elements as well as green spaces within settlements. In coastal areas, it includes the sea and parts of the coastline. Through green infrastructure, we ensure the conservation of biodiversity and the achievement of nature conservation goals, increase the area’s resilience to climate change, improving ecosystem functioning, providing benefits to the population—particularly in terms of health, safety, and quality of life—and strengthening spatial identity. Green infrastructure also provides benefits to the economy, particularly in the area of conserving and restoring natural resources. Green infrastructure connects urban and rural areas, as well as the sea and coastline with the hinterland. At the regional level, green infrastructure is planned through regional green systems, and at the local level through settlement green systems. (ReSPR50, 2022).