The knowledge gap database compiles an evidence base for Nature-based Solutions, to support defining research and innovation avenues, and bolster policy and practitioners’ knowledge and knowledge-implementation. This database, first published in 2021 and updated in June 2024, aggregates knowledge gaps and research needs identified through extensive desk research, drawing from academic and non-academic sources. For a detailed explanation of the methodology and analysis behind the 2024 update, please refer to this NetworkNature report. For more context on the initial database see the NetworkNature report on practical, research, and innovation needs.
The updated database includes additional 619 gaps categorised into 32 broad topics and 11 types of approaches. This marks a significant expansion from the initial database, established in 2021, which contained 172 knowledge gaps. Covering gaps from 2017 to March 2024, this database will be continually updated throughout the duration of NetworkNature+.
| Gap description | Origin of source | Source | Resource | Broad topic | Types of approaches | |
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| However, as AFS {Agroforestry Systems} are being increasingly recognized for their indirect effect on stabilizing carbon pools across landscapes (e.g., evidence of silvopastures contributing to wildfire risk reduction in Southern Europe), assessments of tree contributions to AFS carbon budgets merit higher prioritization on research agendas. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Karolina Golicz, Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Lutz Breuer, Ariani C. Wartenberg, Carbon accounting in European agroforestry systems – Key research gaps and data needs, Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, Volume 4, 2022, 100134, ISSN 2666-0490, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100134. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666049022000123) |
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| Coherent monitoring and evaluation approaches and policy tools relevant for agroforestry are currently lacking at national, EU and global scales. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Karolina Golicz, Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Lutz Breuer, Ariani C. Wartenberg, Carbon accounting in European agroforestry systems – Key research gaps and data needs, Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, Volume 4, 2022, 100134, ISSN 2666-0490, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100134. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666049022000123) |
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| The collection of low and high resolution data documenting the extent of tree cover on agricultural land must become a priority. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Karolina Golicz, Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Lutz Breuer, Ariani C. Wartenberg, Carbon accounting in European agroforestry systems – Key research gaps and data needs, Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, Volume 4, 2022, 100134, ISSN 2666-0490, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100134. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666049022000123) |
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| The first knowledge gap was regarding limited evidence of systematic methodologies to quantify multifunctionality based on urban spatial planning considerations. Our analysis found only two methodological review studies on spatial planning for GIM {Green Infrastructure Multifunctionality}. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Maria Korkou, Ari K.M. Tarigan, Hans Martin Hanslin, The multifunctionality concept in urban green infrastructure planning: A systematic literature review, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Volume 85, 2023, 127975, ISSN 1618-8667, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127975. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866723001462) |
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| The second knowledge gap was regarding the limited parameters for planning UGI {Urban Green Infrastructure} with solid multifunctionality. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Maria Korkou, Ari K.M. Tarigan, Hans Martin Hanslin, The multifunctionality concept in urban green infrastructure planning: A systematic literature review, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Volume 85, 2023, 127975, ISSN 1618-8667, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127975. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866723001462) |
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| Therefore, future research should seek suitable approaches for assessing the trade-offs and synergies among functions in a robust yet straightforward manner. The approach can calculate the functional benefits under different functions, such as the role of green roofs in stormwater management, climate change mitigation, and carbon storage. At the same time, these methods should be placed under the spatial and ecological planning context. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Maria Korkou, Ari K.M. Tarigan, Hans Martin Hanslin, The multifunctionality concept in urban green infrastructure planning: A systematic literature review, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Volume 85, 2023, 127975, ISSN 1618-8667, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127975. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866723001462) |
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| Finally, we recommend that future efforts need to provide a comprehensive assessment using qualitative and quantitative measures and consider ecological, social sciences, and economic benefits. It is an analytical framework to measure the performance of UGI {Urban Green Infrastructure}. This framework will be valuable for policymakers and urban planning practitioners as an instrument in urban planning. It will help urban planners effectively develop an urban infrastructure plan that considers green and multifunctionality aspects. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Maria Korkou, Ari K.M. Tarigan, Hans Martin Hanslin, The multifunctionality concept in urban green infrastructure planning: A systematic literature review, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Volume 85, 2023, 127975, ISSN 1618-8667, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127975. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866723001462) |
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| The research papers mainly focused on analysing individual BGI {Blue-Green Infrastructure} services, such as the impact of rooftop gardens on temperature control. Therefore, it is recommended that future research endeavors further investigate the various advantages associated with the BGI component within a single comprehensive study. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Aman Gupta, Bhaskar De; A systematic review on urban blue-green infrastructure in the south Asian region: recent advancements, applications, and challenges. Water Sci Technol 15 January 2024; 89 (2): 382–403. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2024.017 |
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| However, articles discussing a holistic methodology to implement BGI {Blue-Green Infrastructure} as a tool for promoting urban sustainability are still lacking. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Aman Gupta, Bhaskar De; A systematic review on urban blue-green infrastructure in the south Asian region: recent advancements, applications, and challenges. Water Sci Technol 15 January 2024; 89 (2): 382–403. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2024.018 |
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| However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies conducted to thoroughly investigate the significance of stakeholder engagement in identifying specific goals relevant to BGI {Blue-Green Infrastructure} development in the cities of the selected countries. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Aman Gupta, Bhaskar De; A systematic review on urban blue-green infrastructure in the south Asian region: recent advancements, applications, and challenges. Water Sci Technol 15 January 2024; 89 (2): 382–403. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2024.019 |
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| There are still unresolved issues in finding a suitable approach and framework for identifying, establishing, overseeing, and governing BGI {Blue-Green Infrastructure} and its integration with pre-existing grey infrastructure. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Aman Gupta, Bhaskar De; A systematic review on urban blue-green infrastructure in the south Asian region: recent advancements, applications, and challenges. Water Sci Technol 15 January 2024; 89 (2): 382–403. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2024.020 |
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| Such review studies help to condense and interpret the evidence for individual contexts. But the overall picture of agroforestry outcomes addressed by policy makers remains still scattered and a synthesized overview does not exist to date. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Köthke Margret, Ahimbisibwe Vianny, Lippe Melvin. (2022). The evidence base on the environmental, economic and social outcomes of agroforestry is patchy—An evidence review map. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10 |
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| The evidence review map, however, shows that more emphasize is required on the systematic research on the impact of agroforestry on social indicators. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Köthke Margret, Ahimbisibwe Vianny, Lippe Melvin. (2022). The evidence base on the environmental, economic and social outcomes of agroforestry is patchy—An evidence review map. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10 |
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| Despite their recent dissemination in biological sciences, “traits” and “functional traits” did not appear among our thematic words nor did they appear among the 20 most frequent author keywords used in publications about AF {Agroforestry} restoration, configuring a knowledge gap. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Zupo, T., Lazzarotto Freitas, J., Almeida dos Reis, D. and Ferreira de Siqueira, M. (2022), Trends and knowledge gaps on ecological restoration research in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Restor Ecol, 30: e13645. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13645 |
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| Another major knowledge gap for managers is the need to understand the tradeoffs between harvesting a species (i.e., socio-economic benefits) and its role within the food-web and wider ecosystem (i.e., ecological benefits). |
Desk Study | Scientific literature | Austin Humphries, Kelvin Gorospe, Anne Innes-Gold, Jason McNamee, Conor McManus, Candace Oviatt & Jeremy Collie (2022) In Pursuit of Ecosystem-Based Management for Narragansett Bay: An Overview of Previous Models and Roadmap for Future Research, Coastal Management, 50:3, 262-283, DOI: 10.1080/08920753.2022.2037396 |
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| Similarly, for wild and farmed shellfish, managers must consider the value of harvest against the value of ecosystem services such as water filtration, benthic-pelagic coupling, erosion and flood risk mitigation, and serving as habitat for other species. A major hindrance to understanding these tradeoffs is the lack of data including stakeholder perceptions and other drivers related to human behavior and interactions with ecosystem services not valued in the traditional economic marketplace. |
Desk Study | Scientific literature | Austin Humphries, Kelvin Gorospe, Anne Innes-Gold, Jason McNamee, Conor McManus, Candace Oviatt & Jeremy Collie (2022) In Pursuit of Ecosystem-Based Management for Narragansett Bay: An Overview of Previous Models and Roadmap for Future Research, Coastal Management, 50:3, 262-283, DOI: 10.1080/08920753.2022.2037396 |
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| First, there is an urgent need for more empirical data on large-scale effects of BGI {Blue-Green Infrastructure} to complement and support modelling studies on both flood hazard and water quality issues. This is true for studies examining the effect of the implementation of BGI at the watershed scale, which are notoriously difficult to conduct, but also for simpler experimental designs comparing watersheds with varying levels of BGI (e.g. comparing land use). | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Hamel, P., Tan, L. Blue–Green Infrastructure for Flood and Water Quality Management in Southeast Asia: Evidence and Knowledge Gaps. Environmental Management 69, 699–718 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01467-w |
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| Third, engineered systems (e.g. bioretention, green roofs) need to be studied over long term to better understand the decline in performance and maintenance requirements. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Hamel, P., Tan, L. Blue–Green Infrastructure for Flood and Water Quality Management in Southeast Asia: Evidence and Knowledge Gaps. Environmental Management 69, 699–718 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01467-w |
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| Long-term hydrological impacts should be more routinely translated into societal and environmental impacts to better evaluate their benefits. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Hamel, P., Tan, L. Blue–Green Infrastructure for Flood and Water Quality Management in Southeast Asia: Evidence and Knowledge Gaps. Environmental Management 69, 699–718 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01467-w |
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| Fourth, there is insufficient information for practical design and implementation of BGI {Blue-Green Infrastructure}. For example, scenarios combining BGI and grey infrastructure or different levels of implementation of BGI would help understand investments needs. Scenarios could also examine other drivers of floods, e.g. subsidence or sea-level rise to understand the potential of BGI under such circumstances. In general, studies should more systematically consider future climate in the experimental design or interpretation of their results, guided by frameworks used by practitioners. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Hamel, P., Tan, L. Blue–Green Infrastructure for Flood and Water Quality Management in Southeast Asia: Evidence and Knowledge Gaps. Environmental Management 69, 699–718 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01467-w |
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| Societal costs and benefits, including additional urban ecosystem services (e.g. heat mitigation) should also be further examined to understand synergies and leverage the multifunctionality of BGI {Blue-Green Infrastructure}. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Hamel, P., Tan, L. Blue–Green Infrastructure for Flood and Water Quality Management in Southeast Asia: Evidence and Knowledge Gaps. Environmental Management 69, 699–718 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01467-w |
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| For future studies, we indicate new studies exploring political and legislative contextualization regarding the incentive and regularization tools for AFS {Agroforestry systems} (both local and international), especially with a focus on wood production. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Minini, D., Amaral Reis, C., de Moura Borges Maria, D. et al. A review on the quality of wood from agroforestry systems. Agroforest Syst 98, 715–737 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-023-00941-3 |
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| Therefore, social scientists have highlighted the significant contribution of local communities in ecosystem-based DRR, since the concept was introduced. However, despite this recognition, local knowledge, and its role in ecosystem-based DRR {Disaster Risk Reduction}, are often forgotten, neglected and overlooked. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Lansakara, D.C., Le De, L., Petterson, M. and Wickramasinghe, D. (2023), "The potential for community-driven ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction in South Asia: a literature review", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-06-2023-0128 |
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| The main gaps in the evidence relate to drylands and agroecosystems. However, both categories feature more prominently in the CCA {Climate Change Adaptation} literature because of their potential to attenuate agricultural drought. They are not typically the focus of Eco-DRR literature. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Sudmeier-Rieux, K., Arce-Mojica, T., Boehmer, H.J. et al. Scientific evidence for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction. Nat Sustain 4, 803–810 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00732-5 |
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| More attention should also be given to evidence-based studies of Eco-DRR, particularly in rapidly growing urban coastal areas and drylands in Asia, Africa, Oceania, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Sudmeier-Rieux, K., Arce-Mojica, T., Boehmer, H.J. et al. Scientific evidence for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction. Nat Sustain 4, 803–810 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00732-6 |
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| (...) showing a persistent knowledge gap on the knowledge of the trait–function relationships. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Loureiro, N., Mantuano, D., Manhães, A. et al. Use of the trait-based approach in ecological restoration studies: a global review. Trees 37, 1287–1297 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02439-9 |
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| Thus, little is known about the intermediate- and long-term effects of plants in their environment in a restoration context. The reason for this might be the higher number of studies in grasslands, an ecosystem in which plant responses and effects can be measured earlier when compared to forest ecosystems. Another explanation is the increase in restoration initiatives in the last decade. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Loureiro, N., Mantuano, D., Manhães, A. et al. Use of the trait-based approach in ecological restoration studies: a global review. Trees 37, 1287–1297 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02439-13 |
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| Thus, research on effect traits is still needed, since differences in functional composition and diversity have a strong influence on the recovery of ecological processes and ecosystem services delivery. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Loureiro, N., Mantuano, D., Manhães, A. et al. Use of the trait-based approach in ecological restoration studies: a global review. Trees 37, 1287–1297 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02439-14 |
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| Recent important advances in the role of plant roots on species coexistence and our finding of a low number of studies measuring below-ground traits (only 12%) point out the need to include root traits in future studies. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Loureiro, N., Mantuano, D., Manhães, A. et al. Use of the trait-based approach in ecological restoration studies: a global review. Trees 37, 1287–1297 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02439-16 |
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| Additionally, further research is still needed to deepen our understanding about community functional dynamics and species functional identities to know how to successfully apply them to real restoration areas. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Loureiro, N., Mantuano, D., Manhães, A. et al. Use of the trait-based approach in ecological restoration studies: a global review. Trees 37, 1287–1297 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02439-19 |
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| It is highly recommended that future studies try to identify plant functional traits that are responsive to climate changes in ecological restoration sites to build a more resilient community for the future. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Loureiro, N., Mantuano, D., Manhães, A. et al. Use of the trait-based approach in ecological restoration studies: a global review. Trees 37, 1287–1297 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02439-20 |
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| Therefore, identifying which traits determine fitness may be a step behind but an important empirical challenge in the field of restoration ecology, and a more comprehensive understanding of ecosystem functionality is the first step for translating it into best practices in ecological restoration. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Loureiro, N., Mantuano, D., Manhães, A. et al. Use of the trait-based approach in ecological restoration studies: a global review. Trees 37, 1287–1297 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02439-21 |
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| Additionally, we suggest that multiple ESs {Ecosystem Services}, particularly cultural services, the interactions between multiple ESs, and multiple temporal and spatial scales for ERP {Ecological Restoration Programs} assessments should be given more attention in future work. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Liu Junyan, Du Jie, Zhang Chenfeng, Zhang Jindong, Yang Hongbo, Donald Marion L., Wu Yan, Dong Tingfa. (2023). Ecosystem service assessment under ecological restoration programs: A systematic review of studies from China. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1152907 10.3389/fevo.2023.1152907 |
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| While much focus has been placed on the ES {Ecosystem services} categories of provisioning and regulating, cultural services have received little attention in previous studies. One reason often cited is the difficulty in assessing cultural ESs because of their subjective and intangible character. Cultural services are of great importance, not only for understanding the human-nature relationship but also for policy development. We suggest that future research should take cultural services into account to build a more comprehensive assessment of ESs. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Liu Junyan, Du Jie, Zhang Chenfeng, Zhang Jindong, Yang Hongbo, Donald Marion L., Wu Yan, Dong Tingfa. (2023). Ecosystem service assessment under ecological restoration programs: A systematic review of studies from China. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1152907 10.3389/fevo.2023.1152907 |
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| A knowledge gap, nevertheless, remains in research on AI-driven GI {Green Infrastructure} optimisation for tackling climate change. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Abdulrazzaq Shaamala, Tan Yigitcanlar, Alireza Nili, Dan Nyandega, |
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| Nonetheless, this study acknowledged several limitations within its scope. A primary constraint is the limited number of studies that focus on GI {Green Infrastructure} optimisation in the context of climate change. This scarcity hinders the development of a comprehensive GI optimisation framework. Despite significant efforts to illustrate the GI optimisation process, there remains a need for more in-depth exploration of certain aspects, such as indicator selection and data suitability. Future research should aim to establish more standardised criteria for selecting effective and relevant the objectives of climate further integrating policy considerations into the optimisation process. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Abdulrazzaq Shaamala, Tan Yigitcanlar, Alireza Nili, Dan Nyandega, |
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| Given the unique characteristics of each study area, there is also a need to differentiate between global- and local-level indicators, considering both generic and context-specific aspects. Future studies should carefully examine these factors. In doing so, they can contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how GI {Green Infrastructure} optimisation can be tailored to different environmental and policy contexts. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Abdulrazzaq Shaamala, Tan Yigitcanlar, Alireza Nili, Dan Nyandega, |
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| Future research and policy efforts should focus on harnessing GI’s {Green Infrastructure} full potential of GI in diverse urban contexts, ensuring that it serves as a cornerstone in our collective response to the complexities of climate change. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Abdulrazzaq Shaamala, Tan Yigitcanlar, Alireza Nili, Dan Nyandega, |
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| Ecological restoration of riparian and wetland ecosystems still needs further efforts in future. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Cui, W., Liu, J., Jia, J. et al. Terrestrial ecological restoration in China: identifying advances and gaps. Environ Sci Eur 33, 123 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-021-00563-4 |
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| Regarding the study objectives, the influence of ecological restoration on soil biophysical properties (e.g., soil moisture and soil microbes) and land cover (vegetated areas) were studied primarily. However, in the context of climate change, the compounding effects of ecological restoration and climate change on these properties remain unclear. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Cui, W., Liu, J., Jia, J. et al. Terrestrial ecological restoration in China: identifying advances and gaps. Environ Sci Eur 33, 123 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-021-00563-5 |
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| More qualitative study is needed to comprehend the methods and underlying presumptions that underlie connected actions in various settings within the resilient city model and the opportunities and potentials that this model contains. |
Desk Study | Scientific literature | Aqib Zahoor, Tao Xu, Miao Wang, Muhammad Dawood, Sandylove Afrane, Ying Li, Jian Lin Chen, Guozhu Mao. (2023). Natural and artificial green infrastructure (GI) for sustainable resilient cities: A scientometric analysis, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Volume 101, 107139, ISSN 0195-9255, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2023.107139. |
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| However, there is a gap in the current body of knowledge as there is no literature review study that was conducted to integrate the different benefits and challenges into one research study. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Jezzini, Y.; Assaf, G.; Assaad, R.H. (2023). Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review. Sustainability, 15, 7544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097544 |
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| Furthermore, little to no studies have quantified the socioeconomic benefits of GIs {Green Infrastructure} such as improved quality of life, increased sense of community, and property value enhancements. One reason behind this could be that these benefits are considered indirect and difficult to measure. In addition, since the benefits of GIs generally are realized over a long period, it might be difficult to accurately measure their value. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Jezzini, Y.; Assaf, G.; Assaad, R.H. (2023). Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review. Sustainability, 15, 7544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097545 |
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| Moreover, since there may be other factors that influence the socioeconomic impacts of GIs {Green Infrastructure} (such as economic trends or changes in land use patterns), this makes it challenging to accurately quantify the socioeconomic impacts of GIs. Thus, to accurately measure and quantify the holistic impacts of GIs, it is often necessary to use a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods, which future studies might need to consider when studying GIs. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Jezzini, Y.; Assaf, G.; Assaad, R.H. (2023). Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review. Sustainability, 15, 7544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097546 |
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| This, again, shows a bias toward quantifying certain benefits in the literature as compared to other equally important benefits. It is also worth mentioning that, while GIs’ {Green Infrastructure} benefits on human health and mental well-being may be challenging to quantify, they are closely related to other benefits that have been measured in the literature, such as recreational opportunities, air and water purification, heat stress reduction, and noise pollution reduction. Furthermore, the literature review reveals a gap in terms of quantifying other key social benefits of GIs such as environmental education and the feeling of community belonging which are also considered valuable contributions of GIs. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Jezzini, Y.; Assaf, G.; Assaad, R.H. (2023). Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review. Sustainability, 15, 7544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097549 |
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| According to Figure 13, the relative distributions of the quantified challenges of GIs {Green Infrastructure} indicate that the environmental challenges were the most quantified in the literature (13.33%), whereas the social challenges were less quantified (4.00%), and little to no studies quantified the economic challenges of GIs. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Jezzini, Y.; Assaf, G.; Assaad, R.H. (2023). Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review. Sustainability, 15, 7544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097550 |
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| While many studies have shown that GIs {Green Infrastructure} can provide a range of benefits, there is still a need for more research on the durability and sustainability of these benefits over time. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Jezzini, Y.; Assaf, G.; Assaad, R.H. (2023). Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review. Sustainability, 15, 7544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097554 |
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| Other areas of research could include exploring the potential negative impacts of GIs on wildlife and biodiversity, as well as the potential for GIs {Green Infrastructure} to contribute to gentrification and displacement in urban areas. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Jezzini, Y.; Assaf, G.; Assaad, R.H. (2023). Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review. Sustainability, 15, 7544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097555 |
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| Future research work could also be conducted by focusing on a certain benefit or challenge of GI {Green Infrastructure} so that more in-depth analysis and quantification of each aspect could be achieved for interested stakeholders. This includes, for example, focusing on the flood mitigation benefits of GIs (which might be of interest to flood risk managers and agencies) or on the impact of GIs on property values that could be affected by different factors and variables (which might be of interest to urban planners and developers), among other aspects of interest. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Jezzini, Y.; Assaf, G.; Assaad, R.H. (2023). Models and Methods for Quantifying the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits and Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Critical Review. Sustainability, 15, 7544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097556 |
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| Many studies in HICs {High Income Countries} have found that there is a lack of knowledge regarding the different agroforestry practices and a lack of technical knowledge on how to effectively implement such practices. | Desk Study | Scientific literature | Castle, S.E., Miller, D.C., Merten, N. et al. Evidence for the impacts of agroforestry on ecosystem services and human well-being in high-income countries: a systematic map. Environ Evid 11, 10 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-022-00260-4 |
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