A Bibliometric Analysis on Designing Urban Green and Blue Spaces Related to Environmental and Public Health Benefits

Catarina de Sousa Silva, Simon Bell, Lenka Lackóová and Thomas Panagopoulos ()
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Catarina de Sousa Silva: Research Center for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-Being, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Simon Bell: Landscape Architecture, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
Lenka Lackóová: Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia
Thomas Panagopoulos: Research Center for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-Being, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: Humans and nature have always been connected. Meanwhile, with the industrial revolution, landscapes have become more artificial, reducing the human–nature relationship. Urban design should follow biophilic principles to reconnect people with nature, mitigate climate change, improve air quality, restore biodiversity loss, and solve social problems. Poor air quality affects people’s health, and vegetation plays a crucial role in purifying the air. Similarly, contact with nature benefits physical and mental health and well-being. However, there is no consensus on how urban design can be beneficial for improving air quality and human health. This review paper aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of evidence linking nature-based solutions (NBSs), air quality, carbon neutrality, and human health and well-being. Five hundred articles published between 2000 and 2024 were analysed. A number of publications studied the benefits of green infrastructure in improving air quality, carbon sequestration, or the influence of green spaces on human health. The topic of NBSs has recently emerged related to air quality, health, and promoting physical activity, as has accessibility to green spaces and mental health, also associated with blue spaces and residential gardens. The results revealed the gaps in the literature on how to design green and blue spaces to tackle environmental and public health crises simultaneously.

Keywords: green infrastructure; nature-based solutions; biophilia; urban planning; urban green and blue spaces (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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