Assessing the Relationship between Urban Blue-Green Infrastructure and Stress Resilience in Real Settings: A Systematic Review

Liwen Li () and Klaus W. Lange
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Liwen Li: Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
Klaus W. Lange: Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-28

Abstract: Acute and chronic stress can have detrimental effects on health, particularly in urban environments that lack conducive elements. Optimizing the urban landscape is a preventive measure to enhance well-being and develop healthier cities. This systematic review examines the relationship between stress reduction and urban landscapes, focusing on 19 empirical studies conducted in real urban settings. The findings highlight the physiological and psychological benefits of urban green infrastructure in promoting stress recovery. A well-designed green infrastructure that incorporates objective measurements while considering accessibility, availability, biodiversity, and cumulative effects emerged as crucial for enhancing stress resilience. However, the existing research lacks comprehensive measurements and calls for innovative approaches to ensure evidence-based health outcomes. Interdisciplinary research is needed to develop rigorous methods and tools for understanding the complex link between urban landscapes and stress reduction. This review emphasizes the need for integrating objective measurements of urban green infrastructure and considering accessibility, availability, biodiversity, and cumulative effects to foster healthier urban environments and enhance stress resilience.

Keywords: green infrastructure; biophilia hypothesis; stress recovery theory; healthy city planning; greenspace; urban landscape; therapeutic landscape; sustainable city; physiological stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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