A Semi-Systematic Global Review to Understand the Key Components Essential for Advancing the Actual Design, Planning, and Implementation of Blue–Green Infrastructure in Indian Cities

Vedanti Kelkar (), Björn Helm and Peter Krebs
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Vedanti Kelkar: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Björn Helm: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Peter Krebs: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01069 Dresden, Germany

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-34

Abstract: Cities in developing nations such as India have undergone unregulated growth and uneven urbanization, fostering economic expansion while exacerbating spatial, social, and economic inequalities. This urbanization has significantly degraded water bodies and green spaces, affecting human health and well-being. Blue–green infrastructure (BGI) has emerged as a promising solution for addressing environmental challenges, stormwater management, social well-being, and urban heat mitigation. However, developing countries such as India lack adequate knowledge of their design, planning, and implementation under specific local conditions. This study employs a semi-systematic literature review to identify essential components for BGI implementation in developing nations, with contextual references to India. Among the 797 studies reviewed in total, with 42 studies selected for the final review, only 26% focused on developing countries such as China, with none specifically addressing India. Furthermore, this review discusses global city and country cases across the Global South and Global North to obtain pertinent information from empirical applications worldwide. In total, 32 country cases are analyzed globally, comprising an even larger number of city cases. This review has derived eight thematic areas critical for BGI implementation: spatial configuration, plans and policies, best practices, BGI features and components, stakeholder perceptions, barriers to adoption, local government capacity, and scientific research. Each thematic area is analyzed in relation to stormwater management functions. This study emphasizes that these areas can guide urban planners and researchers in designing effective BGI strategies tailored to specific contexts. By bridging the knowledge gap in India’s development journey, this research underscores the importance of integrating BGI into urban planning to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and address the adverse effects of rapid urbanization.

Keywords: blue–green infrastructure; urban stormwater management; sustainable urban planning; Indian cities; case-study synthesis; implementation framework; climate resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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