Cities between grey and green. How can green infrastructure help cities deal with climate change?

Climate change is affecting the whole world, causing problems at both global and local levels. The first part of the literature review focuses mainly on environmental issues in cities that stem from climate change. Some of these problems, such as air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, urban sprawl, heatwaves, and fewer green spaces, were studied and defined given their effects in cities.

However, after each problem, a solution is required and in this case, that solution is a strategy to combat the effects of climate change through the implementation of green infrastructure. This approach is based on analysis, case studies, objectives, and tools that together can achieve the effect of mitigating climate change. This research explored the positive impact of green infrastructure on the natural and built landscape as well as on water or ground. Given the literature review process, I can say that the effects that occur due to green infrastructure are beneficial, ranging from reducing CO2 in the atmosphere, air purification, improving urban climate, increasing biodiversity, improving rainwater management to the enhancement of public health and quality of life.

Considering the layers of problems and solutions in cities, the next move was finding two exemplary cities that can make this study clearer. Like many other cities in the world, Ljubljana and Bratislava are facing the problems of climate change.

Nevertheless, the way these cities addressed the problems, and created plans and strategies to reduce the effects of the climate, were very successful. Most of those plans were part of the implementation of GI in many areas and different ways.

Since climate change has also affected people, I found it essential to get closer to this intangible issue; understand how they deal with this situation, or how education can be a supporting tool against climate change. And one of the ways to understand that was through a questionnaire made with the citizens of Prishtina.

The rest of the topic focuses on Pristina, Kosovo, as a pilot area to study. The aim was to understand the environmental problems and their negative impacts on the city. These problems were mostly defined by the effect of urban heat, urban sprawl, and the questionnaire that was made with the citizens. Also, I expounded on the positive elements that are worth preserving and improving, such as the ecological areas.

In addition to the general analysis of Prishtina, the thesis provides examples of green infrastructure implemented in the city based on the main environmental problems and the surroundings. Such proposals were specified in the six focus areas which are considered to be types of solutions or even types of battlefields that contribute to Prishtina in the fight against climate change.

In conclusion, such elements can start with small steps, but with significant impacts and changes, especially when we all aim to mitigate the effects of climate change together, in one way or another.