Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2025
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Public Policy
Department
Urban and Public Affairs
First Advisor
Allen, Diane Jones
Second Advisor
Bezboruah,Karabi C
Third Advisor
Reyes-Sanchez,Ariadna
Abstract
Climate change exerts a profound global influence, elevating the risk of disasters. Rapid urbanization and high population density make cities increasingly vulnerable to disasters. Climate impact is intense for cities in deltas and coastal regions, highlighting the importance of managing urban watersheds effectively. Often, climate change affects people unequally, with marginalized communities being extra vulnerable to climate-related disasters due to where they live (geographical vulnerability) and limited adaptive capacity. People often live in areas vulnerable to climate-related hazards, including flood zones and regions affected by environmental injustices. Enhancing city resilience is crucial, as it needs to reduce vulnerability and exposure to hazards and increase capacity to reduce disaster risks. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are considered one of the most effective strategies for climate adaptation, mitigation, disaster risk reduction, and resilience enhancement in urban areas. It involves conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of natural ecosystems. NbS offers cost-effective and alternative solutions to traditional gray infrastructure. However, NbS is often not distributed across the city equitably. Inequities frequently characterize the allocation of NbS resources in urban areas. Incorporating equity and climate justice into resilience is essential for effective urban planning and policy. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the main NbS approaches that have been utilized to minimize climate-induced risk and enhance urban climate resiliency, particularly in waterfront and delta cities, through NbS-sensitive urban planning and policy, which ensures climate justice by equitable distribution of NbS. Research questions were included to identify how planners and policymakers have integrated and implemented NbS in NYC’s urban plans to address climate-related risks. How do New York City's urban plans consider equity, climate justice, environmental justice, and urban resilience while promoting NbS to address climate-induced hazards? Moreover, observe the relationships between spatial equity and NbS in New York City communities. New York City was selected as a case study as it is a coastal and delta city, which is highly vulnerable to coastal storm surges, tidal flooding, extreme rainfall, and extreme heat. Due to its high population density, the per-area disaster rate is very high. Therefore, New York City was chosen as the study location for this research. The study is based on Urban Resilience Theory and Climate Justice Theory. The study examined New York City's urban plans and policies from 2007 to 2024 (PlaNYC 2007, PlaNYC 2011, PlaNYC 2013, OneNYC 2015, OneNYC 2050, PlaNYC 2023, EJNYC 2024), with a focus on the priority areas of NbS approaches and types, and supported climate justice for all through these plans to achieve climate resiliency. Content analysis was conducted for all selected plans. Related terms in NbS, climate resiliency, equity, and climate justice were coded, and the frequency of concepts in the plans' text was analyzed. Geospatial analysis was also conducted to identify the spatial equity of NbS distribution among different neighborhoods, which is significant for different socioeconomic groups. When considering the overall application of NbS, there was a clear growth in attention given to NbS from 2007 to 2013. After peaking in 2013, references to NbS decreased in 2015 and 2019. The 2023 Plan showed a resurgence in NbS, indicating that the city continues prioritizing NbS as part of its broader environmental and resilience strategies. Regarding types of NbS, New York City has focused heavily on the spatial planning dimension of NbS (GI, BGI, UF), dedicating 97% of its efforts to this area. In comparison, only 3% has been directed toward the soft engineering dimension (SUDS, LID, EE, BMPs, WSUD). Eco-DRR or EbA were not mentioned in any of the Plans analyzed. Greater focus is needed on NbS for coastal areas, such as shoreline stabilization, living shorelines, and coastal ecosystems. New York City stands at the forefront of national and global efforts to combat climate change. Most vulnerable communities suffer disproportionately from the effects of climate change, often lacking the resources to respond adequately. Therefore, spatial equity and climate justice are much-needed concepts that must be embedded into urban planning and policy concerns. The data revealed that from 2007 to 2019, the Plans did not adequately prioritize equity or climate justice through NbS. The 2023 and 2024 Plans focused on advancing resilience, climate justice, and environmental justice through NbS. While identifying the gaps in incorporating climate justice and equity, this study suggests that climate aspects, including climate justice and equity, should be integrated into more urban plans and policies to achieve urban resilience. The study's lessons can effectively be applied to urban planning, climate planning, resilience planning, and related policies. Therefore, this research study suggests an NbS, equity, justice-enhanced guideline, and a checklist for urban climate resilience in delta and waterfront cities.
Keywords
Nature-based Solutions(NbS), Urban Resilience, Climate Change, Climate Justice, Spatial equity, Environmental Planning, Environmental Policy, Disaster-Risk-Reduction, Costal & delta cities, Urban Planning
Disciplines
Environmental Sciences | Urban, Community and Regional Planning | Urban Studies and Planning
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Ranasinghe, Padmi R., "Nature-based Solutions for Urban Climate Resilience: Assessment of Environmental Planning & Policy Perspective in New York City" (2025). Planning Dissertations. 67.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/planning_dissertations/67
Included in
Environmental Sciences Commons, Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons, Urban Studies and Planning Commons