Cities are increasingly incorporating ideas for "green infrastructure" into their planning, but what they mean by that can be unclear and inconsistent within and across cities, according to recently published findings from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.

The analysis of 122 plans from 20 U.S. cities found that 39% of plans — be they climate, sustainability, watershed restoration, or comprehensive or strategic plans — do not explicitly define green infrastructure, and of the ones that do, over half offer several different definitions.

Gaining a more consistent understanding of green infrastructure matters because it's become the main term used in urban planning for a variety of environmental interventions, and the pandemic has further spotlighted the importance of safe and healthy outdoor spaces, said socio-ecologist and lead author Zbigniew Grabowski. Researchers believe that clarirty will allow cities to better learn from one another.

Read the full article about green infrastructure by Maria Rachal at Smart Cities Dive.