Adaptation and energy saving through urban green spaces in Climate Action Plans: the experiences of 20 Global Cities

Laura Ascione; Carmela Gargiulo; Carmen Guida

doi:10.6093/1970-9870/12081

Authors

Laura Ascione Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4366-4665
Carmela Gargiulo Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6481-0908
Carmen Guida Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8379-7793

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6093/1970-9870/12081

Keywords:

Climate change , Greening actions, Energy saving

Abstract

Given the rising temperatures and more frequent and intense events typical of the climate crisis, urban areas are increasingly subject to severe effects. In the search for effective adaptation, Climate Action Plans (CAPs) are seen as one of the main strategic approaches, and within these, greening interventions emerge as cross-cutting solutions, achieving goals in both mitigation and adaptation and generating multiple benefits for urban systems. The research reported in the current contribution is part of a broader project aimed at developing a tool in support of decision-making by policy makers for the development of more resilient cities. The present study systematically analyzes the CAPs of a sample of twenty cities recognized globally for their commitment to climate action. The objective is to identify significant relationships between the adaptation strategies put in place by the different cities and their urban, climatic, physical, social, and environmental characteristics, searching in particular to understand the role of green spaces in mitigating the effects of global warming. To achieve this objective, a three-step methodology is proposed. In the first step, multivariate statistical analysis is used to identify clusters of cities based on their climatic, physical, social, and environmental characteristics. In the second step, topic modeling techniques are used in the systematic analysis of the classes of adaptation actions contained in the CAPs. Finally, the results of the first two steps are used to conduct a comparative analysis of cities versus classes of actions, revealing the strengths and weaknesses of the measures in the individual CAPs. This knowledge forms the basis for construction the final tool, aimed at supporting decision-makers in selecting effectively contextualized measures for application in urban scenarios.

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Author Biographies

Laura Ascione, Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II

She is an engineer and a Ph.D. student in Civil Systems Engineering at the Department of Civil, Building, and Environmental Engineering of the University of Naples Federico II. Her research focuses on the relationship between urban characteristics and adaptation measures in urban planning to address climate change.

Carmela Gargiulo, Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II

Carmela Gargiulo is a Full Professor of Urban Planning at the University of Naples Federico II. Since 1987, her research activity has focused on the governance of urban and territorial transformations. Her work addresses urban regeneration processes and smart cities, urban accessibility to foster inclusion and social participation of vulnerable groups, energy efficiency in cities, and urban adaptation strategies aimed at mitigating the negative effects of climate change.
Over the years, she has led several research groups as the Scientific Responsible for operational units and for competitive national and international projects.
As Principal Investigator, she led the project “Smart Energy Master for territorial energy governance”, funded by PON 04A2_00120 R&C Axis II (2012–2015). Previously, she coordinated the PRIN project “Impatti delle politiche di mobilità sulla trasformabilità urbana, ambiente e mercato immobiliare” (2011–2013). She subsequently served as Scientific Responsible for the Cariplo Foundation project “MOBILAGE. Mobility and ageing: support networks for daily life and welfare at neighbourhood level” (2018–2020) and for the ERASMUS+ Key Action 2 project “Development of a Master Program in the Management of Industrial Entrepreneurship for Transition Countries” (MIETC) (2018–2020), developed in collaboration with European and Asian partners.
Her commitment to international research cooperation has further expanded in recent years. In 2025, she serves as Scientific Responsible of the DICEA Operational Unit of the University of Naples Federico II within the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project “Unleashing Sustainable Growth Through Applied Technologies” (USGAT), Selection Year 2023, carried out with Latin American and European partners. In 2026, she is Scientific Responsible of the same Operational Unit for the MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE ACTIONS – Staff Exchanges (SE) Call HORIZON-MSCA-SE-2025 project “GENDEII (Gender & DEI Indicators)”, focused on the development of Gender and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) indicators for European and Latin American technological companies and related training strategies.
Since 2004, she has been a member of the PhD Programme in Hydraulic Engineering, Transport, and Territorial Systems at the University of Naples Federico II. She is the author of over 190 scientific publications.
Since 2024, she is the Coordinator of the Bachelor's and Master's Degree Programmes in Building Engineering for Sustainability at the University of Naples Federico II.

Carmen Guida, Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II

She is a Researcher and Assistant Professor in Urban Planning at the Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering of the University of Naples Federico II, where she earned her PhD in Civil Systems Engineering in 2022. Her research focuses on urban accessibility, climate resilience, gender-inclusive planning, and sustainable mobility. She currently works on the PNRR-funded NEST – Network for Energy Sustainable Transition project and has contributed to national and international initiatives such as STEPUP, MIETC, and Mobilage. She recently served as a Visiting Researcher at Cardiff University, investigating mobility inequalities, and is a Leading Author of the MedECC MAR2 report, contributing to the regional scientific assessment on climate change and urban sustainability in the Mediterranean area.

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Adaptation and energy saving through urban green spaces in Climate Action Plans: the experiences of 20 Global Cities

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Author Biographies

Laura Ascione, Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II

Carmela Gargiulo, Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II

Carmen Guida, Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II

References

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