Building Climate-Resilient Cities: Blue-green infrastructure and inclusive planning

In this episode of The SAGES Climate Science Podcast, we focus on the pressing environmental impacts cities face and explore how urbanisation has amplified climate change challenges. Our guests, Sarah Crowe, a Hydro Nation scholar and interdisciplinary PhD student at the University of Dundee, and Fatemeh Mahmoudnejad, a PhD researcher in Urban Planning at the same university, bring their expertise on urban planning and blue-green infrastructure.

We begin by discussing how urban environments are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts such as heatwaves and flooding, and how city design has contributed to these issues. Sarah Crowe shares her insights into how blue-green infrastructure - integrating natural systems like water and greenery into city planning - can help make cities more resilient while also benefiting the people living in them. However, we also examine the barriers to implementing blue-green infrastructure, including regulatory, financial, and community challenges.

Fatemeh Mahmoudnejad emphasises the importance of inclusive community participation in urban planning. Who gets to shape their city, and who is left out? Fatemeh highlights the underrepresented voices in decision-making, especially marginalised communities, and shares strategies for fostering greater engagement and co-designing cities that work for everyone.

Join us for a discussion on how we can build climate-resilient cities that are inclusive and sustainable. Learn how listeners can get involved in urban planning decisions and ensure their communities are part of the conversation about our climate future.