Assessment of Green Infrastructure Planning for Urban Stormwater Management

Thesis Abstract

Abstract
Urban stormwater management is a critical aspect of sustainable urban development, particularly in the context of increasing urbanization and climate change impacts. Green infrastructure has emerged as a promising approach to address stormwater challenges while also providing multiple co-benefits such as improved water quality, enhanced urban biodiversity, and increased resilience to extreme weather events. This thesis presents an assessment of green infrastructure planning for urban stormwater management, focusing on its effectiveness, challenges, and opportunities for implementation in urban areas. The study begins with a comprehensive review of the existing literature on green infrastructure planning and stormwater management practices, highlighting the importance of integrating nature-based solutions into urban planning processes. The literature review also explores the key factors influencing the success of green infrastructure projects, including stakeholder engagement, policy frameworks, funding mechanisms, and monitoring and evaluation strategies. In the research methodology chapter, the study outlines the research design, data collection methods, and analysis techniques employed to evaluate green infrastructure planning in urban settings. The methodology includes a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, including case studies, interviews with key stakeholders, site visits, and data analysis of existing green infrastructure projects. The findings chapter presents the results of the assessment, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of current green infrastructure planning practices in urban stormwater management. The analysis reveals that while green infrastructure offers numerous benefits, there are significant challenges related to implementation barriers, insufficient funding, inadequate maintenance, and limited knowledge sharing among stakeholders. The discussion chapter explores the implications of the findings, drawing on theoretical frameworks and best practices to propose recommendations for improving green infrastructure planning for urban stormwater management. These recommendations include enhancing collaboration among government agencies, promoting community engagement, integrating green infrastructure into urban design standards, and developing innovative financing mechanisms to support long-term maintenance. In conclusion, this thesis underscores the importance of green infrastructure planning for sustainable urban stormwater management and calls for a more holistic and integrated approach to address the challenges of urbanization and climate change. By leveraging the potential of green infrastructure, cities can enhance their resilience to stormwater impacts, improve water quality, and create more livable and sustainable urban environments.