Green Infrastructure and Climate Resilience of Urban Neighborhoods: What Can the Citizens Do Together?

This study began from the assumption that community self-organization, characterized by independent action without external control, could be a suitable approach to developing green infrastructure and strengthening climate resilience in urban neighborhoods in Serbia. The study employed a mixed methods approach to verify this assumption, combining a technical case study and citizen survey analysis. Technical simulations demonstrated that self-organized community interventions on green infrastructure could contribute to climate resilience, even in neighborhoods with unfavorable conditions. However, the survey uncovered significant social constraints that cannot be resolved within the community, including a perceived lack of internal capacity; belief in the primacy of external actors; moderate cohesion level; lack of community platforms; limited understanding of the interconnections between resilience, climate change, and the role of green infrastructure; limited environmental literacy; and unclear collective action benefits. Based on these findings, the study proposed a multi-level and multi-phase model for improving neighborhood green infrastructure. The model emphasizes participatory citizen collaboration and applies to the current context of Serbian urban neighborhoods.

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