Urban resilience through nature-based solutions in an era of environmental extremes: A global systematic analysis

Urban areas face escalating climate extremes that disproportionately affect regions with systemic inequities. Traditional infrastructure is inadequate. Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer transformative pathways but risk maladaptive outcomes without justice-centered frameworks. This systematic review synthesises 144 recent studies on urban NbS, examining governance architectures and distributive justice using PRISMA guidelines. The analysis reveals three persistent imbalances: (1) Geographic bias: 69% of research concentrates in Global North contexts, overlooking high-risk Global South regions. (2) Governance: Polycentric models prove unstable; technocratic approaches entrench inequities; and grassroots initiatives face marginalisation. (3) Equity: 93% of studies fail to disaggregate outcomes, masking disproportionate benefits to affluent groups. Digital tools risk algorithmic exclusion without community data sovereignty. To realise NbS as climate justice instruments, three shifts are required: institutionalising mandatory equity metrics, reallocating funding to high-vulnerability regions, and democratising digital transitions through community data sovereignty. Ultimately, Governance reform, not technical innovation, proves paramount for equitable resilience. • Research on NbS shows a pronounced Global North geographic bias. • NbS equity emerges from governance frameworks rather than technical design. • Socioeconomic disparities in NbS benefit distribution are critically overlooked. • The prevailing power dynamics in NbS planning marginalise community-led models. • Digital innovations can reinforce exclusion without community oversight.