RETROFITTING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN KUALA LUMPUR: A DOCUMENT ANALYSIS OF POLICY GAPS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Urban green spaces play a critical role in enhancing environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and the well-being of urban populations. However, the fragmentation of green spaces in Kuala Lumpur presents significant challenges to sustainable urban planning and climate adaptation efforts. This study examines the policy gaps that hinder the effective integration of green infrastructure into Kuala Lumpur’s urban planning framework. A qualitative document analysis is conducted to assess national policies, planning guidelines, and international best practices related to green infrastructure and climate resilience. The findings reveal that while Malaysia’s policies accentuate the provision of green spaces, they lack comprehensive enforcement mechanisms, leading to inconsistencies in green infrastructure implementation. Key challenges include policy fragmentation, decentralised governance, inadequate financial incentives, and the absence of explicit regulatory frameworks supporting green infrastructure retrofitting. By analysing international models, such as the United Kingdom’s Green Infrastructure Standards and Singapore’s Green Plan 2030, this study identifies policy strategies that could enhance Malaysia’s urban resilience. The study concludes that a systematic retrofitting framework is required to address the existing policy gaps and ensure the strategic integration of green infrastructure into urban development. It recommends adopting international best practices, strengthening regulatory enforcement, and fostering cross-sectoral collaboration to enhance climate adaptation and ecological connectivity. These measures are essential for improving urban sustainability and mitigating the adverse effects of rapid urbanisation and climate change in Kuala Lumpur.