Green infrastructure, nature-based solutions and ecosystem services for seismic resilience: Insight from a systematic review to guide urban policy and planning

Mitigating environmental and climate-related hazards through the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and the development of Green Infrastructure (GI) via spatial planning has emerged as a central objective within contemporary urban resilience strategies. Despite their growing recognition in delivering ecosystem services (ES) for flooding, landslides, and extreme heat reduction, the potential of NBS and GI to address seismic risk remains largely under-investigated. This systematic literature review critically examines the current state of knowledge regarding the roles of NBS, GI and ES in mitigating seismic hazards and strengthening the resilience of urban environments. By analysing studies from Scopus and Web of Science, we identify the direct and indirect benefits of these approaches, such as the mitigation of cascading effects and the increase of community resilience, which may contribute to reduced seismic vulnerability. The findings reveal a critical need for empirical studies on their direct impact in seismic contexts, technical guidance for implementation, and integrative urban planning strategies. Our review highlights the potential of GI and NBS to complement traditional seismic risk reduction methods and offers directions for future research on their application in urban resilience frameworks. • GI, NBS, and ES contribute to seismic and multi-hazard resilience. • Systematic review highlights research and policy gaps in seismic Eco-DRR governance. • GI, NBS, and ES lower exposure, vulnerability, and cascading impacts of seismic risks. • Empirical guidance is needed to embed ES in European DRR planning strategies. • Regulatory, incentive, and participatory pathways needed for Eco-DRR implementation.