A scale-invariant framework for integrating nature-based solutions into dense urban areas to improve accessibility and equity of access to urban blue and green spaces
- 1Water, Environment and Urban Systems Laboratory, École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Champs-sur-Marne 77455, France; Corresponding author.
- 2Hydrology Meteorology & Complexity Laboratory, École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Champs-sur-Marne 77455, France
Abstract
Improving accessibility and spatial equity of access to Urban Blue and Green Spaces (UB&GS) could potentially benefit biodiversity and urban sustainability. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), serving as small-scale decentralised forms of UB&GS, can enhance both environmental quality and human well-being by fostering positive interactions between humans and the natural environment. While there is growing interest in assessing the spatial distribution of UB&GS at multiple scales, existing evaluations commonly examine each spatial scale separately. Consequently, the intrinsic scaling relationships of UB&GS and the potential of NBS integration to improve accessibility and spatial equity of access across scales remain insufficiently explored. To address this gap, this study develops a scale-invariant framework based on Universal Multifractal (UM) theory to support the integration of NBS into existing UB&GS across various spatial scales, using Paris as a case study. Then, the fractal dimension ( D F ) and Gini index are employed as indicators to assess the effectiveness of NBS in enhancing accessibility and spatial equity of access to UB&GS, respectively. The results demonstrate that the developed scale-invariant framework can effectively support the optimal integration of NBS into the current UB&GS. With NBS integration, the D F increases by up to 0.07, while the Gini index decreases by a maximum of 0.27 across the study areas, indicating improved accessibility and enhanced spatial equity of access. Overall, the scale-invariant framework developed in this study provides quantitative recommendations to support the sustainable deployment of NBS in highly urbanised areas.
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BibTeX
@article{qiu2026scaleinvariant,
title = {{A scale-invariant framework for integrating nature-based solutions into dense urban areas to improve accessibility and equity of access to urban blue and green spaces}},
author = {Yangzi Qiu and Daniel Schertzer and Ioulia Tchiguirinskaia},
journal = {Ecological Indicators},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115767},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115767},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A scale-invariant framework for integrating nature-based solutions into dense urban areas to improve accessibility and equity of access to urban blue and green spaces
AU - Yangzi Qiu
AU - Daniel Schertzer
AU - Ioulia Tchiguirinskaia
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Ecological Indicators
DO - 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115767
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115767
AB - Improving accessibility and spatial equity of access to Urban Blue and Green Spaces (UB&GS) could potentially benefit biodiversity and urban sustainability. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), serving as small-scale decentralised forms of UB&GS, can enhance both environmental quality and human well-being by fostering positive interactions between humans and the natural environment. While there is growing interest in assessing the spatial distribution of UB&GS at multiple scales, existing evaluations commonly examine each spatial scale separately. Consequently, the intrinsic scaling relationships of UB&GS and the potential of NBS integration to improve accessibility and spatial equity of access across scales remain insufficiently explored. To address this gap, this study develops a scale-invariant framework based on Universal Multifractal (UM) theory to support the integration of NBS into existing UB&GS across various spatial scales, using Paris as a case study. Then, the fractal dimension ( D F ) and Gini index are employed as indicators to assess the effectiveness of NBS in enhancing accessibility and spatial equity of access to UB&GS, respectively. The results demonstrate that the developed scale-invariant framework can effectively support the optimal integration of NBS into the current UB&GS. With NBS integration, the D F increases by up to 0.07, while the Gini index decreases by a maximum of 0.27 across the study areas, indicating improved accessibility and enhanced spatial equity of access. Overall, the scale-invariant framework developed in this study provides quantitative recommendations to support the sustainable deployment of NBS in highly urbanised areas.
SN - 1470-160X
SN - 1872-7034
ER -